Counties (Albanian: qarqe or qarqet), also sometimes known as prefectures (prefekturë), are the first-level administrative subdivisions of Albania, replacing the earlier districts. Since 2000, there have been 12 counties. Since 2015, they have been divided into 61 municipalities, 373 communes, and 2,972 villages.
Counties of Albania | |
---|---|
Category | Unitary state |
Location | Republic of Albania |
Number | 12 |
Populations | 59,381 (Gjirokastër) – 906,166 (Tiranë) |
Areas | 766 km2 (296 sq mi) (Durrës)–3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi) (Korçë) |
Government |
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Subdivisions |
Since its Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania has reorganized its domestic administrative divisions 21 times. The primary division until the year 2000 was into districts (Albanian: rrethe), whose number, size, and importance varied over time.[1] They were organized into groups comprising 12 counties beginning in 1991.[1]
The current status of the counties[2] is based on the 1998 constitution and was carried out on 31 July 2000.[3] The former districts were abolished entirely and replaced with urban municipalities (bashki) and rural municipalities (komuna), which further oversaw villages (fshatra) in the countryside. This was revised in 2014, so that the 2015 local elections divided the counties into municipalities (bashki) at the regional level and administrative units (njësi administrative) for local government.
County | Seat | Municipalities | NUTS-2 | Area | Population (2020)[4] | Population density (per km2 in 2020) |
Emblem | Geographic coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berat | Berat | Berat, Kuçovë, Poliçan, Skrapar, Ura Vajgurore | Southern Region | 1,798 km2 (694 sq mi) | 122,003 | 37.9 | 40°44′N 19°59′E / 40.733°N 19.983°E | |
Dibër | Peshkopi | Bulqizë, Dibër, Klos, Mat | Northern Region | 2,586 km2 (998 sq mi) | 115,857 | 44.8 | 41°42′N 20°22′E / 41.700°N 20.367°E | |
Durrës | Durrës | Durrës, Krujë, Shijak | Northern Region | 766 km2 (296 sq mi) | 290,697 | 379.5 | 41°23′N 19°30′E / 41.383°N 19.500°E | |
Elbasan | Elbasan | Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin, Prrenjas | Central Region | 3,199 km2 (1,235 sq mi) | 270,074 | 84.4 | 41°6′N 20°8′E / 41.100°N 20.133°E | |
Fier | Fier | Divjakë, Fier, Lushnjë, Mallakastër, Patos, Roskovec | Southern Region | 1,890 km2 (730 sq mi) | 289,889 | 153.4 | 44°46′N 19°37′E / 44.767°N 19.617°E | |
Gjirokastër | Gjirokastër | Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet, Tepelenë | Southern Region | 2,884 km2 (1,114 sq mi) | 59,381 | 20.6 | 40°12′N 20°15′E / 40.200°N 20.250°E | |
Korçë | Korçë | Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë, Maliq, Pogradec, Pustec | Southern Region | 3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi) | 204,831 | 55.2 | 40°40′N 20°48′E / 40.667°N 20.800°E | |
Kukës | Kukës | Has, Kukës, Tropojë | Northern Region | 2,374 km2 (917 sq mi) | 75,428 | 31.8 | 42°7′N 20°25′E / 42.117°N 20.417°E | |
Lezhë | Lezhë | Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirditë | Northern Region | 1,620 km2 (630 sq mi) | 122,700 | 75.7 | 41°49′N 19°41′E / 41.817°N 19.683°E | |
Shkodër | Shkodër | Fushë-Arrëz, Malësi e Madhe, Pukë, Shkodër, Vau i Dejës | Northern Region | 3,562 km2 (1,375 sq mi) | 200,007 | 56.1 | 42°6′N 19°37′E / 42.100°N 19.617°E | |
Tirana | Tirana | Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, Tirana, Vorë | Central Region | 1,652 km2 (638 sq mi) | 906,166 | 548.5 | 41°6′N 20°8′E / 41.100°N 20.133°E | |
Vlorë | Vlorë | Delvinë, Finiq, Himarë, Konispol, Sarandë, Selenicë, Vlorë | Southern Region | 2,706 km2 (1,045 sq mi) | 188,922 | 69.8 | 40°30′N 19°37′E / 40.500°N 19.617°E |