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 |
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History
Since its Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania has reorganized its domestic administrative divisions 21 times. The primary division until mid-2000 was into districts (Albanian: rrethe), whose number, size, and importance varied over time. They were organized into groups comprising 12 counties beginning in 1991.
The current status of the counties is based on the 1998 constitution and was implemented on 31 July 2000. 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.
List
| County | Seat | Municipalities | NUTS-2 | Area | Population (2020) | 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 | Tiranë | 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 |
See also
- List of counties of Albania by area
- List of counties of Albania by Gross Domestic Product
- List of counties of Albania by Human Development Index
- List of counties of Albania by population
- List of counties of Albania by population density
References
- A Brief History of the Administrative-territorial Organization in Albania Archived 2017-06-09 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of State for Local Issues
- "Ligji për Vetëqeverisjen Vendore" (PDF). Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- "A Brief History of the Administrative-territorial Organization in Albania". reformaterritoriale.al. Archived from the original on 2017-06-09. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
- "Popullsia në 1 Janar sipas qarqeve dhe gjinisë 2001 - 2020" (in Albanian). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT). Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
Counties Albanian qarqe or qarqet also sometimes known as prefectures prefekture 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 AlbaniaCategoryUnitary stateLocationRepublic of AlbaniaNumber12Populations59 381 Gjirokaster 906 166 Tirane Areas766 km2 296 sq mi Durres 3 711 km2 1 433 sq mi Korce GovernmentCounty government National governmentSubdivisionsMunicipalitiesHistorySince its Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 Albania has reorganized its domestic administrative divisions 21 times The primary division until mid 2000 was into districts Albanian rrethe whose number size and importance varied over time They were organized into groups comprising 12 counties beginning in 1991 The current status of the counties is based on the 1998 constitution and was implemented on 31 July 2000 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 njesi administrative for local government ListShkoder Kukes Lezhe Diber Durres Tirana Elbasan Fier Berat Korce Gjirokaster Vlore County Seat Municipalities NUTS 2 Area Population 2020 Population density per km2 in 2020 Emblem Geographic coordinatesBerat Berat Berat Kucove Polican 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 40 733 19 983 Berat County Diber Peshkopi Bulqize Diber 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 41 700 20 367 Diber County Durres Durres Durres Kruje Shijak Northern Region 766 km2 296 sq mi 290 697 379 5 41 23 N 19 30 E 41 383 N 19 500 E 41 383 19 500 Durres County Elbasan Elbasan Belsh Cerrik 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 41 100 20 133 Elbasan County Fier Fier Divjake Fier Lushnje Mallakaster 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 44 767 19 617 Fier County Gjirokaster Gjirokaster Dropull Gjirokaster Kelcyre Libohove Memaliaj Permet Tepelene 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 40 200 20 250 Gjirokaster County Korce Korce Devoll Kolonje Korce 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 40 667 20 800 Korce County Kukes Kukes Has Kukes Tropoje Northern Region 2 374 km2 917 sq mi 75 428 31 8 42 7 N 20 25 E 42 117 N 20 417 E 42 117 20 417 Kukes County Lezhe Lezhe Kurbin Lezhe Mirdite Northern Region 1 620 km2 630 sq mi 122 700 75 7 41 49 N 19 41 E 41 817 N 19 683 E 41 817 19 683 Lezhe County Shkoder Shkoder Fushe Arrez Malesi e Madhe Puke Shkoder Vau i Dejes 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 42 100 19 617 Shkoder County Tirana Tirane Kamez Kavaje Rrogozhine Tirana Vore Central Region 1 652 km2 638 sq mi 906 166 548 5 41 6 N 20 8 E 41 100 N 20 133 E 41 100 20 133 Tirana County Vlore Vlore Delvine Finiq Himare Konispol Sarande Selenice Vlore 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 40 500 19 617 Vlore County See alsoWikimedia Commons has media related to Counties of Albania List of counties of Albania by area List of counties of Albania by Gross Domestic Product List of counties of Albania by Human Development Index List of counties of Albania by population List of counties of Albania by population densityReferencesA Brief History of the Administrative territorial Organization in Albania Archived 2017 06 09 at the Wayback Machine Ministry of State for Local Issues Ligji per Veteqeverisjen Vendore PDF Retrieved 3 November 2020 A Brief History of the Administrative territorial Organization in Albania reformaterritoriale al Archived from the original on 2017 06 09 Retrieved 2017 09 29 Popullsia ne 1 Janar sipas qarqeve dhe gjinise 2001 2020 in Albanian Instituti i Statistikes INSTAT Archived from the original on 10 October 2021 Retrieved 22 July 2020
