Demographics of Albania

The demography of Albania statistically studies the structure and dynamics of the resident population in the Albanian territory, as well as the processes that determine it: fertility, mortality and migration in that territory.

Rural accommodation in Shkodra, Albania

Population

The Albanian population does not have a marked urban character, as it happens in other European countries since half of its active population is dedicated to agriculture. They generally reside in areas of medium altitude and only 37% live in urban areas. Its active population represents 63% of the total.

Not only the low rate of urbanization still characterizes Albania but also its high rate of natural population growth in relation to other European states.

According to data obtained after the 2011 census, the capital of Albania, Tirana, is the only city with more than 500,000 inhabitants, with 705,369. Other major cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants are Durrës (201,515), Elbasan (112,499) and Shkodër (107,164). Other major urban centers include the Fier-Patos conglomerate (96,404), Vlora (92,637), the Berat-Kuçovë conglomerate (74,605) and Korçë (65,755).

Distribution

The majority of the population is Albanian, with Greek (estimated 3% in 1989), Aromanian and Slavic Macedonian minorities residing respectively in the south and east of the country. The official language is Albanian, an Indo-European language of Illyric origin that has two main dialects, Gueg, spoken north of the Shkumbi River, and the official Tosk, spoken in the south. In the border regions with Greece, Greek is spoken and Italian is widespread in the coastal regions as it is the most used language in the field of tourism.

Since the Ottoman occupation, the majority of Albanians have professed Islam (around 70% of those who declare they profess some religion) although during the communist period religions were prohibited. The other main religions in Albania are Orthodox (20%) and Catholic (10%). Orthodox Christians live mainly in the southern region, Catholic Christians mainly reside in the coastal ports.

Ethnic composition of Albania, according to the Communist data of 1989:
Red - Most Albanian
Green - Greek majority
Yellow - Most Macedonian

At present, a large part of the Shqipëtar (Albanian) population resides outside the territory controlled by the state of Albania: Most of Kosovo is inhabited by the Albanian (Kosovar) population, of the same So at least 45% of the population of North Macedonia is Albanian, distributed in the west and northwest of Slavic Macedonia. There are also minorities of Albanian origin in the south of Italy (especially in Calabria) and in the north of Greece, although both in Italy and in Greece the descendants of Albanians have either already been assimilated or are in the process of assimilation (this is observed by example in which they habitually use the Italian language or the Greek language, depending on the case).

On the other hand, until the 1990s, the south of the Albanian state was largely populated by native Greeks (boreoepirotes); being until 1991 majority or very important minority in the districts of: Saranda/Sarandë, Delvina/Delvinë, Argirocastro/Gjirokastër, Premeti/Përmet, Kolonya/Kolonjë and Devoli (In this list the denominations in Greek have been preceded).

Greek-Albanian ethnic boundaries during the 20th century never coincided with political boundaries: the Greek demographic continuum stretched north from the conventional political boundary, along a winding line which, starting from the Ionian Sea coast some 10 km northwest of the small port of Dhermi, continued through Jimara/Jimarë, then Tapeleni/Tepelenë, Kalkyra/Këlcyre, Premeti/Përmet, Leskovik, Erseka/Ersekë, Dardhe/Dardhë, Koritza/Korçë until reaching Lake Prespa. Thus, the cities of Argirocastro, Saranda/Sarandë and Delvina/Delvinë were within the territory claimed by Greece under the name of Northern Epirus. After 1991 such ethnic boundaries have been destabilized as a significant percentage of Borepirot Greeks have emigrated to state-controlled territory of Greece.

Religion

Vital Statistics

Before World War II

After World War II

Source: Institute of Statistics (INSTAT)