Central Albania

NUTS-2 region of Albania

Region in Albania

Central Albania

Shqipëria Qendrore

Region

Tirana, the capital and seat of the Government of Albania

Central Albania in yellow

Country| Albania
Area

[1]

• Total

| 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi)
Population

(2023)[2]

• Total

| 991,093
• Density| 200/km2 (520/sq mi)
GDP

[3][4]

• Total| €7.647 billion (2023)
NUTS code| AL02
HDI (2022)| 0.797[5]
high

Central Albania (Albanian: Shqipëria Qendrore) is a subdivision of Albania as defined by the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). It is one of the three classified NUTS-2 statistical regions of Albania. The region incorporates the central parts of the country including the capital Tirana, and encompasses an area of 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi). It incorporates the counties of Tirana, and Elbasan. With a population of nearly one million, it is the most populated of the all the regions in Albania.

## Classification

[edit]

The country of Albania is organized into 12 counties for administrative purposes.[6] The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) organizes the country into three broader level sub-divisions.[7][8] These are classified as a NUTS-2 statistical regions of Albania, and incorporate one or more counties within it.[9][10] The regions form the NUTS-3 territorial units under them.[11]

## Geography

[edit]

Central Albania incorporates the central parts of the country around the capital city of Tirana, encompassing an area of 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi).[1] The region is located in Southeastern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea.[12] It shares an international land border with Struga Municipality of North Macedonia. It is bordered by the counties of Dibër and Durres of North Albania to the north, and Berat, Fier and Korce of South Albania to the south.[13][14][15]

The western part of the region consists of a narrow coast which reaches a maximum width of 50 km (31 mi) in the Elbasan county. It is made up of marshlands, and eroded low lying scrublands often with no vegetation. Moving towards the west, the elevation increases gradually, and consists of arable lands suitable for agriculture. These lands extend towards the foothills of the central uplands called Çermenikë, which consist of small hills with average elevation ranging between 305–915 m (1,001–3,002 ft). The western part of the region lies on a faultline, and is in a seismically active zone.[16]

The Albanian rivers that pass through the region flow from east to west due to the topography of the land. Due to its closeness to the sea, the western lowlands experience warm and humid summers, and milder winters. The precipitation increases while moving eastwards, with the central highlands experiencing the greatest rainfall.[16]

### Sub-regions

[edit]

Central Albania consists of two counties: Tirana County and Elbasan County.[17]

## List

[edit]

County  | Seat | Municipalities | Area[1] | Population (2023)[2] | Emblem  | Geographic coordinates

|
|
|
|
|
|

Elbasan | Elbasan | Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin, Prrenjas | 3,314 km2 (1,280 sq mi)  | 232,580 |  | 41°6′N 20°8′E﻿ / ﻿41.100°N 20.133°E﻿ / 41.100; 20.133﻿ (Elbasan County)
Tirana | Tiranë | Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, Tirana, Vorë | 1,653 km2 (638 sq mi)  | 758,513 |  | 41°6′N 20°8′E﻿ / ﻿41.100°N 20.133°E﻿ / 41.100; 20.133﻿ (Tirana County)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

1989| 806,725| —
2001| 960,635| +19.1%
| Year| Pop.| ±%

|
|

2011| 1,045,192| +8.8%
2023| 991,093| −5.2%
Source: [18]

With a population of nearly one million, it is the most populated of the all the regions in Albania.[6] The population consists of 448,003 males and 543,090 females.[2] With a GRDP of €7.647 billion, the region contributes to more than 50% of the country's GDP.[3]

## See also

[edit]

* Northern Albania (Ghegeria or Gegeria)
* Southern Albania (Toskeria)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Area by NUTS 3 regions - km2". Eurostat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
2. ^ a b c "Main Results of the Population and Housing Census 2023" (PDF). Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
3. ^ a b "EU regions by GDP". Eurostat. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
4. ^ "GDP per capita in 281 EU regions". Eurostat. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
5. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". Global datalab. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
6. ^ a b "Counties of Albania". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
7. ^ "NUTS classification". Eurostat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
8. ^ "Regions in the European Union: Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics" (PDF). European Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
9. ^ "NUTS regions". Eurostat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
10. ^ "Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/2066 of 21 November 2016 amending the annexes to Regulation (EC) No 1059/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the establishment of a common classification of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)". EUR-Lex. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
11. ^ "NUTS of Albania" (PDF). INSTAT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
12. ^ "Albania". CIA World fact book. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
13. ^ "Elbasan County". Mindat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
14. ^ "Tirane County". Mindat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
15. ^ "NUTS Maps: Albania". Eurostat. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
16. ^ a b "Geography of Albania". World facts. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
17. ^ "A new Urban–Rural Classification of Albanian Population" (PDF). Institute of Statistics. May 2014. p. 15\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
18. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Institute of Statistics. Retrieved 1 June 2024.

41°19′40″N 19°49′5″E﻿ / ﻿41.32778°N 19.81806°E﻿ / 41.32778; 19.81806
*[Pop.]: Population
*[±%]: Percent change