Central Albania Shqipëria Qendrore | |
|---|---|
Region | |
 Tirana, the capital and seat of theGovernment of Albania | |
 Interactive map of Central Albania | |
| Country | Albania |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi) |
| Population (2023)[2] | |
• Total | 991,093 |
| • Density | 199.5/km2 (516.8/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | €7.647 billion (2023) |
| NUTS code | AL02 |
| HDI (2022) | 0.818[3] high |
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Central Albania (Albanian:Shqipëria Qendrore) is asubdivision of Albania as defined by theNomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS). It is one of the three classifiedNUTS-2 statisticalregions of Albania. The region incorporates the central parts of the country including the capitalTirana, and encompasses an area of 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi). It incorporates thecounties ofTirana, andElbasan. With a population of nearly one million, it is the most populated of the all the regions in Albania.
The country of Albania is organized into 12counties for administrative purposes.[6] TheNomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) organizes the country into three broader level sub-divisions.[7][8] These are classified as aNUTS-2 statisticalregions of Albania, and incorporate one or more counties within it.[9][10] The regions form the NUTS-3 territorial units under them.[11]
Central Albania incorporates the central parts of the country around the capital city ofTirana, encompassing an area of 4,967 km2 (1,918 sq mi).[1] The region is located inSoutheastern Europe, bordering theAegean Sea.[12] It shares an international land border withStruga Municipality of North Macedonia. It is bordered by the counties ofDibër andDurres ofNorth Albania to the north, andBerat,Fier andKorce ofSouth 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 theElbasan county. It is made up ofmarshlands, and eroded low lyingscrublands often with no vegetation. Moving towards the west, the elevation increases gradually, and consists of arable lands suitable foragriculture. These lands extend towards the foothills of the central uplands calledÇermenikë, 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 afaultline, and is in aseismically active zone.[16]
The Albanian rivers that pass through the region flow from east to west due to thetopography of the land. Due to its closeness to the sea, the western lowlands experience warm and humid summers, and milder winters. Theprecipitation increases while moving eastwards, with the central highlands experiencing the greatest rainfall.[16]
Central Albania consists of two counties:Tirana County andElbasan County.[17]
| 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′N20°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′N20°8′E / 41.100°N 20.133°E /41.100; 20.133 (Tirana County) |
Historical population | |||||||||||||||||||
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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 aGRDP of €7.647 billion, the region contributes to more than 50% of the country'sGDP.[4]
41°19′40″N19°49′5″E / 41.32778°N 19.81806°E /41.32778; 19.81806