 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(June 2024) |
| Demographics ofAlbania | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Population | 2,402,113(2023 census)[1] |
| Growth rate | 0.22% |
| Birth rate | 9.7 births/1,000 population (2021) |
| Death rate | 10.9 deaths/1,000 population (2021 ) |
| Fertility rate | 1.32 children born/woman (2021 est.)[2] |
| Infant mortality rate | 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Net migration rate | −3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.) |
| Age structure | |
| 0–14 years | 17.6% |
| 65 and over | 13.03% |
| Sex ratio | |
| Total | 0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.) |
| At birth | 1.07 male(s)/female |
| Under 15 | 1.1 male(s)/female |
| 65 and over | 0.66 male(s)/female |
| Nationality | |
| Nationality | Albanian |
| Major ethnic | Albanian (91.0%) |
| Minor ethnic | Greek (0.98%) |
| Language | |
| Official | Albanian |
Demographic features of thepopulation ofAlbania includepopulation density,ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects. The demography of Albania is monitored by theInstitute of Statistics of Albania. The institute has performed demographiccensuses since the 1920s.[3] The latest census in Albania was performed in September 2023.[1]
Albania is a fairly ethnically and linguistically homogeneous country, with ethnicAlbanians forming 91% of the total population in the country. The total population residing in Albania in September 2023 was 2,402,113 according to the most recentINSTAT census.
The first official population statistic for Albania was the 1923 census, when the country had a total of 823,000 inhabitants. Previous censuses were carried out by theOttoman Empire, which are not yet available. A shift in administrative borders in 1913 make comparison of various periods more complicated. Maddison from 2001, estimates that in Albania about 200,000 people lived up to the year 1600, and that the population grew to 300,000 by 1700, implying an annual average growth rate of 0.4% in that period. However, population growth accelerated from thedeclaration of independence in 1912 to 1944 to 0.7% per year. This was due in part because Albania had the largestbirth rate and the smallestdeath rate inEurope at the time.[4] After thesecond World War, population increase policies pursued by the communist government and a largelife expectancy fuelled a 2.5% annual increase for the following 45 years. The growth strained economic resources during communism in aMalthusian fashion that led to the collapse of the regime and theemigration of about 20 to 25 percent of the population in the following two decades. Albania experienced a demographic transition starting from 1960s, when crude birth rates began a slow decline, despite a government policy that called for a population increase. After the 1990s, the population showed an average decline of about 0.3% per year, caused by emigration. In the 2001 Census, the population declined to 3,023,000 from almost 3,300,000 million in 1990.
The permanent population of Albania at the 2023 census had decreased of 420,000 people compared to the 2011 census. Thepopulation density in 2023 was 84 inhabitants per square kilometre. Theoverall life expectancy in Albania at birth was 78 years in 2011.[5] In 2011, for the first time in the history of population censuses in Albania, the population in urban areas (53.7%) was larger than the population of rural areas (46.3%).[6] TheAlbanian language is the official language, but minority languages are officially used in some local government units. Albanian is declared as the native language by 98.76% of the population. The Albanian people are considered one of the mostpolyglot people in Europe.[7] They generally speak more than two languages, which are mainlyFrench,Greek,Italian, andEnglish, which are increasing due to migration return, and new Greek and Italian communities in the country. The main religions of Albania areIslam (50.67%),Christianity (16%) of whichRoman Catholicism (8.38%),Eastern Orthodoxy (7.22%) andEvangelicism (0.4%), other religions (0.15%), Believers without denomination (13.83%) andAtheists (3.55%) according to the 2023 census. There were also those who preferred not to answer (10.17%),
The main ethnic groups in Albania areAlbanians (91%),Greeks (1%),Egyptians (0.5%),Romani people (0.4%),Bulgarians (0.3%), as well asBosniaks,Aromanians,Macedonians,Serbs andMontenegrins.
Albania has a highHuman Development Index of 0.764, ranking75th in the world in 2016.[8] In 2016, Albania had a total population of 2,786,026, 1,361,326 being males and 1,424,700 females. 42,922 inhabitants have left Albania and in the same year the number ofimmigrants in the country was 25,846.[9]
Albanian demographics are difficult to ascertain and verify due to political corruption at the local and central level as noted by the Council of Europe.[10]
With an estimated population of 2.40 million in 2023, Albania ranks143rd in the world by population. Thepopulation density is 101 inhabitants per square kilometre.[11] The overalllife expectancy in Albania at birth is 78 years.[12] Thetotal fertility rate of 1.70 children per mother isone of the lowest in the world. In 2016, the population of Albania was about 2.89 million, comprising 1,447 million male and 1,443 female persons.[13] There were 38,003 live births and 20,737 deaths in Albania. The natural increase of the population was positive, as the number of births exceeded the number of deaths by 17,266. Due toexternal migration andlow birth rate, the population declined by 18,307. The totaldependency ratio of population in Albania is 46.8%.
In 2001, the number of households amounted to 726,895.[14] Theage structure was under 6 years by 10.8% and 65 years and older by 7.5%. However, the sex ratio amounted to 49.9% males and 50.1% females of the total population. Furthermore, 2,737,614 of the population was older than 6 years. In 2011, the total population was 2,831,741.[15] The comparison of the figures shows that the population has decreased by 7.7% in about ten years. Large scale emigration and fertility decline are supposed to be the main causes of the observed population decrease. A preliminary estimate of the number of persons that refused to participate in the census is 29,355 (1.04%). This figure is based on the number of dwellings for which a refusal was recorded and is included in the total population. The total population is composed of 1,421,810 males (50.2%) and 1,409,931 females (49.8%). For the first time in the history of population censuses in the nation, the population in urban areas is larger than the population of rural areas. According to 2011 census preliminary results, 53.7 percent of the population lives in urban areas and 46.3 percent in rural areas.
The 2011 census is regarded as unreliable and inaccurate by the Council of Europe, showing incompatibility with the protection of national minorities.[16] Also, the World Council of Churches sent letters to the United Nations Human Rights Council regarding the matter, having conducted their own questionnaire which showed major irregularities.[17] It was the first census to includeethnicity, was struck by controversy since according to article 20 of the Census law, there is a $1,000 fine for anyone who declares anything other than what was written down on the individual's birth certificate.[18] Some of the minorities, mainly the Greeks, boycotted the census.[19] The religious affiliation of the population was 56.7%Muslims, 13.79% undeclared, 10.03%Catholics, 6.75% Orthodox believers, 5.49% other, 2.5% Atheists, 2.09%Bektashis and 0.14% other Christians.[20]
According to the Institute of StatisticsINSTAT, the population in 2016 was 2,886,026.Tirana County is the area with the highest population of 811,649 in the country.Fier County remains the population with the second highest population with a total of 312,488. The Counties with the lowest result areGjirokastër,Kukës andDibër respectively with 70,331, 84,035 and 134,153 inhabitants.[21] About 53.4% of Albania's population live in cities. The three largest counties account for half of the population.
Almost 53.4% of the population of Albania living in cities. According to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), the three largest counties account for half of the population. Over 1 million people live inTirana andDurrës, making it the largest urban area in Albania.[22] The area of the capitalTirana, is one of largest cities in theBalkan Peninsula and ranks 7th with a population about 800,000.[23]The second largest is the port city of Durrës, with a population of 201.110, followed byVlorë, the largest city in southern Albania, with 141.513 inhabitants. The Institute of Statistics forecast that the population may even increase by less than a fifth from 763.560 by 2011 to 909.252by 2031, depending on the actual birth rate and the level of net migration.[24]
 | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org. |
| Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org. |
| Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found onPhabricator and onMediaWiki.org. |
| Date | Total population[25][26] | Change (%) | Males | Females | Population density | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 | 803,959 | |||||
| 1930 | 1,003,097 | |||||
| 1940 | 1,084,159 | +8.1 | ||||
| 1945 | 1,122,044 | +3.5% | 570,361 | 551,683 | 39 | |
| 1950 | 1,218,943 | +8.6% | 625,935 | 593,008 | 42 | 20.5% |
| 1955 | 1,391,499 | +14.1% | 713,316 | 678,183 | 48 | 27.5% |
| 1960 | 1,626,315 | +16.9% | 835,294 | 791,021 | 57 | 30.9% |
| 1969 | 2,068,200 | +27.2% | 72 | 31.5% | ||
| 1979 | 2,590,600 | +25.3% | 1,337,400 | 1,253,200 | 90 | 33.5% |
| 1989 | 3,182,417 | +22.9% | 1,638,100 | 1,544,300 | 111 | 35.5% |
| 2001 | 3,069,275 | -3.6% | 1,530,443 | 1,538,832 | 107 | 42.1% |
| 2011 | 2,831,741 | -7.7% | 1,421,810 | 1,409,931 | 99 | 53.7% |
| 2023 | 2,402,113 | -14.8% | 1,190,448 | 1,211,665 | 84 |
| Qark/County | Population | Change (1989–2023) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 2023 | Number | % | |
| Berat | 222,901 | 140,956 | −81,945 | −36% |
| Dibër | 226,324 | 107,178 | −119,146 | −52% |
| Durrës | 218,530 | 226,863 | +8,333 | +3% |
| Elbasan | 357,497 | 232,580 | −124,917 | −35% |
| Fier | 379,342 | 240,377 | −138,965 | −36% |
| Gjirokastër | 155,998 | 60,013 | −95,985 | −61% |
| Korçë | 311,448 | 173,091 | −138,357 | −44% |
| Kukës | 146,081 | 61,998 | −84,083 | −57% |
| Lezhë | 165,254 | 99,384 | −65,870 | −39% |
| Shkodër | 285,258 | 154,479 | −130,779 | −45% |
| Tiranë | 449,228 | 758,513 | +309,285 | +68% |
| Vlorë | 264,556 | 146,681 | −117,875 | −44% |
| County | TFR |
|---|---|
| Albania | 1.37 |
| Berat | 1.42 |
| Dibër | 2.14 |
| Durrës | 1.44 |
| Elbasan | 1.60 |
| Fier | 1.31 |
| Gjirokastër | 1.30 |
| Korçë | 1.10 |
| Kukës | 2.10 |
| Lezhë | 1.63 |
| Shkodër | 1.32 |
| Tiranë | 1.29 |
| Vlorë | 1.00 |
| [25][26] | Average population | Live births | Deaths | Natural change | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1934 | 1,010,000 | 33,884 | 14,440 | 19,444 | 34.7 | 16.7 | 18.0 | 3.78 |
| 1935 | 1,012,000 | 32,640 | 13,373 | 19,267 | 33.1 | 17.0 | 16.1 | 3.98 |
| 1936 | 1,014,000 | 34,199 | 16,788 | 17,411 | 33.7 | 16.6 | 17.1 | 4.19 |
| 1937 | 1,030,000 | 34,829 | 20,036 | 14,793 | 33.8 | 19.5 | 14.3 | 4.40 |
| 1938 | 1,048,000 | 36,138 | 18,512 | 17,626 | 34.3 | 17.7 | 16.6 | 4.61 |
| 1939 | 1,070,000 | 29,597 | 16,013 | 13,584 | 27.9 | 15.0 | 12.9 | 3.75 |
| 1940 | 1,088,000 | 33,651 | 17,812 | 15,839 | 31.3 | 16.4 | 14.9 | 4.21 |
| 1941 | 1,100,000 | 30,627 | 18,234 | 12,393 | 28.0 | 16.6 | 11.4 | 3.77 |
| 1942 | 1,117,000 | 36,683 | 15,899 | 20,784 | 32.8 | 14.2 | 18.6 | 4.43 |
Source: Institute of Statistics (INSTAT)[34]
| Average population | Live births | Deaths | Natural change | Crude birth rate (per 1000) | Crude death rate (per 1000) | Natural change (per 1000) | Total fertility rate | Female fertile population (15–49 years) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,215,200 | 47,291 | 17,215 | 30,076 | 38.9 | 14.2 | 24.7 | 6.07 | 259,472 |
| 1951 | 1,242,000 | 47,813 | 18,862 | 28,951 | 38.5 | 15.2 | 23.3 | 6.01 | 266,954 |
| 1952 | 1,270,000 | 44,727 | 19,826 | 24,901 | 35.2 | 15.6 | 19.6 | 5.47 | 274,437 |
| 1953 | 1,302,000 | 53,273 | 17,822 | 35,451 | 40.9 | 13.7 | 27.2 | 6.34 | 281,919 |
| 1954 | 1,340,000 | 54,635 | 17,560 | 37,075 | 40.8 | 13.1 | 27.7 | 6.33 | 289,402 |
| 1955 | 1,379,000 | 61,300 | 20,750 | 40,550 | 44.5 | 15.0 | 29.4 | 6.93 | 296,885 |
| 1956 | 1,421,000 | 59,565 | 16,370 | 43,195 | 41.9 | 11.5 | 30.4 | 6.46 | 304,367 |
| 1957 | 1,462,000 | 57,241 | 17,241 | 40,000 | 39.2 | 11.8 | 27.4 | 6.06 | 311,850 |
| 1958 | 1,507,000 | 63,007 | 14,059 | 48,948 | 41.8 | 9.3 | 32.5 | 6.51 | 319,332 |
| 1959 | 1,556,000 | 65,213 | 15,305 | 49,908 | 41.9 | 9.8 | 32.1 | 6.59 | 326,815 |
| 1960 | 1,608,800 | 69,686 | 16,775 | 52,911 | 43.3 | 10.4 | 32.9 | 6.85 | 334,297 |
| 1961 | 1,659,800 | 68,452 | 15,445 | 53,007 | 41.2 | 9.3 | 31.9 | 6.57 | 344,907 |
| 1962 | 1,711,319 | 67,209 | 18,363 | 48,846 | 39.3 | 10.7 | 28.5 | 6.27 | 355,516 |
| 1963 | 1,762,621 | 68,967 | 17,646 | 51,321 | 39.1 | 10.0 | 29.1 | 6.26 | 366,125 |
| 1964 | 1,814,135 | 68,599 | 15,811 | 52,788 | 37.8 | 8.7 | 29.1 | 6.06 | 376,734 |
| 1965 | 1,864,791 | 65,692 | 16,731 | 48,961 | 35.2 | 9.0 | 26.3 | 5.65 | 387,343 |
| 1966 | 1,914,573 | 65,127 | 16,469 | 48,658 | 34.0 | 8.6 | 25.4 | 5.32 | 397,952 |
| 1967 | 1,965,598 | 69,261 | 16,565 | 52,696 | 35.2 | 8.4 | 26.8 | 5.53 | 408,561 |
| 1968 | 2,022,272 | 71,869 | 16,214 | 55,655 | 35.5 | 8.0 | 27.5 | 5.60 | 419,170 |
| 1969 | 2,081,695 | 73,458 | 15,624 | 57,834 | 35.3 | 7.5 | 27.8 | 5.60 | 429,779 |
| 1970 | 2,135,479 | 69,507 | 19,774 | 49,733 | 32.5 | 9.3 | 23.3 | 5.16 | 440,388 |
| 1971 | 2,187,853 | 72,784 | 17,768 | 55,016 | 33.3 | 8.1 | 25.1 | 5.20 | 459,327 |
| 1972 | 2,243,126 | 73,607 | 17,616 | 55,991 | 32.8 | 7.9 | 25.0 | 5.06 | 478,267 |
| 1973 | 2,296,752 | 69,754 | 18,032 | 51,722 | 30.4 | 7.9 | 22.5 | 4.62 | 497,206 |
| 1974 | 2,350,124 | 71,862 | 17,726 | 54,136 | 30.6 | 7.5 | 23.0 | 4.59 | 516,145 |
| 1975 | 2,404,831 | 70,688 | 17,399 | 53,289 | 29.4 | 7.2 | 22.2 | 4.23 | 535,084 |
| 1976 | 2,458,526 | 70,510 | 17,029 | 53,481 | 28.7 | 6.9 | 21.8 | 4.08 | 554,024 |
| 1977 | 2,513,546 | 73,439 | 16,638 | 56,801 | 29.2 | 6.6 | 22.6 | 4.12 | 572,963 |
| 1978 | 2,566,266 | 70,594 | 16,219 | 54,375 | 27.5 | 6.3 | 21.2 | 3.84 | 591,902 |
| 1979 | 2,617,832 | 72,055 | 17,421 | 54,634 | 27.5 | 6.7 | 20.9 | 3.80 | 610,841 |
| 1980 | 2,671,997 | 70,680 | 16,981 | 53,699 | 26.5 | 6.4 | 20.1 | 3.62 | 629,780 |
| 1981 | 2,726,056 | 72,180 | 18,001 | 54,179 | 26.5 | 6.6 | 19.9 | 3.63 | 642,352 |
| 1982 | 2,784,278 | 77,232 | 16,521 | 60,711 | 27.7 | 5.9 | 21.8 | 3.80 | 655,703 |
| 1983 | 2,843,960 | 73,762 | 17,416 | 56,346 | 25.9 | 6.1 | 19.8 | 3.24 | 692,188 |
| 1984 | 2,904,429 | 79,177 | 16,618 | 62,559 | 27.3 | 5.7 | 21.5 | 3.41 | 706,499 |
| 1985 | 2,964,762 | 77,535 | 17,179 | 60,356 | 26.2 | 5.8 | 20.4 | 3.26 | 721,315 |
| 1986 | 3,022,635 | 76,435 | 17,369 | 59,066 | 25.3 | 5.7 | 19.5 | 3.11 | 735,739 |
| 1987 | 3,083,605 | 79,696 | 17,119 | 62,577 | 25.8 | 5.6 | 20.3 | 3.16 | 751,181 |
| 1988 | 3,142,336 | 80,241 | 17,027 | 63,214 | 25.5 | 5.4 | 20.1 | 3.03 | 774,599 |
| 1989 | 3,211,964 | 78,852 | 18,168 | 60,684 | 24.5 | 5.7 | 18.9 | 2.96 | 770,154 |
| 1990 | 3,266,790 | 82,125 | 18,193 | 63,932 | 25.1 | 5.6 | 19.6 | 3.03 | 800,572 |
| 1991 | 3,247,039 | 77,361 | 17,743 | 59,618 | 23.8 | 5.5 | 18.4 | 2.90 | 799,394 |
| 1992 | 3,227,287 | 75,425 | 18,026 | 57,399 | 23.4 | 5.6 | 17.8 | 2.86 | 798,216 |
| 1993 | 3,207,536 | 67,730 | 17,920 | 49,810 | 21.1 | 5.6 | 15.5 | 2.61 | 797,041 |
| 1994 | 3,187,784 | 72,179 | 18,342 | 53,837 | 22.6 | 5.8 | 16.9 | 2.82 | 795,863 |
| 1995 | 3,168,033 | 72,081 | 18,060 | 54,021 | 22.8 | 5.7 | 17.1 | 2.87 | 794,685 |
| 1996 | 3,148,281 | 68,358 | 17,600 | 50,758 | 21.7 | 5.6 | 16.1 | 2.77 | 793,510 |
| 1997 | 3,128,530 | 61,739 | 18,237 | 43,502 | 19.7 | 5.8 | 13.9 | 2.55 | 792,333 |
| 1998 | 3,108,778 | 60,139 | 18,250 | 41,889 | 19.3 | 5.9 | 13.5 | 2.53 | 791,156 |
| 1999 | 3,089,027 | 57,948 | 16,720 | 41,228 | 18.8 | 5.4 | 13.3 | 2.49 | 789,977 |
| 2000 | 3,060,173 | 51,242 | 16,421 | 34,821 | 16.7 | 5.4 | 11.4 | 2.25 | 788,801 |
| 2001 | 3,060,169 | 53,205 | 19,013 | 34,192 | 17.4 | 6.2 | 11.2 | 2.31 | 790,295 |
| 2002 | 3,051,006 | 42,527 | 19,187 | 23,340 | 13.9 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 1.90 | 788,952 |
| 2003 | 3,039,612 | 45,313 | 21,294 | 24,019 | 14.9 | 7.0 | 7.9 | 2.06 | 787,972 |
| 2004 | 3,026,933 | 40,989 | 20,269 | 20,720 | 13.5 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 1.86 | 785,321 |
| 2005 | 3,011,482 | 38,898 | 20,430 | 18,468 | 12.9 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 1.79 | 781,678 |
| 2006 | 2,992,542 | 35,891 | 20,852 | 15,039 | 12.0 | 7.0 | 5.0 | 1.67 | 777,045 |
| 2007 | 2,970,011 | 34,448 | 20,886 | 13,562 | 11.6 | 7.0 | 4.6 | 1.62 | 771,134 |
| 2008 | 2,947,311 | 33,445 | 20,749 | 12,696 | 11.3 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 1.58 | 762,943 |
| 2009 | 2,927,515 | 34,114 | 20,428 | 13,686 | 11.7 | 7.0 | 4.7 | 1.63 | 753,608 |
| 2010 | 2,913,018 | 34,061 | 20,107 | 13,954 | 11.7 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 1.63 | 744,637 |
| 2011 | 2,905,185 | 34,285 | 20,012 | 14,273 | 11.8 | 6.9 | 4.9 | 1.65 | 736,059 |
| 2012 | 2,900,389 | 35,473 | 20,870 | 14,603 | 12.2 | 7.2 | 5.0 | 1.70 | 727,028 |
| 2013 | 2,895,082 | 35,750 | 20,442 | 15,308 | 12.3 | 7.1 | 5.3 | 1.73 | 716,210 |
| 2014 | 2,889,095 | 35,760 | 20,656 | 15,104 | 12.4 | 7.1 | 5.2 | 1.74 | 705,993 |
| 2015 | 2,880,694 | 32,715 | 22,418 | 10,297 | 11.4 | 7.8 | 3.6 | 1.59 | 697,931 |
| 2016 | 2,876,092 | 31,733 | 21,388 | 10,345 | 11.0 | 7.4 | 3.6 | 1.54 | 693,111 |
| 2017[35] | 2,873,458 | 30,869 | 22,232 | 8,637 | 10.7 | 7.7 | 3.0 | 1.48 | 692,680 |
| 2018[36] | 2,866,376 | 28,934 | 21,804 | 7,130 | 10.1 | 7.6 | 2.5 | 1.37 | 691,302 |
| 2019[37] | 2,854,191 | 28,561 | 21,937 | 6,624 | 10.0 | 7.7 | 2.3 | 1.36 | 683,995 |
| 2020[38] | 2,837,848 | 28,075 | 27,605 | 470 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 0.2 | 1.34 | 675,482 |
| 2021[39] | 2,811,666 | 27,211 | 30,507 | −3,296 | 9.7 | 10.9 | −1.2 | 1.32 | 665,823 |
| 2022 | 2,777,689 | 24,688 | 23,998 | 690 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 0.2 | 1.21 | 653,699 |
| 2023 | 2,402,113 | 23,617 | 21,286 | 2,331 | 9.8 | 8.9 | 1.0 | 1.62 | 510,223 |
| 2024 | 22,425 | 21,247 | 1,178 |
| Period | Live births | Deaths | Natural increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| January–June 2023 | 10,616 | 10,507 | +109 |
| January–June 2024 | 10,325 | 10,551 | −226 |
| Difference |  −291 (−2.74%) |  +44 (+0.42%) | −335 |
| Age Group | Male | Female | Total | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1 409 982 | 1 419 759 | 2 829 741 | 100 |
| 0–4 | 73 974 | 69 572 | 143 546 | 5.07 |
| 5–9 | 81 708 | 80 005 | 161 713 | 5.71 |
| 10–14 | 83 041 | 79 066 | 162 107 | 5.73 |
| 15–19 | 96 566 | 92 509 | 189 075 | 6.68 |
| 20–24 | 109 136 | 109 651 | 218 787 | 7.73 |
| 25–29 | 117 857 | 117 340 | 235 197 | 8.31 |
| 30–34 | 108 995 | 99 057 | 208 052 | 7.35 |
| 35–39 | 91 048 | 85 911 | 176 959 | 6.25 |
| 40–44 | 78 999 | 80 415 | 159 414 | 5.63 |
| 45–49 | 81 594 | 87 253 | 168 847 | 5.97 |
| 50–54 | 90 329 | 97 106 | 187 435 | 6.62 |
| 55–59 | 97 462 | 101 163 | 198 625 | 7.02 |
| 60–64 | 92 124 | 96 329 | 188 453 | 6.66 |
| 65–69 | 72 196 | 77 028 | 149 224 | 5.27 |
| 70–74 | 54 148 | 58 382 | 112 530 | 3.98 |
| 75–79 | 40 995 | 44 359 | 85 354 | 3.02 |
| 80–84 | 27 176 | 30 982 | 58 158 | 2.06 |
| 85+ | 12 634 | 13 631 | 26 265 | 0.93 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Percent |
| 0–14 | 238 723 | 228 643 | 467 366 | 16.52 |
| 15–64 | 964 110 | 966 734 | 1 930 844 | 68.23 |
| 65+ | 207 149 | 224 382 | 431 531 | 15.25 |
| Average population | Marriages | Divorces | Crude marriage rate (per 1000) | Crude divorce rate (per 1000) | Divorces per 1000 marriages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,215,200 | 12,341 | 1,188 | 10.2 | 1.0 | 96.3 |
| 1951 | 1,242,000 | 12,364 | 1,154 | 10.0 | 0.9 | 93.3 |
| 1952 | 1,270,000 | 12,387 | 1,120 | 9.8 | 0.9 | 90.4 |
| 1953 | 1,302,000 | 12,410 | 1,087 | 9.5 | 0.8 | 87.6 |
| 1954 | 1,340,000 | 12,433 | 1,053 | 9.3 | 0.8 | 84.7 |
| 1955 | 1,379,000 | 12,456 | 1,019 | 9.0 | 0.7 | 81.8 |
| 1956 | 1,421,000 | 12,479 | 985 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 78.9 |
| 1957 | 1,462,000 | 12,502 | 951 | 8.6 | 0.7 | 76.1 |
| 1958 | 1,507,000 | 12,525 | 918 | 8.3 | 0.6 | 73.3 |
| 1959 | 1,556,000 | 12,548 | 884 | 8.1 | 0.6 | 70.4 |
| 1960 | 1,608,800 | 12,571 | 850 | 7.8 | 0.5 | 67.6 |
| 1961 | 1,659,800 | 18,723 | 1,314 | 11.3 | 0.8 | 70.2 |
| 1962 | 1,711,319 | 12,838 | 1,236 | 7.5 | 0.7 | 96.3 |
| 1963 | 1,762,621 | 13,182 | 1,046 | 7.5 | 0.6 | 79.4 |
| 1964 | 1,814,135 | 13,021 | 1,104 | 7.2 | 0.6 | 84.8 |
| 1965 | 1,864,791 | 13,921 | 1,028 | 7.5 | 0.6 | 73.8 |
| 1966 | 1,914,573 | 12,968 | 1,217 | 6.8 | 0.6 | 93.8 |
| 1967 | 1,965,598 | 16,853 | 1,415 | 8.6 | 0.7 | 84.0 |
| 1968 | 2,022,272 | 15,845 | 1,773 | 7.8 | 0.9 | 111.9 |
| 1969 | 2,081,695 | 15,322 | 1,608 | 7.4 | 0.8 | 104.9 |
| 1970 | 2,135,479 | 14,449 | 1,625 | 6.8 | 0.8 | 112.5 |
| 1971 | 2,187,853 | 15,300 | 1,758 | 7.0 | 0.8 | 114.9 |
| 1972 | 2,243,126 | 16,159 | 1,718 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 106.3 |
| 1973 | 2,296,752 | 18,481 | 1,791 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 96.9 |
| 1974 | 2,350,124 | 18,605 | 1,934 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 104.0 |
| 1975 | 2,404,831 | 18,729 | 1,853 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 98.9 |
| 1976 | 2,458,526 | 18,600 | 1,900 | 7.6 | 0.8 | 102.2 |
| 1977 | 2,513,546 | 19,934 | 2,003 | 7.9 | 0.8 | 100.5 |
| 1978 | 2,566,266 | 20,464 | 1,836 | 8.0 | 0.7 | 89.7 |
| 1979 | 2,617,832 | 21,355 | 1,849 | 8.2 | 0.7 | 86.6 |
| 1980 | 2,671,997 | 21,729 | 2,024 | 8.1 | 0.8 | 93.1 |
| 1981 | 2,726,056 | 23,301 | 2,222 | 8.5 | 0.8 | 95.4 |
| 1982 | 2,784,278 | 25,157 | 2,206 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 87.7 |
| 1983 | 2,843,960 | 25,607 | 2,371 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 92.6 |
| 1984 | 2,904,429 | 26,397 | 2,335 | 9.1 | 0.8 | 88.5 |
| 1985 | 2,964,762 | 25,271 | 2,451 | 8.5 | 0.8 | 97.0 |
| 1986 | 3,022,635 | 25,718 | 2,383 | 8.5 | 0.8 | 92.7 |
| 1987 | 3,083,605 | 27,370 | 2,537 | 8.9 | 0.8 | 92.7 |
| 1988 | 3,142,336 | 28,174 | 2,597 | 9.0 | 0.8 | 92.2 |
| 1989 | 3,211,964 | 27,655 | 2,628 | 8.6 | 0.8 | 95.0 |
| 1990 | 3,266,790 | 28,992 | 2,675 | 8.9 | 0.8 | 92.3 |
| 1991 | 3,247,039 | 24,853 | 2,236 | 7.7 | 0.7 | 90.0 |
| 1992 | 3,227,287 | 26,405 | 2,480 | 8.2 | 0.8 | 93.9 |
| 1993 | 3,207,536 | 25,963 | 2,251 | 8.1 | 0.7 | 86.7 |
| 1994 | 3,187,784 | 27,895 | 2,108 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 75.6 |
| 1995 | 3,168,033 | 26,989 | 2,331 | 8.5 | 0.7 | 86.4 |
| 1996 | 3,148,281 | 27,690 | 1,901 | 8.8 | 0.6 | 68.7 |
| 1997 | 3,128,530 | 24,122 | 1,430 | 7.7 | 0.5 | 59.3 |
| 1998 | 3,108,778 | 27,871 | 2,005 | 9.0 | 0.6 | 71.9 |
| 1999 | 3,089,027 | 27,254 | 2,114 | 8.8 | 0.7 | 77.6 |
| 2000 | 3,060,173 | 25,820 | 2,168 | 8.4 | 0.7 | 84.0 |
| 2001 | 3,060,169 | 25,717 | 2,462 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 95.7 |
| 2002 | 3,051,010 | 26,202 | 3,494 | 8.6 | 1.1 | 133.3 |
| 2003 | 3,039,616 | 27,342 | 3,634 | 9.0 | 1.2 | 132.9 |
| 2004 | 3,026,939 | 20,949 | 2,968 | 6.9 | 1.0 | 141.7 |
| 2005 | 3,011,487 | 21,795 | 3,929 | 7.2 | 1.3 | 180.3 |
| 2006 | 2,992,547 | 21,332 | 4,075 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 191.0 |
| 2007 | 2,970,017 | 22,371 | 3,305 | 7.5 | 1.1 | 147.7 |
| 2008 | 2,947,314 | 21,290 | 3,610 | 7.2 | 1.2 | 169.6 |
| 2009 | 2,927,519 | 26,174 | 3,606 | 8.9 | 1.2 | 137.8 |
| 2010 | 2,913,021 | 25,428 | 3,478 | 8.7 | 1.2 | 136.8 |
| 2011 | 2,905,195 | 25,556 | 3,642 | 8.8 | 1.3 | 142.5 |
| 2012 | 2,900,401 | 22,891 | 3,561 | 7.9 | 1.2 | 155.6 |
| 2013 | 2,895,092 | 23,820 | 3,747 | 8.2 | 1.3 | 157.3 |
| 2014 | 2,889,104 | 23,769 | 4,240 | 8.2 | 1.5 | 178.4 |
| 2015 | 2,880,703 | 24,997 | 3,761 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 150.5 |
| 2016 | 2,876,101 | 22,562 | 4,345 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 192.6 |
| 2017 | 2,873,457 | 22,641 | 4,508 | 7.9 | 1.6 | 199.1 |
| 2018 | 2,866,376 | 23,104 | 4,846 | 8.1 | 1.7 | 209.7 |
| 2019 | 2,854,191 | 22,415 | 7.9 | |||
| 2020 | 2,837,849 | 17,473 | 6.2 |
Albania is inhabited mostly by Albanians. In the 2011 official census, 97.8% of those who disclosed their identity were Albanians (82.58% overall), while 2.3% stated other ethnicities (1.9% overall).[42] Albania recognizesnine national minorities. These includeAromanians,Balkan Egyptians,Greeks,Bulgarians,Bosniaks,Macedonians,Montenegrins,Serbs, andRoma.[43] As conducting a satisfactory census of ethnic minorities is one of the country's commitments to theEuropean Union, theGovernment of Albania conducted an official census to clarify the ethnic composition of the population in 2011. However this census was deemed unreliable by internal and external organisations, including the Council of Europe and many of Albania's ethnic minority groups.[10] The last census to include data on ethnic minorities was conducted in 1989.[44] The census conducted in 2001 did not collect information about ethnic groups and nationalities in the population.
Since the 21st century, Albania has also witness a significant settlement of foreign expats into the country, such asItalians,Chinese,Turks,Bengalis,Americans,Portuguese[45] and other foreign workers. In 2021 there were as many as 15,000 foreigners living in Albania (0.5% of the population).[46]
Albania also houses 3,200Afghan refugees and over 3,800Ukrainian refugees.[47][48][49]
| Ethnic group | Census 1945 | Census 1950 | Census 1955 | Census 1960 | Census 1979 | Census 1989[50] | Census 20111 | Census 2023[51] | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Albanians | 1,075,500 | 95.9 | 1,186,100 | 97.3 | 1,349,100 | 97.0 | 1,581,745 | 97.3 | 2,535,913 | 97.9 | 3,117,601 | 98.0 | 2,312,356 | 82.58 | 2,186,917 | 91.04% |
| Greeks | 26,535 | 2.4 | 29,000 | 2.4 | 35,345 | 2.5 | 40,000 | 2.5 | 49,307 | 1.9 | 58,758[52] | 1.8 | 24,243 | 0.87 | 23,485 | 0.98 |
| Balkan Egyptians | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3,368 | 0.12 | 12,375 | 0.52 |
| Romani | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8,301 | 0.30 | 9,813 | 0.41 |
| Bulgarians2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7,057 | 0.29 |
| Bosniaks | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2,963 | 0.12 |
| Aromanians | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 782[53] | – | 8,266 | 0.30 | 2,459 | 0.10 |
| Macedonians | 14,400 | 1.3 | 2,273 | 0.2 | 3,341 | 0.2 | 4,235 | 0.3 | 4,097 | 0.2 | 4,697[54] | 0.15 | 5,512 | 0.20 | 2,281 | 0.09 |
| Serbs–Montenegrins | – | – | 1,570 | 0.1 | 3,713 | 0.3 | 300 | 0.0 | 1,283 | 0.0 | 100[55] | 0.00 | 366 | 0.01 | 1,0953 | 0.05 |
| Other | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 5,600 | 0.5 | 1,261 | 0.04 | 2,644 | 0.11 | 5,7104 | 0.24 |
| Did not declare ethnicity | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 435,082 | 15.6 | 13,507 | 0.56 |
| Data borrowed from administrative sources | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
1 At the 2011 census a total of 390,938 (14% of the total population) did not declare their nationality, while another 44,144 (1.6%) considered the nationality as 'not relevant'. The census is regarded unreliable and inaccurate by theCouncil of Europe.Vlachs (Aromanians) live in the south of the country,[56] whereasMontenegrins andSerbs live in the north.[57] Macedonians mostly live in Mala Prespa and the regions along the Macedonian border, known as 'Golo Brdo' and 'Gora'.
2 The Bulgarian minority was only recognised in 2017,[58] after decades-long blockade by formerYugoslavia and following a 2016 recommendation by theEuropean Parliament that the rights of people of Bulgarian ethnicity in the Prespa, Gollobordë, and Gora regions should be respected.[59]
3 Includes 584 Serbs and 511 Montenegrins[51].
4 Includes 3,798 people declaring "Other ethnic identity", 770 people declaring "Mixed ethnic identity" and 1,142 people declaring "No ethnic identity"[51].
| Religion group | Census 1923 | Census 1927[60] | Census 1942[61] | Census 2011[62] | Census 2023[63] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| Sunni Muslim | 558,000 | 68.5 | 563,729 | 67.6 | 599,912 | 54.2 | 1,587,608 | 56.7 | 1,101,718 | 45.86 |
| Bektashism | 163,811 | 14.7 | 58,628 | 2.09 | 115,644 | 4.81 | ||||
| Muslim | 558,000 | 68.5 | 563,729 | 67.6 | 763,723 | 68.9 | 1,646,236 | 58.79 | 1,217,362 | 50.67 |
| Catholic | 85,000 | 10.5 | 88,739 | 10.6 | 113,891 | 10.3 | 280,921 | 10.0 | 201,530 | 8.38 |
| Eastern Orthodox | 171,000 | 20.5 | 181,051 | 21.7 | 229,080 | 20.7 | 188,992 | 6.75 | 173,645 | 7.22 |
| Evangelical | 5,616 | 0.2 | 9,658 | 0.4 | ||||||
| Christian | 256,000 | 31 | 269,790 | 32.3 | 342,971 | 31 | 475,529 | 16.77 | 384,833 | 16.00 |
| Atheists | 69,995 | 2.5 | 85,311 | 3.55 | ||||||
| Believers without denomination | 153,630 | 5.49 | 332,155 | 13.82 | ||||||
| Non-religious | 223,625 | 8.0 | 417,466 | 17.37 | ||||||
| Not stated / other | 99 | 0.01 | 156 | 0.01 | 454,046 | 16.2 | 382,452 | 15.91 | ||
| TOTAL | 814,000 | 100 | 833,613 | 100 | 1,106,850 | 100 | 2,800,138 | 100 | 2,402,113 | 100 |
According to the 2023 census, there were 1,101,718 (45.86%)Muslims (mostlySunni Muslims andNon-denominational Muslims) 201,530 (8.38%)Catholics, 173,645 (7.22%)Eastern Orthodox, 115,644 (4.81%)Bektashi Muslims, 9,658 (0.4%)Evangelicals, 3 670 (0.15%) of other religions, 332,155 (13.82%) believers without denomination, 85,311 (3.55%) Atheists and 378,782 (15.76%) did not provide an answer.[1]
TheConstitution of Albania extends freedom of religion to all citizens and the government generally respects this right in practice. It declares no official religion and provides for equality of all religions. However, the predominant religious communities enjoy a greater degree of official recognition and social status based on their historical presence in the country. All registered religious groups have the right to hold bank accounts and to own property and buildings. Religious freedoms have in large part been secured by the generally amicable relationship among religions. TheMinistry of Education has the right to approve the curricula of religious schools to ensure their compliance with national education standards while the State Committee on Cults oversees implementation. There are also 68 vocational training centers administered by religious communities.[64]
Government policy and practice contributed to the generally free exercise of religion. The government is secular and the Ministry of Education asserts that public schools in the country are secular and that the law prohibits ideological and religious indoctrination. Religion is not taught in public schools.[64]
TheAlbanian language is the official language of Albania. It has two distinct dialects, Tosk, spoken in the south, and Gheg, spoken in the north. TheShkumbin river is the rough dividing line between the two dialects. The language is spoken primarily inGreece,Italy,Kosovo,North Macedonia andMontenegro. Centuries-old communities speaking Albanian-based dialects can be found scattered in Greece (Arvanites), Southern Italy, Sicily and Calabria (Arbëreshë) and inUkraine. However, due to the largeAlbanian diaspora, the total number of speakers is much higher than the native speakers inSouthern Europe. The four dialects includeTosk Albanian,Gheg Albanian,Arbëresh andArvanitika.
Foreign languages spoken generally include one – or more – amongst the following:English,French,Greek,Italian. Language knowledge is increasing due to returning migrants, as well as new Greek and Italian communities in the country. In particular, Italian is widely spoken throughout Albania.La Francophonie states that 30,000 French speakers can be found in Albania.[65] Greek, the language of the Greek minority of the south, is also very widespread in that region. Nowadays, knowledge of English is growing very rapidly, especially among the youth.
The ethnic minorities languages includeAromanian,Serbian,Macedonian,Bosnian,Bulgarian,Gorani, andRoma. Greek is the largest minority language of the country as well as the first largest foreign language. Approximately 5,000 Macedonian language-speakers can be found in Albania. Most of these living in the southeastern part of the country.
Literacy in the country is 98.7 percent.[66] Theschool life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) of Albania is 16 years. The nation ranks 25th out of 167 countries in the world.[67] In 2015, the overallliteracy rate in Albania was 98.7%; the maleliteracy rate was 99.2% and female literacy rate was 98.3%.
Education for primary(arsimi fillor), secondary(arsimi i mesëm), and tertiary(arsimi universitar) levels are mostly supported by the state. Classes start in September or October and end in June or July.[68] Albanian is the primary language of instruction in all public schools.[69] Education takes place in three stages: primary, secondary, and pre-university. Primary education is obligatory from grade 1 to 9. Students must pass the graduation exams at the end of the 9th grade in order to continue their education. After primary school, the general education is provided at the secondary schools. Students get prepared for theMatura examination, allowing them to obtain their matura diploma, which grants admission to higher education. The country follows theBologna model in accordance with the 2007 Law on 'Higher Education'.[70] These institutions can be public or private, and may offer one, two or three levels of higher education depending on the institution.
Albania has auniversal health care system. In 2000, Albania had the world's 55thbest healthcare performance.
According to theWorld Health Organization (WHO), Albania ranks around the 40th in the world in terms oflife expectancy.[71][72] Compared to other Western countries, Albania has a low rate ofobesity.[73]
| Period | Life expectancy in years | Period | Life expectancy in years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938[74] | 38.0 | 1980–1985 | 70.7 |
| 1950–1955 | 55.3 | 1985–1990 | 71.9 |
| 1955–1960 | 59.3 | 1990–1995 | 71.7 |
| 1960–1965 | 64.9 | 1995–2000 | 73.0 |
| 1965–1970 | 66.2 | 2000–2005 | 74.8 |
| 1970–1975 | 67.7 | 2005–2010 | 75.7 |
| 1975–1980 | 69.7 | 2010–2015 | 77.7 |
Source:UN World Population Prospects[75]
Albanians have established communities in many regions throughout southern Europe. The modern Albanian diaspora was formed largely in the 15th century, when many Albanians emigrated to southernItaly, especially inSicily andCalabria also toGreece, to escape either various socio-political difficulties and the Ottoman conquest. Other destinations include theUS,Canada,Argentina, andTurkey.
Over the last twenty years, Albania has experienced major demographic changes, having thehighest population growth in Europe before thecollapse of communism in the country.[76] Albania has also shifted to population decline since the changes. However, during the final days of the transition from communism to capitalism in 1990, over a million Albanians moved to foreign countries. These includeAustralia,Canada,France,Germany,Italy,the Nordic countries,Switzerland and theUnited Kingdom. About 440,000 of them settled inGreece, where Albanians make up 60% of immigrants.[77] 350,000 Albanians have migrated to Italy over the 1990s to 2000s, however the number has increased substantially.[78] The situation in Kosovo is similar. More than a million Albanians have left Kosovo permanently since the late 1980s, not counting those fleeing theKosovo War who have subsequently returned.[79] Important destinations for Albanians emigrating from Kosovo have been Switzerland and Germany.[80]
The first statistical office was opened in 1924. It used to work out economic data on the Ministry of Public Affairs and Agriculture.
Population Densitiy; number of persons per km2
For the first time in the history of population censuses in Albania, the population in urban areas is larger than the population of rural areas. According to 2011 census preliminary results, 53.7% of the population lives in urban areas and 46.3% in rural areas.
The population of Albania on January 1st is 2,886,026 inhabitants, compared to the population of 2015 there is a decrease of 6,276 inhabitants. The population of Albania consists of 1,461,326 males and 1,424,700 females. Thesex ratio of this population is 102.6 males for 100 females. The median age of the population of Albania on January the 1st 2015 is 34.7 years.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Qarqet me popullsinë më të ulët në vend janë Gjirokastra, Kukësi dhe Dibra, respektivisht me nga 70.331, 84.035 dhe 134.153 banorë.
Qarku Qarku me popullsinë më të lartë në Shqipëri mbetet Tirana me 811.649 (28,1%) banorë, e ndjekur nga Fieri me 312.488 (10,8%) dhe Elbasani me 298.913 (10,4%) banorë
The number of inhabitants in Tirana prefecture is forecasted to increase by less than a fifth from 763,560 in 2011 to 909,252 in 2031, according to the low internal migration scenario which also assumes a redirection of migrants to other centres of Albania.
According to the data from 1989 Population and Housing Census
According to the data from 1989 Population and Housing Census33 the number of this population was 58.758 inhabitants or in other terms 90.6 percent of completely ethnic minorities' population.
While in 1989 registration, the number of Aromanians living in Albania was reported to be of 782 inhabitants.
The population census of 1945 revealed 3.431 inhabitants of Macedonian ethnicity. The census of 1960 revealed 4.235 inhabitants and that of 1989 revealed 4.697 inhabitants39.
The statistical data on the number of this minority people were not defined specifically and accurately in the census of 1960, but according to the census of 1989, the number of Serbian-Montenegrin is 100 inhabitants.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:"International Religious Freedom Report 2004: Albania".United States Department of State. 2004.Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved2 June 2017.The academic year runs from October to June. Education is compulsory for children aged between six and fifteen.
The language of education is Albanian.
In principle, Albania follows the Bologna model in accordance with the 2007 Law on Higher Education (and supplements from 2010).
Albania's fertility no longer the highest in Europe
Seit dem Abschluß des Rückführungsabkommens zwischen Bonn und Belgrad im Oktober 1996 kehrten jedoch erst rund 5000 Albaner zurück. Das Abkommen sieht vor, daß innerhalb von drei Jahren 135 000 Albaner die Bundesrepublik verlassen müssen.
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromThe World Factbook (2025 ed.).CIA. (Archived 2006 edition.)
