SafekipediaGjirokastër County
Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience
Gjirokastër County, known in Albanian as Qarku i Gjirokastrës, is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It covers an area of 2884 km2. The main city and capital of the county is Gjirokastër. This city is famous for its historic stone houses and well-preserved architecture. The county is located in southern Albania. It has a rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscapes. It helps preserve Albania's history and traditions.
Administrative divisions
Until 2000, Gjirokastër County had three smaller areas called districts: Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë. After changes in 2015, the county now has seven larger groups called municipalities. These are Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet, and Tepelenë.
Before 2015, there were 32 smaller groups called municipalities. These included places like Antigonë, Ballaban, Buz, and many others. Together, these groups include about 270 towns and villages. You can see a full list at Villages of Gjirokastër County.
Demographics
Further information: Demographic history of Gjirokastër County
The latest national census from 2023 shows that Gjirokastër County has 60,013 people. The main ethnic groups living there include Albanians, Greeks, Aromanians, Romani, and Balkan Egyptians. Albanians are the largest group, making up most of the residents. Greeks are the next largest group. Smaller groups include Egyptians, Romani, and Bulgarians.
Religion
Gjirokastër County has many different religions and also many people who do not follow any specific religion. About 62.16% of the people there practice a religion. Between 2011 and 2023, the number of people changed, and so did their religious affiliations. The number of Sunni Muslim people dropped, while the Bektashi Muslim community grew. The Catholic population decreased slightly, and Orthodox Christians increased. Evangelical Christians also grew a little.
The number of people who do not follow any religion increased. More people identified as believers without denomination.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 96,805 | — |
| 1969 | 115,414 | +19.2% |
| 1979 | 134,137 | +16.2% |
| 1989 | 155,998 | +16.3% |
| 2001 | 112,831 | −27.7% |
| 2011 | 72,176 | −36.0% |
| 2023 | 60,013 | −16.9% |
| Source: | ||
| Ethnic and cultural affiliation | Resident population | Percentage of resident population |
|---|---|---|
| Albanians | 49,603 | 82.7% |
| Greeks | 8,552 | 14.2% |
| Egyptians | 177 | 0.3% |
| Romani | 192 | 0.3% |
| Bulgarians | 43 | 0.1% |
| Bosniaks | 9 | 0.02% |
| Aromanians | 206 | 0.3% |
| Macedonians | 10 | 0.02% |
| Serbs | 21 | 0.03% |
| Montenegrins | 12 | 0.02% |
| Others | 69 | 0.1% |
| Mixed | 83 | 0.1% |
| None | 7 | 0.01% |
| Prefer not to answer | 353 | 0.6% |
| Not available | 676 | 1.1% |
| Religion group | Census 2011 | Census 2023 | Difference (2023−2011) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Sunni Muslim | 27,815 | 38.54% | 8,643 | 14.40% | -19,172 | -24.14% |
| Bektashi Muslim | 6,118 | 8.48% | 12,627 | 21.04% | +6,509 | +12.56% |
| Muslim | 33,933 | 47.02% | 21,270 | 35.44% | -12,663 | -11.58% |
| Catholic Christian | 1,493 | 2.07% | 713 | 1.19% | -780 | -0.88% |
| Orthodox Christian | 12,583 | 17.44% | 15,195 | 25.32% | +2,612 | +7.88% |
| Evangelical | 59 | 0.08% | 154 | 0.26% | +95 | +0.18% |
| Christian | 14,135 | 19.6% | 16,062 | 26.77% | +1,927 | +7.17% |
| Atheists | 4,550 | 6.30% | 4,372 | 7.28% | -178 | +0.98% |
| Believers without denomination | 6,050 | 8.38% | 8,616 | 14.36% | +2,566 | +5.98% |
| Non-religious | 10,600 | 14.68% | 12,988 | 21.64% | +2,388 | +6.96% |
| Not stated / other | 13,406 | 18.58% | 9,573 | 15.95% | -3,833 | -2.63% |
| TOTAL | 72,176 | 100% | 60,013 | 100% | -12,163 | - |
Notable people
Gjirokastër County has been home to many famous people. Some well-known people from this area include Ali Pasha of Tepelenë, Enver Hoxha, author Ismail Kadare, and entertainer Agron Llakaj. They have made important contributions in politics, literature, and the arts.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Gjirokastër County, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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