Korçë County

Korçë County
Qarku i Korçës (Albanian)
County
Leminot Reservoir
Leminot Reservoir
Flag of Korçë County
Flag
Official logo of Korçë County
Emblem
Map of Albania with Korçë County highlighted
Map of Albania with Korçë County highlighted
Coordinates: 40°40′N 20°48′E / 40.667°N 20.800°E / 40.667; 20.800
Country Albania
SeatKorçë
Subdivisions
6 municipalities:
Government
 • Council chairmanErjon Nexhipi (PS)[1]
Area
 • Total
3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi)
 • Rank1st
Population
 (2023[2])
 • Total
173,091
 • Rank5th
 • Density47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
HDI (2022)0.785
high · 5th
NUTS CodeAL034
Websitewww.korcaregion.com

Korçë County (Albanian: Qarku Korçë), officially the County of Korçë (Albanian: Qarku i Korçës), is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the largest by area and the fifth most populous of the twelve counties, with more than 173,000 people within an area of 3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi). The county borders on North Macedonia to the northeast and Greece to the southeast, the counties of Elbasan to the northwest, Berat to the west and Gjirokastër to the southwest. It is divided into six municipalities, Korçë, Devoll, Kolonjë, Maliq, Pogradec and Pustec, with all of whom incorporate thirty-seven administrative units.[3]

Geography

Protected areas

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment manages numerous natural sites and protected areas in Korçë County.[4] In conjunction with numerous national natural sites and areas, the National Agency of Protected Areas has the Fir of Drenovë National Park and Prespa National Park under its administration. The UNESCO Ohrid-Prespa Transboundary Biosphere Reserve is also encompassed in the county.

Demographics

The Resurrection Cathedral in Korçë
Pogradec is situated on Lake Ohrid
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1950176,997—    
1960192,630+8.8%
1969228,675+18.7%
1979267,378+16.9%
1989311,448+16.5%
2001265,182−14.9%
2011220,357−16.9%
2023173,091−21.4%
Source: [5][6]

Most of the region's inhabitants are ethnic Albanians, but there are also important communities of Greeks (especially in the South), Macedonians (especially in the East), Aromanians (more concentrated in Western parts) and Roma. With regards to religion, the region is home to a large Muslim majority (many of whom are Bektashis) and a significant Orthodox Christian minority. According to the last national census from 2023, the county has 173,091 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the county include Albanians, Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Aromanians, Romani, Egyptians.

Religion in Korçë County (2023 census)
Religion Percent
Muslim
 
 51.66%
Orthodox
 
 17.01%
Prefer not to answer
 
 8.88%
Believers without a denomination
 
 12.18%
Muslim Bektashi
 
 4.82%
Catholic
 
 0.66%
Evangelist
 
 0.94%
Other faith
 
 0.2%

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Korçë County.

References

  1. ^ "KESHILLI i QARKUT KORCE".
  2. ^ "Main Results of the Population and Housing Census 2023" (PDF). INSTAT.
  3. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). pp. 6372–6373. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Databazë e Burimeve Turistike–Qarku Korçë" (PDF) (in Albanian). Ministria e Turizmit dhe Mjedisit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Division of Albania".
  6. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Institute of Statistics Albania.