Northern Albania loses a quarter of its population in a decade

Northern Albania has seen some of the country’s sharpest population losses over the past decade, as emigration continues to empty whole regions.

New INSTAT figures show Shkodra lost 25.6% of its population between 2016 and 2026, the steepest fall in Albania.

Kukës lost 24.8%, while Lezha fell by 24.1% and Dibra by 22.5%.

The decline is not limited to the north. Albania’s population fell by 14.2% overall, losing more than 387,000 people in ten years.

Fier, Korça, Gjirokastra and Elbasan also recorded falls of more than 20%.

Tirana was the only region to grow, adding about 9,400 people.

The figures show a country increasingly pulled towards the capital, while many other regions shrink and age.

(Source: monitor.al)