Durrës is ranked in 2020 in the second largest district in the country, after Tirana, thus passing Fier, which until now was behind the capital in terms of population.
According to INSTAT data, in 2020, Durrës had 290.7 thousand inhabitants, with a slight increase of 0.2%, surpassing Fier for the first time. The latter dropped to 289.9 thousand inhabitants, as its population fell by about 1.7%.
In fact, Fieri, together with Elbasan, are the counties that have had the largest population reductions since 2001, when INSTAT reported the data. Both counties have lost about 92,000 inhabitants in the last two decades.
All other regions, Kukësi, Lezha, Gjirokastra, Shkodra, Korça, Berat, have decreased in the last two decades.
In relation to the respective population, the region that has been reduced the most is Gjirokastra, which has almost halved. In Gjirokastra in 2020 lived 59 thousand inhabitants, from about 113 thousand in 2001. This has made this region today the smallest in the country, while in 2001, was Kukes with fewer inhabitants.
Dibra is another county that has lost almost 40% of its population in two decades, dropping to 116,000 inhabitants.
Berat has been reduced by -37% compared to 2001, Kukes by -32%, Shkodra by -22%, Korça by -23%, Elbasan by -25%, Fieri by -24%.
The population of Vlora has remained almost unchanged, with a slight decrease of 2%.
Strong growth of Tirana and less of Durrës
Tirana, and less Durrës, reduce the only counties that have seen population growth in the last two decades, as they have benefited from internal population migration.
While everyone wants to live and work in the capital, its population has grown by 52% in the last two decades, reaching 906 thousand inhabitants, from 597 thousand in 2001.
Durrës has also expanded by 19%, thus becoming the second largest city in the country, from the fourth in 2001, after Tirana, Fier and Elbasan.
The growth of Tirana and Durrës has not managed to compensate for the contraction of other regions and as a result, the population of Albania has been reduced by 217 thousand people in the last two decades, or the size of a city the size of Korça. In 2020, Albania is estimated to have about 2.84 million inhabitants. However, it will be the censorship, which was currently postponed due to the situation created by the pandemic, which will give an accurate picture of the population that has remained in the country.
Immigration and declining fertility are factors that have contributed to population shrinkage in recent decades.
Source: Monitor
