Vlorë County

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Vlorë County
Qarku i Vlorës (Albanian)
Beaches at Ksamil
Beaches at Ksamil
2nd of 12
NUTS CodeAL035
WebsiteOfficial Website

Vlorë County (Albanian pronunciation:

Republic of Albania with the capital in Vlorë. The county spans 2,706 square kilometres (1,045 sq mi) and has a total population of 187,675 people as of 2021.[1] It borders the counties of Fier and Gjirokastër, as well as the Adriatic and Ionian Sea
.

Vlorë is geographically a very mountainous county. The county stretches along the Adriatic Sea and especially the Ionian Sea, forming the Albanian Riviera. The county has a coastline of 244 kilometres (152 mi).[2] The coasts on the west can be very steep and rocky with green panoramic vistas and high mountains in the hinterland, including the Ceraunian Mountains. The highest natural point is Çikë, at 2,044 metres (6,706 ft). The northwest of the county is mostly located on the peninsula of Karaburun, with a rough relief, steep cliffs, bays and rocky beaches.

With more than 187,000 inhabitants in 2021, the county is the sixth most populous county within Albania, and the third most populous within the Southern Region. Albanians constitute the ethnic majority of the county, including the capital. Greeks, Aromanians, & a few Roma also are present in the ethnic composition of the county.

The port city of

Vivari Channel and is part of the Butrint National Park
.

History

During Roman antiquity, the city of

Latin: Aulona, meaning channel or glen in Greek, and possibly a translation of another indigenous name).[3][4] The city was mentioned for the first time by Ptolemy (2nd century CE) among the towns of the Illyrian Taulantii.[5]

The coastal area of Vlorë was one of those

Epirote tribe of the Chaonians.[7][17] On the Epirote coast the Ancient Greeks developed the town of Sarandë, which they referred to as Onchesmos (or Anchiasmos).[18][19][20] Onchesmos flourished as the port of the Chaonian capital of Phoenice (modern-day Finiq).[21][22] Another Chaonian settlement was Chimera,[23] identified with Himarë,[24]

In the Middle Ages, the region was part of the Byzantine Empire, while during the Slavic invasion there is evidence that Byzantine rule was maintained in the area.[25]

In 1204 the region became part of the Despotate of Epirus, but later returned to the Byzantine Empire. In 1335 Albanian tribes were in possession of the area between Berat and the bay of Vlorë,[26] while in 1345 after the Serbian invasion an independent principality was formed in Vlorë.

In the middle of the 14th century the aristocratic Delvina family ruled Delvinë, and in 1354 Mehmet Ali Pasha Delvina was testified as the owner of the castle and the city.

The Ottoman Empire captured the region in 1417, while in 1432, Albanian rebels freed Vlorë and expelled the Ottomans from the area.[27][28] As part of the Ottoman Empire, The region became a sanjak centre in Rumelia Eyalet under the name Avlonya.

On November 28, 1912,

invaded by Italy in 1914, during the World War I. The region remained occupied by Italian forces until an Albanian rebellion forced the Italians out of Albania in 1920. Italy invaded Vlorë again in 1939. The region remained under Italian occupation until Italy surrendered to the allies in 1943. Subsequently, Nazi Germany occupied the region until 1944. The city was liberated in 1944 by communist forces under Enver Hoxha
.

During the

Sazan Island became the site of a German and Italian submarine base and naval installations; these installations were heavily bombed by the Allies
.

After World War II, with Albania ruled by a Communist Party, the port was leased out to the Soviet Union for use as a submarine base. During 1960 and 1961 it served as a theater in the aftermath of the decision of Enver Hoxha to denounce Nikita Khrushchev's reforms. In April 1961 the Soviet Union, resenting being pushed out after considerable investment in the naval facilities at Pasha Liman Base, threatened to occupy the region with Soviet troops, and cut off all Soviet economic, military and technical aid to Albania.

Geography

Location

Maja e Çikës
being the highest point.

Vlorë is one of the twelve counties of Albania located in the east, south and southwest of the Southern Region. The county lies between latitudes 41° N, and longitudes 20° E. It measures an area of 2,706 km2 (1,045 sq mi) placing it the fifth largest in Albania and the third largest in the Southern Region, behind Korçë County and Gjirokastër County.[29] It is bordered by the counties of Fier to the north and Gjirokastër to the east, the country of Greece to the south and the Adriatic Sea in the northwest, as well as the Ionian Sea in the west.

The county of Vlorë is divided into seven municipalities; Delvinë, Finiq, Himarë, Konispol, Sarandë, Selenicë and Vlorë.[30] The municipalities are further subdivided into 200 towns and villages in total.

Ksamil
in the south.

In Vlorë, there are five islands, notably the

Ksamil Islands. The combined areas of the four Ksamil islands measure only 7.1 hectares (17.5 acres), and forms part of the larger Butrint National Park.[31]

The Llogara Pass divides the Ceraunian Mountains into a western and an eastern range.

larger island
is nearly completely covered with tall pine trees and is connected to the mainland by a 270m long wooden bridge. It is 430m in length and 300m in width. It has an area of around 8.8 hectares. The smaller island has a smaller vegetation, being 230m in length and 100m in width, with an area of little more than 1 hectare.

Biodiversity

Phytogeographically, the county completely falls within the Illyrian deciduous forests terrestrial ecoregion of the Palearctic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
.

Protected areas

The county of Vlorë has many

.

Demographics

most populous
city within the county.

The population of Vlorë, as defined by the Institute of Statistics of Albania, was estimated in 2011 to be 175,640.[33] The census results have been widely disputed due to irregularities in the procedure and by the boycott.[34][35][36] The population density was 65 inhabitants per square kilometre (170/sq mi).[37] The province is 68.68% Albanian, 6.88% Greek, 0.50% Aromanian, 0.16% Romani, 0.01% Egyptian and 23.68% is unknown.[38]

Roman Catholic believers.[38] Bektashism
comprises less than two per cent of the county's population with 1,903 adherents.

The most densely populated areas are the coastal cities of Vlorë, Sarandë and Himarë, while vast regions, such as the highlands, are very sparsely populated.

Religion in Vlorë County (2011 census)
religion percent
Muslim
42.14%
Prefer not to answer
20.92%
Orthodox
13.74%
Believers without denomination
10.97%
Atheist
6.01%
Not relevant/not stated
3.05%
Catholic
1.92%
Bektashi
1.08%
Other Christian
0.07%
Evangelist or Protestant
0.06%
Others
0.03%

Economy

Cruise tourism is an important segment of the tourism sector in Sarandë.

Vlorë County has the second highest human development after Tirana County, and has a High Human Development Rating within Albania.

The county remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significant

citrus fruit
trees, and as a center of the food processing, oil and bitumen export industries.

According to the World Bank, Vlorë has made significant steps in the ease of starting a business in 2016. It ranks seventh among 22 cities in Southeastern Europe,[39] being placed higher than the capital Tirana, Belgrade and Sarajevo.

Tourism has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches. In Sarandë, tourism is the main driver of the economy. It is a significant tourist destination on the Ionian Sea, and by far one of the most popular destinations in Albania. Vlorë County is considered a prosperous region, one with varied attractions, plants and mountains, rivers and lakes, springs and virgin beaches, citrus plantations, olive groves and vineyards, pastures and woods, fish and shellfish farming and desirable hunting places.

In short, Vlorë County's location is advantageous in terms of development of tourism. Sarandë's stony beaches are respectable, and there are plenty of sights in and around town, including the ancient archaeological site of Butrint and the hypnotic Blue Eye Spring.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Population on 1st January by prefecture and sex" (PDF). INSTAT. 7 May 2021. p. 6.
  2. ^ UNICEF. "ObservatOri për të drejtat e Fëmijëve Qarku vlOrë" (PDF). observator.org.al (in Albanian). p. 1.
  3. , 433 pages.
  4. .
  5. ^ a b Bereti, Quantin & Cabanes 2011, pp. 11, 13.
  6. ^ a b Bereti 1993, p. 143.
  7. ^ a b c Shpuza 2022, p. 553.
  8. ^ a b Zindel et al. 2018, p. 346.
  9. ^ a b c Bejko et al. 2015, p. 4.
  10. ^ a b Hammond & Wilkes 2012, p. 726.
  11. ^ Cabanes 2008, p. 171.
  12. ^ Malkin 2001, pp. 192–193.
  13. ^ Papadopoulos 2016, p. 440.
  14. ^ a b Fasolo 2005, p. 178.
  15. ^ Volpe et al. 2014, p. 300.
  16. ^ De Simone 2017, p. 1867.
  17. ^ Bejko et al. 2015, p. 4
  18. ^ Strabo, The Geography, Book VII, Chapter 7.5: "...these mountains one comes to Onchesmus, another harbor, opposite which lie the western extremities of Corcyraea."
  19. , p. 14. "Anchiasmos (Onchesmos)"
  20. ^ Talbert, Richard J.A. and Bagnall, Roger S. Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, 2000, p. 815. "harbor, cape or town in Epirus between Onchesmos and Bouthroton."
  21. "Onchesmos was the principal port of Phoinike, the capital of Chaonia,..."
  22. .
  23. ^ An Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis: An Investigation Conducted by The Copenhagen Polis Centre for the Danish National Research Foundation by Mogens Herman Hansen, 2005, page 340.
  24. , p. 102
  25. , p. 61 "By 1335 they were in possession also of the area between Berat and the Gulf of Valona"
  26. .
  27. ^ İnalcik, Halil (1954). Hicr ı835 tarihli sûret-i defter-i sancak-i Arvanid (in Turkish). Türk Tarih Kurumu Yayınlarından.
  28. ^ "2011 census results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  29. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 6376. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  30. ^ National Tourism Agency. "Albanian Nature and Active Holidays" (PDF). Republic of Albania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  31. ^ Proclamation of Karaburun-Sazan as National Marine Park, April 2010
  32. ^ "2011 census results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  33. ^ "Final census findings lead to concerns over accuracy". Tirana Times. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  34. ^ Likmeta, Besar (6 July 2011). "Albania Moves Ahead With Disputed Census". Balkaninsight. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  35. ^ "Three Albanian journalists awarded with "World at 7 Billion Prize"". United Nations (Albania). Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014. ...the controversial CENSUS data
  36. ^ Institute of Statistics of Albania. "Population and Housing Census" (PDF). instat.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  37. ^ a b Institute of Statistics of Albania. "Population and Housing Census" (PDF). instat.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 39. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  38. ^ "Economy".

Bibliography