Counties of Albania
Category	Unitary State
Location	Republic of Albania
Number	12
Populations	59,381 (Gjirokastër)–906,166 (Tiranë)
Areas	766 km2 (296 sq mi) (Durrës)–3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi) (Korçë)
Government	County Government, National Government
Subdivisions	Municipality

Counties (Albanian: qarqe or qarqet), also sometimes known as prefectures (prefekturë), are the first-level administrative subdivisions of Albania, replacing the earlier districts. Since 2000, there have been 12 counties. Since 2015, they have been divided into 61 municipalities and 373 communes.

History

Since its Declaration of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania has reorganized its internal administration 21 times. The primary division until the year 2000 was into districts (Albanian: rrethe), whose number, size, and importance varied over time.^[1] They were organized into groups comprising 12 counties beginning in 1991.^[1]

The current status of the counties^[2] is based on the 1998 constitution and was carried out on 31 July 2000.^[3] The former districts were abolished entirely and replaced with urban municipalities (bashki) and rural municipalities (komuna), which further oversaw villages (fshatra) in the countryside. This was revised in 2014, so that the 2015 local elections divided the counties into municipalities (bashki) at the regional level and administrative units (njësi administrative) for local government.

List

County	Seat	Municipalities	NUTS-2	Area	Population (2020)[4]	Emblem	Geographic coordinates
Berat	Berat	Berat, Kuçovë, Poliçan, Skrapar, Ura Vajgurore	Southern Region	1,798 km2 (694 sq mi)	122,003		40°44′N 19°59′E / 40.733°N 19.983°E / 40.733; 19.983 (Berat County)
Dibër	Peshkopi	Bulqizë, Dibër, Klos, Mat	Northern Region	2,586 km2 (998 sq mi)	115,857		41°42′N 20°22′E / 41.700°N 20.367°E / 41.700; 20.367 (Dibër County)
Durrës	Durrës	Durrës, Krujë, Shijak	Northern Region	766 km2 (296 sq mi)	290,697		41°23′N 19°30′E / 41.383°N 19.500°E / 41.383; 19.500 (Durrës County)
Elbasan	Elbasan	Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin, Prrenjas	Central Region	3,199 km2 (1,235 sq mi)	270,074		41°6′N 20°8′E / 41.100°N 20.133°E / 41.100; 20.133 (Elbasan County)
Fier	Fier	Divjakë, Fier, Lushnjë, Mallakastër, Patos, Roskovec	Southern Region	1,890 km2 (730 sq mi)	289,889		44°46′N 19°37′E / 44.767°N 19.617°E / 44.767; 19.617 (Fier County)
Gjirokastër	Gjirokastër	Dropull, Gjirokastër, Këlcyrë, Libohovë, Memaliaj, Përmet, Tepelenë	Southern Region	2,884 km2 (1,114 sq mi)	59,381		40°12′N 20°15′E / 40.200°N 20.250°E / 40.200; 20.250 (Gjirokastër County)
Korçë	Korçë	Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë, Maliq, Pogradec, Pustec	Southern Region	3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi)	204,831		40°40′N 20°48′E / 40.667°N 20.800°E / 40.667; 20.800 (Korçë County)
Kukës	Kukës	Has, Kukës, Tropojë	Northern Region	2,374 km2 (917 sq mi)	75,428		42°7′N 20°25′E / 42.117°N 20.417°E / 42.117; 20.417 (Kukës County)
Lezhë	Lezhë	Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirditë	Northern Region	1,620 km2 (630 sq mi)	122,700		41°49′N 19°41′E / 41.817°N 19.683°E / 41.817; 19.683 (Lezhë County)
Shkodër	Shkodër	Fushë-Arrëz, Malësi e Madhe, Pukë, Shkodër, Vau i Dejës	Northern Region	3,562 km2 (1,375 sq mi)	200,007		42°6′N 19°37′E / 42.100°N 19.617°E / 42.100; 19.617 (Shkodër County)
Tirana	Tirana	Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë, Tirana, Vorë	Central Region	1,652 km2 (638 sq mi)	906,166		41°6′N 20°8′E / 41.100°N 20.133°E / 41.100; 20.133 (Tirana County)
Vlorë	Vlorë	Delvinë, Finiq, Himarë, Konispol, Sarandë, Selenicë, Vlorë	Southern Region	2,706 km2 (1,045 sq mi)	188,922		40°30′N 19°37′E / 40.500°N 19.617°E / 40.500; 19.617 (Vlorë County)