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Updates: 

FIPS Publication Change Notice No. 9, affecting FIPS PUB 10-4, was issued on 2004-10-01. It assigns FIPS codes to the twelve new counties. They are shown in the table below.

ISO 3166-2 Newsletter number I-6, dated 2004-03-08, shows a change in terminology. Formerly, the top-level subdivisions of Albania were called prefectures, or prefekturë in Albanian. According to the new document, they should be called counties (qark). (However, the statistics bureau's "Albania in Figures" uses the term prefekturat, or prefectures in English.) ISO's format indicates that it considers the districts as the primary subdivisions of Albania, and the counties are regarded just as groupings of districts.

ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Number I-2 was published on 2002-05-21. It lists the new counties, assigns ISO codes to them, and changes two district names and one district code. Laç (ISO code LA) was changed to Kurbin (KB), and Malësia e Madhe was changed to Malësi e Madhe.

The results of the Albanian census of 2001-04-01 have been released, and are shown below.

In mid-1991, the number of rrethe (districts) in Albania was increased from 26 to 36. This was done by splitting ten districts into two smaller districts each. In 1993, twelve counties were defined, each one consisting of two to four districts. Apparently their competency was limited at first, but expanded in 1995. The primary subdivisions table below shows the counties.

Country overview: 

Short name	ALBANIA
ISO code	AL
FIPS code	AL
Language	Albanian (sq)
Time zone	+1 ~
Capital	Tirana

 

Albania was still part of Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century. It declared its independence in 1912. The country went through several forms of government, including occupation during the World Wars, until it became a republic on 1946-01-11.

Other names of country: 

1. Albanian: Shqipëria, Republika e Shqipërisë (formal)
2. Danish: Albanien
3. Dutch: Albanië, Republiek Albanië (formal)
4. English: Republic of Albania (formal)
5. Finnish: Albania
6. French: Albanie f
7. German: Albanien n
8. Icelandic: Albanía
9. Italian: Albania f
10. Norwegian: Albania, Republikken Albania (formal)
11. Portuguese: Albânia, República f da Albânia f (formal)
12. Spanish: Albania f
13. Swedish: Albanien
14. Turkish: Arnavutluk

Origin of name: 

Ancient inhabitants were called Albanoi by Ptolemy. Shqipëria is Albanian for "land of the men of the eagle".

Primary subdivisions: 

Albania is divided into twelve qarqe (sing. qark: counties, or regions).

County	HASC	ISO	FIPS	Population	Area(km.²)	Area(mi.²)	Districts	Capital
Berat	AL.BE	1	AL40	193,855	1,802	696	Berat, Kuçovë, Skrapar	Berat
Dibër	AL.DB	9	AL41	191,035	2,507	968	Bulqizë, Dibër, Mat	Peshkopi
Durrës	AL.DU	2	AL42	247,345	827	319	Durrës, Krujë	Durrës
Elbasan	AL.EB	3	AL43	366,137	3,278	1,266	Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin	Elbasan
Fier	AL.FI	4	AL44	384,386	1,887	729	Fier, Lushnjë, Mallakastër	Fier
Gjirokastër	AL.GK	5	AL45	114,293	2,883	1,113	Gjirokastër, Përmet, Tepelenë	Gjirokastër
Korçë	AL.KE	6	AL46	266,322	3,711	1,433	Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë, Pogradec	Korçë
Kukës	AL.KK	7	AL47	112,050	2,373	916	Has, Kukës, Tropojë	Kukës
Lezhë	AL.LZ	8	AL48	159,792	1,581	610	Kurbin, Lezhë, Mirditë	Lezhë
Shkodër	AL.SD	10	AL49	257,018	3,562	1,375	Malesia e Madhe, Pukë, Shkodër	Shkodër
Tiranë	AL.TI	11	AL50	601,565	1,586	612	Kavajë, Tiranë	Tiranë
Vlorë	AL.VR	12	AL51	193,361	2,706	1,045	Delvinë, Sarandë, Vlorë	Vlorë
12 counties				3,087,159	28,703	11,082
HASC: Hierarchical administrative subdivision codes. ISO: County codes from ISO 3166-2. For full identification in a global context, prefix "AL-" to the code (ex: AL-4 represents Fier). FIPS: Codes from FIPS PUB 10-4. Population: 2001-04-01 census. Populations and areas of counties were calculated by adding the component districts. Districts: The districts that are part of this county.

Further subdivisions:

See the Communes of Albania page.

Underneath the counties there are 36 rrethe (districts). Under them there are about 3000 smaller divisions called lokalitet (pl. lokaliteteve).

Postal codes: 

Albania adopted a new set of four-digit postal codes in 2006-10, but the Albanian post office has been slow to implement them (Source [1]).

Territorial extent: 

Vlorë includes Saseno (Sazan) Island.

Origins of names: 

1. Durrës: from Ancient Greek dyrrachion, possibly meaning dangerous cliffs
2. Elbasan: Turkish el: the people, basan: dominating (originally a fortress)
3. Korçë: South Slavic gorica: small mountain
4. Tiranë: from Ancient Greek Tyrrenos: Etruscans; or, named after Tehran, Iran, to commemorate a victory
5. Vlorë: from Ancient Greek aulon: narrow passage, strait

Change history: 

1. 1912-11-28: Albania, consisting of the vilayet of Scutari and parts of Monastir and Yanina, declared independence from Turkey.
2. 1923: Albania acquired a strip of territory in the south from Greece.
3. ~1925: Albania had the following ten prefectures, further subdivided into 57 districts. Dibër was later renamed Peshkopi, and Kukës renamed Kosovo.

Prefecture	Pop-1930	Pop-1945	Area(km.²)	Capital	Became
Berat	142,616	126,913	3,666	Berat	Berat, Fier, Lushnjë, Skrapar
Dibër	86,992	83,677	2,151	Peshkopijë	Dibër, Mat
Durrës	77,890	104,488	1,550	Durrës	Durrës, Krujë
Elbasan	111,422	111,286	3,539	Elbasan	Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd
Gjinokastër	143,926	121,253	4,125	Gjinokastër	Gjirokastër, Përmet, Sarandë, Tepelenë
Korçë	147,536	149,433	3,750	Korçë	Kolonjë, Korçë, Pogradec
Kukës	49,081	49,344	2,038	Kukës	Kukës, Tropojë
Shkodër	132,336	157,665	5,560	Scutari	Lezhë, Mirditë, Pukë, Shkodër
Tirana	57,808	93,216	911	Tirana	Tiranë
Vlonë	53,461	115,080	1,448	Vlonë	Vlorë
	1,003,068	1,112,355	28,738
Pop-1930: 1930 census. Pop-1945: 1945 census. Became: Districts formed from this prefecture in 1958.

1. 1949: A new set of subdivisions was implemented. No details available.
2. 1953: The ten prefectures were restored.
3. 1958-1959: The ten prefectures were re-organized into 26 rrethet (singular, rreth: districts).
4. ~1978: Ersekë renamed Kolonjë.
5. ~1991-06: Bulqizë district split from Dibër; Delvinë district split from Sarandë; Devoll district split from Korçë; Has district split from Kukës; Kavajë district split from Durrës; Kuçovë district split from Berat; Laç district split from Krujë; Malesia e Madhe district split from Shkodër; Mallakastër district split from Fier; Peqin district split from Elbasan. The FIPS standard, which had previously listed Tiranë district and Tiranë qytet (municipality) as separate entities, merged them into one. I don't have any other sources that indicate that Tiranë was ever split in this way.
6. 1993: Twelve qark (counties, or regions) were created, each one consisting of two to four districts. Apparently their competency was limited at first, but expanded in 1995.
7. 1998-11-28: Albania's new Constitution took effect. It specified that the districts would be replaced as administrative units by the regions. The communes and municipalities would remain as secondary subdivisions. This provision was not implemented immediately.
8. 1998-12-15: ISO 3166-2 published, superseding ISO/DIS 3166-2 (draft standard). Code for Peqin district changed from PG to PQ; for Tepelenë, from SP to TE; for Tropojë, from BC to TP. This change fixed an error in the draft standard, where the same code PG had been assigned to two districts.
9. 1999-03-01: FIPS PUB 10-4 Change Notice 2 issued. It assigned FIPS codes from AL29 to AL38 to the ten districts created in 1991, and AL39 to Tiranë municipality (not shown in other sources). The other FIPS codes listed below were unchanged.
10. ~1999: Name of Laç district changed to Kurbin. This change was reported in Change Notice 4 to FIPS PUB 10-4, dated 2000-02-25. In ISO 3166-2 Newsletter Number I-2, dated 2002-05-21, the name change is reported and the corresponding code is changed from LA to KB.
11. The districts were then as listed here:

District	ISO	FIPS	Population	Area(km.²)	Capital
Berat	BR	AL01	128,410	915	Berat
Bulqizë	BU	AL29	42,985	718	Bulqizë
Delvinë	DL	AL30	10,859	367	Delvinë
Devoll	DV	AL31	34,744	429	Bilisht
Dibër	DI	AL02	86,144	761	Peshkopi
Durrës	DR	AL03	182,988	455	Durrës
Elbasan	EL	AL04	224,974	1,290	Elbasan
Fier	FR	AL05	200,154	850	Fier
Gjirokastër	GJ	AL06	55,991	1,137	Gjirokastër
Gramsh	GR	AL07	35,723	695	Gramsh
Has	HA	AL32	19,842	374	Krumë
Kavajë	KA	AL33	78,415	393	Kavajë
Kolonjë	ER	AL08	17,179	805	Ersekë
Korçë	KO	AL09	143,499	1,752	Korçë
Krujë	KR	AL10	64,357	372	Krujë
Kuçovë	KC	AL34	35,571	112	Kuçovë
Kukës	KU	AL11	64,054	956	Kukës
Kurbin	KB	AL35	54,519	235	Laç
Lezhë	LE	AL12	68,218	479	Lezhë
Librazhd	LB	AL13	72,520	1,102	Librazhd
Lushnjë	LU	AL14	144,351	712	Lushnjë
Malesia e Madhe	MM	AL36	36,770	897	Koplik
Mallakastër	MK	AL37	39,881	325	Ballsh
Mat	MT	AL15	61,906	1,028	Burrel
Mirditë	MR	AL16	37,055	867	Rrëshen
Peqin	PQ	AL38	32,920	191	Peqin
Përmet	PR	AL17	25,837	929	Përmet
Pogradec	PG	AL18	70,900	725	Pogradec
Pukë	PU	AL19	34,454	1,034	Pukë
Sarandë	SR	AL20	35,235	730	Sarandë
Shkodër	SH	AL21	185,794	1,631	Shkodër
Skrapar	SK	AL22	29,874	775	Çorovodë
Tepelenë	TE	AL23	32,465	817	Tepelenë
Tiranë	TR	AL28	523,150	1,193	Tiranë
Tropojë	TP	AL26	28,154	1,043	Bajram Curri
Vlorë	VL	AL27	147,267	1,609	Vlorë
36 districts			3,087,159	28,703
ISO: District codes from ISO 3166-2. For full identification in a global context, prefix "AL-" to the code (ex: AL-SK represents Skrapar). FIPS: Codes from FIPS PUB 10-4, a U.S. government standard. Population: 2001-04-01 census.

Other names of subdivisions: 

The Italian names are often used by Western Europeans in general.

1. Dibër: Dibra, Dibrë (variant)
2. Durrës: Durresi, Durrsi (variant); Durazzo (Italian)
3. Gjirokastër: Gjinokastër (variant); Argirocastro (Italian); Argyrocastro, Argyrokastron (Greek)
4. Kolonjë: Ersekë (obsolete); Kolonja (variant)
5. Korçë: Coriza, Corizza, Koritsa, Koritza (Italian); Korça (variant); Kortscha (German)
6. Kukës: Kosova, Kossovo (obsolete)
7. Lezhë: Alessio (Italian); Lezha (variant)
8. Lushnjë: Lushenjë, Lushnja (variant)
9. Shkodër: Escútari (Portuguese-obsolete); Shkodra, Skodër (variant); Scutari (Italian)
10. Tiranë: Tiran (Turkish); Tirana (Italian)
11. Vlorë: Vlona, Vlora, Vlonë (variant); Valona (Italian)

According to Address Doctor (Source [1]), city names have two grammatical forms in Albanian, the definite and the indefinite. "Tirana" is definite and "Tiranë" is indefinite.

Population history:

District	1960c	1970c	1973e	1978e	1982e	1988a
Berat	85,000	115,000	124,300	140,600	154,000	173,700
Dibrë	78,000	99,000	106,800	122,000	134,800	148,200
Durrës	127,000	169,000	182,400	202,000	217,000	242,500
Elbasan	105,000	142,000	154,700	187,700	208,000	238,600
Fier	112,000	158,000	171,500	195,000	212,000	239,700
Gjirokastër	44,000	51,000	53,500	57,100	60,300	65,500
Gramsh	20,000	27,000	29,400	34,500	38,000	43,800
Kolonjë	17,000	19,000	19,200	21,000	22,300	24,600
Korçë	139,000	168,000	175,400	187,500	199,000	213,200
Krujë	43,000	69,000	75,600	84,600	93,000	105,300
Kukës	48,000	65,000	71,400	75,400	86,000	99,400
Lezhë	27,000	37,000	40,500	48,200	53,000	61,100
Librazhd	36,000	44,000	48,500	56,300	63,000	70,800
Lushnjë	66,000	91,000	94,100	106,400	115,400	132,200
Mat	39,000	50,000	53,500	60,600	67,000	75,900
Mirditë	17,000	27,000	29,400	40,500	45,000	49,700
Përmet	27,000	30,000	31,700	34,100	36,400	39,400
Pogradec	36,000	46,000	49,300	56,500	62,000	70,500
Pukë	23,000	29,000	32,800	40,100	45,000	48,200
Sarandë	48,000	62,000	66,500	72,000	76,700	86,600
Shkodër	128,000	167,000	178,500	191,400	206,200	233,000
Skrapar	20,000	28,000	30,800	37,800	42,000	45,800
Tepelenë	26,000	35,000	37,800	41,600	45,200	49,100
Tiranë	194,000	254,000	272,000	286,200	310,000	363,100
Tropojë	21,000	28,000	30,500	36,400	39,800	44,200
Vlorë	101,000	126,000	133,500	144,900	155,000	174,000
	1,627,000	2,136,000	2,293,600	2,560,400	2,786,100	3,138,100
Key: a = average population for the year; c = census; e = official estimate

Sources:

[1] Postal code information from Address Doctor , retrieved 2009-03-22.