Korçë County

Korçë County (Albanian: Qarku Korçë), officially the County of Korçë (Albanian: Qarku i Korçës), is a county in the Southern Region of the Republic of Albania. It is the largest by area and the seventh most populous of the twelve counties, with more than 173,000 people within an area of 3,711 km² (1,433 sq mi). The county borders on North Macedonia to the northeast and Greece to the southeast, the counties of Elbasan to the northwest, Berat to the west and Gjirokastër to the southwest. It is divided into six municipalities, Korçë, Devoll, Kolonjë, Maliq, Pogradec and Pustec, with all of whom incorporate thirty-seven administrative units.^[3]

Korçë County Qarku i Korçës (Albanian)
County
Leminot Reservoir
Flag Emblem
Map of Albania with Korçë County highlighted
Coordinates: 40°40′N 20°48′E
Country	Albania
Seat	Korçë
Subdivisions	6 municipalities: Devoll Kolonjë Korçë Maliq Pogradec Pustec
Government
• Council chairman	Erjon Nexhipi (PS)[1]
Area
• Total	3,711 km2 (1,433 sq mi)
• Rank	1st
Population  (2023[2])
• Total	173,091
• Rank	5th
• Density	47/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
HDI (2022)	0.785 high · 5th
NUTS Code	AL034
Website	www.korcaregion.com

Geography

Protected areas

The Ministry of Tourism and Environment manages numerous natural sites and protected areas in Korçë County.^[4] In conjunction with numerous national natural sites and areas, the National Agency of Protected Areas has the Fir of Drenovë National Park and Prespa National Park under its administration. The UNESCO Ohrid-Prespa Transboundary Biosphere Reserve is also encompassed in the county.

Demographics

The Resurrection Cathedral in Korçë

Pogradec is situated on Lake Ohrid

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1950	176,997	—
1960	192,630	+8.8%
1969	228,675	+18.7%
1979	267,378	+16.9%
1989	311,448	+16.5%
2001	265,182	−14.9%
2011	220,357	−16.9%
2023	173,091	−21.4%
Source: [5][6]

Most of the region's inhabitants are ethnic Albanians, but there are also important communities of Greeks (especially in the South), Macedonians (especially in the East), Aromanians (more concentrated in Western parts) and Roma. With regards to religion, the region is home to a large Muslim majority (many of whom are Bektashis) and a significant Orthodox Christian minority. According to the last national census from 2023, the county has 173,091 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the county include Albanians, Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Aromanians, Romani, Egyptians.

Religion in Korçë County (2023 census)
religion			percent
Muslim			38.98%
Orthodox			36.25%
Prefer not to answer			10.25%
believers without denomination			8.38%
atheist			3.61%
Not relevant/not stated			2.29%
Bektashi			2.07%
Catholic			1.13%
Evangelist or Protestant			0.08%
Other Christian			0.06%
Others			0.01%

See also

• Geography of Albania
• Politics of Albania
• Divisions of Albania

References

1. "KESHILLI i QARKUT KORCE".
2. "Main Results of the Population and Housing Census 2023" (PDF). INSTAT.
3. "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). pp. 6372–6373. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
4. "Databazë e Burimeve Turistike–Qarku Korçë" (PDF) (in Albanian). Ministria e Turizmit dhe Mjedisit. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
5. "Division of Albania".
6. "Census of Population and Housing". Institute of Statistics Albania.