Durrës County

Durrës County
Qarku Durrës
County
Clockwise from top: Port of Durrës, Durrës Castle, Skanderbeg Museum, Krujë Bazaar, Antea Cement Factory and the City of Krujë

Seal

Location of Durrës County within Albania.
Country  Albania
Municipalities 3
Villages 114
Established 2000
County Seat Durrës
Government
 • Council Chairman Alfred Mullaraj
Area
 • Total 766 km2 (296 sq mi)
Population (2011 census)
 • Total 262,785
 • Density 340/km2 (890/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
NUTS Code AL012
Website Official Website

Durrës County is a county in central Albania. The Durrës County borders on the Lezhë County in the north, Dibër County in the east, Tirana County in the south and the Adriatic Sea in the west.

The central city Durrës is one of largest cities on the Adriatic Sea and ranks 5th with a population of 175,110 and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Durrës is home to Albania's main port, the Port of Durrës. The port is also the 10th largest cargo port on the Adriatic Sea that handle more than 3.4 million tonnes of cargo per year.

The historical city of Krujë is the second largest city in Durrës County.

Geography

Durrës County is located in the central part of Albania. It borders to the sea Adriatic Sea in the west. The climate is generally Mediterranean but varies by local topography. There are diverse microclimates in the county. Summers are dry while heavy rains are experienced during the winter.

The city of Krujë is found at an altitude of 600 m (1,969 ft) on the foot of Mount Krujë (Albanian: Mali i Krujës) of the Krujë Gorge, while south and west of the town is found the plain of the Ishëm River.[1] The town is located in the northern part of the outer Albanides tectonic unit, which consists of anticlines of Mesozoic carbonate platforms.

The Ishëm is the biggest river in Durrës County, it brings water to the area north of the Albanian capital, Tirana. It forms part of a watercourse (Tiranë - Gjole - Ishëm), but only the lower third of the watercourse is known as the Ishëm.

The Cape of Rodon is a rocky cape on the Adriatic Sea north of Durrës. On the Cape is the Rodoni Castle, built by Skanderbeg in 1463 and a Saint Anthony Church.

Administrative divisions

Until 2000, Durrës County was subdivided into two districts: Durrës, and Krujë. Since the 2015 local government reform, the county consists of the following 3 municipalities: Durrës, Krujë and Shijak.[2] Before 2015, it consisted of the following 16 municipalities:

The municipalities consist of about 115 towns and villages in total. See Villages of Durrës County for a structured list.

Demographics

According to the last national census from 2011 this county has 262,785 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the county include:[3]

Politics and government

As of 2009, there are 13 representatives of Durrës County with setas in the Parliament of Albania out of 140.

Notable people

Economy

The city of Durrës remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significant fishing and industrial sector. Durrës County has grown in importance in agriculture with very large-scale planting of olive and fruit trees, and the city has become center of the food processing and oil export industries. Tourism has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches.

References

  1. ↑ Gibb p.285
  2. ↑ Law nr. 115/2014
  3. ↑ 2011 census results

External links

Coordinates: 41°30′N 19°35′E / 41.500°N 19.583°E / 41.500; 19.583

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