Albanian diaspora
Encyclopedia
The Albanian diaspora encompasses Albanians
outside of Albania
and Kosovo
.
The greatest concentrations are found in Turkey
, Macedonia
, Montenegro
, Greece
and Italy
. There are also smaller communities in Austria
, Canada
, France
, Romania
, Belgium
, Russia
, Scandinavia
, Switzerland
, Ukraine
, UK
, and the USA
The Albanian exodus, caused by the collapse of the communist regime in 1991 and the ensuing economic crisis, has been the largest emigration movement in Europe since the population movements after World War II. Between 1989 and 2001, roughly 800,000 people have migrated out of Albania, about 440,000 of them settling in Greece, where Albanians make up 60% of immigrants. 350,000 Albanians have migrated to Italy over the 1990s to 2000s. The situation in Kosovo is similar. More than a million Albanians have left Kosovo since the late 1980s permanently, not counting those fleeing the Kosovo War
who have subsequently returned. An important destination for emigrating Kosovar Albanians has been Switzerland and Germany.
In Albania, emigration dates back to the 15th century when many Albanians emigrated to Calabria
in Southern Italy after the defeat of Skanderbeg
by Ottoman forces. Other popular destinations were Turkey
, Bulgaria
, and later the United States
and South America
. Following the communist take over after World War II
, emigration was outlawed and violations severely punished.
Two major emigration waves in the 1990s were:
The preference for Italy, Greece and Western European countries during the first waves of emigration has given way to Canada and the United States due to stricter European immigration laws. The rate of emigration has decreased during the later 2000s.
In Albania, it is estimated that emigrant remittances
account for 18% of GDP or $530 million annually. Those who have come back have opened micro-enterprises, while the proximity of Greece and Italy to Albania where more than half of immigrants are located has contributed to continuous labor mobility. Recently, following the 2010-2011 Greek Crisis, many Albanian emigrants have returned either temporarily or permanently to Albania.
The mass emigration of the 1990s to early 2000s has resulted in massive brain drain
to Albania. In the period 1990-2003, an estimated 45% of Albania's academics emigrated, as did more than 65% of the scholars who received PhDs in the West in the period 1980-1990. In 2006, a brain gain program compiled by Albanian authorities and the UNDP was put into action to encourage the skilled Diaspora to contribute to the country's development though its success remains to be seen.
, a typical village in Bulgaria, was found by Eastern Orthodox Albanian dairymen who supplied the Ottoman Army. They were allowed to pick a tract of land and were freed from taxes. The bulk of the local Albanians arrived in the 18th century from around Korçë
and in the 19th century from the region of Souli in Epirus. The locals preserved their Souliot national dress until the 19th century, when the fustanella was substituted by Thracian breeches. However, the female dress was preserved until the mass emigration to Greece
in 1913. In the 2001 census of Bulgaria, it was estimated that 278 Albanians live in the country.
Many areas of southern Greece contain ethnic Albanian communities - some dating from the Middle Ages and earlier. Most now identify as Greek due to anti-Albanian sentiment. They traditionally speak an ancient dialect of Albanian called Arvantes.
There are Albanian immigrants, who have entered Greece in large numbers since the fall of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania, form the largest single expatriate group in the country today. After the fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a large number of economic refugees and immigrants from Greece's neighboring countries, Albania, Bulgaria
, the Republic of Macedonia
, Romania
, as well as from more distant countries such as Russia
, Ukraine
, Armenia
and Georgia
, arrived in Greece, mostly as illegal immigrants, to seek employment. The vast majority of the Albanians in Greece is estimated to be between 65-70% of the total number of immigrants in the country. According to the 2001 census, there are 443,550 holders of Albanian citizenship in Greece.
were an aristocratic
Roman
family, members of which attained the highest dignities in the Roman Catholic Church
, one, Clement XI, having been Pope
. They were ethnic Albanians
who originally moved to Urbino
from the region of Malësi e Madhe in Albania
. and had been soldiers of Scanderbeg against the Ottoman Empire
. Though eventually assimilated in their Italian environment, Clement XI's Albanian antecedents were evident in his having commissioned, during his reign as a Pope, the famous Illyricum Sacrum. Today it is one of the main sources of the field of Albanology
, with over 5000 pages divided in several volumes written by Daniele Farlati
and Dom. Coletti.
There is an Albanian community in southern Italy, known as Arbëreshë
, who had settled in the country in the 15th and the 16th century, displaced by the changes brought about by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Some managed to escape and were offered refuge from the repression by the Kingdom of Naples
and Kingdom of Sicily
(both under Aragonese rule), where the Arbëreshë were given their own villages and protected.
The Arbëreshë were estimated as numbering at a quarter million in the 1970s.
After the breakdown of the communist regime in Albania in 1990, Italy had been the main immigration target for Albanians leaving their country.
This was because Italy had been a symbol of the West for many Albanians during the communist period, because of its geographic proximity. Italy reacted to the migration pressure by introducing the "Martelli
" law, stipulating that any immigrant who could prove that he or she had come into the country before the end of 1989 be granted a two year residency permit.
From March 1997, Italy instituted a strict patrol of the Adriatic in an attempt to curb Albanian immigration.
As a result, many Albanian immigrants in Italy do not have a legal status. Out of an estimated 450,000 Albanian immigrants in Italy in 1998, only some 82,000 were registered with authorities. In total there are 800,000 Albanians in Italy.
The Italian Government has housed significant numbers of Albanians from Kosovo in the Arbëresh settlements, most notably in Piana degli Albanesi
in Sicily.
and after the Second World War between 1950–1970, when the islam
in Kosovo at this time was repressed and both Albanians and Muslim Slavs were encouraged to declare themselves to be Turkish and emigrate to Turkey. Many started to colonize in the European part
and in Asia Minor
. Later on, Turkey had a wave of 260,259 Kosovo War
refugees, who found refuge in Turkey. Today it is estimated that 8 million Turks are of at least partial Albanian ancestry, whereas 2,500,000 consider themselves Albanian.
. They mostly migrated to Germany from Kosovo during the 1990s.
They account for about 2% of total Swiss population, making them the third largest immigrant community in Switzerland, after the Italian and German ones. The Albanian language
is the second largest immigrant language spoken in Switzerland, following Serbo-Croatian
. About 40,000 have been naturalized as Swiss citizens during the 1990s and 2000s, while an estimated 150,000 remain registered as nationals of either Serbia and Montenegro
(carrying passports issued during the existence of that country, 1992–2006), the Republic of Kosovo
(34,000 Kosovar passports registered with the Swiss authority by August 2010), the Republic of Macedonia, or Albania.
or Toronto
. Some found jobs in Calgary and a few in small communities in Ontario (e.g., Peterborough). After the inter-ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia between ethnic Albanians and Serbian military and police forces, many Albanians left Kosovo as refugees. Some have come to Canada, and in 1999 the Canadian government created a program to offer safe haven to 7000 Kosovar Albanian refugees. However, they continue to appreciate their ethnic heritage and their Albanian national history, even though their ancestors may have left Albania several decades ago. Those Albanians from Albania proper are active in their business and social organizations.
, Turkey
, Southern Italy
and Kosovo
, and in the 1990s from Albania
, Montenegro
, the Republic of Macedonia
, and refugees of war. The largest Albanian American (incl. Kosovar Albanian) populations are in New York City
, Boston
, Detroit, and Chicago
. Another Albanian American community in Southern California
such as the Los Angeles
area. The Inland Empire
(Riverside/San Bernardino) area of California includes Kosovars who entered the United States at the March Joint Air Reserve Base in Riverside. The Albanian-American population is currently 113,661, 0.04% of the US population.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
outside of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
The greatest concentrations are found in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. There are also smaller communities in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
The Albanian exodus, caused by the collapse of the communist regime in 1991 and the ensuing economic crisis, has been the largest emigration movement in Europe since the population movements after World War II. Between 1989 and 2001, roughly 800,000 people have migrated out of Albania, about 440,000 of them settling in Greece, where Albanians make up 60% of immigrants. 350,000 Albanians have migrated to Italy over the 1990s to 2000s. The situation in Kosovo is similar. More than a million Albanians have left Kosovo since the late 1980s permanently, not counting those fleeing the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
who have subsequently returned. An important destination for emigrating Kosovar Albanians has been Switzerland and Germany.
In Albania, emigration dates back to the 15th century when many Albanians emigrated to Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
in Southern Italy after the defeat of Skanderbeg
Skanderbeg
George Kastrioti Skanderbeg or Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu , widely known as Skanderbeg , was a 15th-century Albanian lord. He was appointed as the governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440...
by Ottoman forces. Other popular destinations were Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and later the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. Following the communist take over after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, emigration was outlawed and violations severely punished.
Two major emigration waves in the 1990s were:
- Post-1990 wave prior to the collapse of communism in Albania in the form of break-ins at foreign embassies and departures by ship
- Post-1997 wave following the 1997 unrest in Albania mainly by sea
The preference for Italy, Greece and Western European countries during the first waves of emigration has given way to Canada and the United States due to stricter European immigration laws. The rate of emigration has decreased during the later 2000s.
In Albania, it is estimated that emigrant remittances
Remittances
A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign worker to his or her home country. Note that in 19th century usage a remittance man was someone exiled overseas and sent an allowance on condition that he not return home....
account for 18% of GDP or $530 million annually. Those who have come back have opened micro-enterprises, while the proximity of Greece and Italy to Albania where more than half of immigrants are located has contributed to continuous labor mobility. Recently, following the 2010-2011 Greek Crisis, many Albanian emigrants have returned either temporarily or permanently to Albania.
The mass emigration of the 1990s to early 2000s has resulted in massive brain drain
Brain drain
Human capital flight, more commonly referred to as "brain drain", is the large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge. The reasons usually include two aspects which respectively come from countries and individuals...
to Albania. In the period 1990-2003, an estimated 45% of Albania's academics emigrated, as did more than 65% of the scholars who received PhDs in the West in the period 1980-1990. In 2006, a brain gain program compiled by Albanian authorities and the UNDP was put into action to encourage the skilled Diaspora to contribute to the country's development though its success remains to be seen.
Bulgaria
In 1636, the MandritsaMandritsa
Mandritsa is a village in southernmost Bulgaria, part of Ivaylovgrad municipality, Haskovo Province. It is known as the only Albanian village in Bulgaria. As of 14 December 2006, Mandritsa has a population of 75...
, a typical village in Bulgaria, was found by Eastern Orthodox Albanian dairymen who supplied the Ottoman Army. They were allowed to pick a tract of land and were freed from taxes. The bulk of the local Albanians arrived in the 18th century from around Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
and in the 19th century from the region of Souli in Epirus. The locals preserved their Souliot national dress until the 19th century, when the fustanella was substituted by Thracian breeches. However, the female dress was preserved until the mass emigration to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 1913. In the 2001 census of Bulgaria, it was estimated that 278 Albanians live in the country.
Republic of Macedonia
The Albanian population in the Republic of Macedonia has grown constantly since 1948. According to the official census data (held every 10 years), Albanians made up 19% of the total population in 1953. The population fell to 13% in 1961. It grew again in 1971 to 17%. They made up 19.7% in 1981 and 21% in 1991. At the last census in 2002, the Albanian population was at 25.2%. Ethnologue in 2002 estimated some 800,000 people speaking the Albanian language in Republic of Macedonia. In the decade since the Republic declared independence from Yugoslavia, some Albanians have claimed to account for 45% of the population and demanded an appropriate share of power. On the other side, Ethnic Macedonians said Albanians were barely 25%. However, the widely accepted number of Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia is according to the internationally monitored 2002 census. The census data estimated that Albanians account for about a quarter of the total population. In the 2008 Macedonian parliamentary elections, Albanian political parties received 22.61% of the total vote, receiving 29 of 120 seats.Greece
Albanians in Greece form the country's largest population group after the ethnic Greek majority. Due to different waves of migration, they are divided into various groups. The Albanians in Epirus have been reduced through forced removals and assimilation. Many Albanians were expelled by the Greek government in various waves from Epirus. Orthodox Albanians in Epirus, have undergone forced assimilation and often now identify as Greek.Many areas of southern Greece contain ethnic Albanian communities - some dating from the Middle Ages and earlier. Most now identify as Greek due to anti-Albanian sentiment. They traditionally speak an ancient dialect of Albanian called Arvantes.
There are Albanian immigrants, who have entered Greece in large numbers since the fall of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania, form the largest single expatriate group in the country today. After the fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a large number of economic refugees and immigrants from Greece's neighboring countries, Albania, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, as well as from more distant countries such as Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, arrived in Greece, mostly as illegal immigrants, to seek employment. The vast majority of the Albanians in Greece is estimated to be between 65-70% of the total number of immigrants in the country. According to the 2001 census, there are 443,550 holders of Albanian citizenship in Greece.
Italy
The AlbaniAlbani
Albani is an Italian surname from Latin name Albanus or from Alba , a frequent toponym in Italy...
were an aristocratic
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
Roman
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
family, members of which attained the highest dignities in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, one, Clement XI, having been Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. They were ethnic Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
who originally moved to Urbino
Urbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
from the region of Malësi e Madhe in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. and had been soldiers of Scanderbeg against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Though eventually assimilated in their Italian environment, Clement XI's Albanian antecedents were evident in his having commissioned, during his reign as a Pope, the famous Illyricum Sacrum. Today it is one of the main sources of the field of Albanology
Albanology
Albanology is the science that studies Albanian language and culture.The father of Albanology is often considered to be the Austrian Norbert Jokl, while the Croat Milan Šufflay and the Hungarian Franz Nopcsa von Felső-Szilvás are also among its famous founders.Among modern important Albanologists...
, with over 5000 pages divided in several volumes written by Daniele Farlati
Daniele Farlati
Daniele Farlati was an ecclesiastical historian.Farlati was born in San Daniele del Friuli in the present Italian province of Udine. After having studied in Gorizia he entered, in 1707, the Society of Jesus in Bologna...
and Dom. Coletti.
There is an Albanian community in southern Italy, known as Arbëreshë
Arbëreshë
The Arbëreshë are a linguistic and ethnic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, especially the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Calabria and Sicily...
, who had settled in the country in the 15th and the 16th century, displaced by the changes brought about by the expansion of the Ottoman Empire. Some managed to escape and were offered refuge from the repression by the Kingdom of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Kingdom of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(both under Aragonese rule), where the Arbëreshë were given their own villages and protected.
The Arbëreshë were estimated as numbering at a quarter million in the 1970s.
After the breakdown of the communist regime in Albania in 1990, Italy had been the main immigration target for Albanians leaving their country.
This was because Italy had been a symbol of the West for many Albanians during the communist period, because of its geographic proximity. Italy reacted to the migration pressure by introducing the "Martelli
Claudio Martelli
Claudio Martelli is an Italian politician, and the right-hand man of Bettino Craxi, the socialist Prime Minister from 1983–1987.-Biography:Martelli was born at Gessate, in the province of Milan....
" law, stipulating that any immigrant who could prove that he or she had come into the country before the end of 1989 be granted a two year residency permit.
From March 1997, Italy instituted a strict patrol of the Adriatic in an attempt to curb Albanian immigration.
As a result, many Albanian immigrants in Italy do not have a legal status. Out of an estimated 450,000 Albanian immigrants in Italy in 1998, only some 82,000 were registered with authorities. In total there are 800,000 Albanians in Italy.
The Italian Government has housed significant numbers of Albanians from Kosovo in the Arbëresh settlements, most notably in Piana degli Albanesi
Piana degli Albanesi
Piana degli Albanesi is a comune with 6,427 inhabitants in the Province of Palermo, Sicily.The town is the most important and populous Arbëreshë community in Sicily and it is the episcopal see of the Byzantine Catholic Church...
in Sicily.
Turkey
Many Albanians fled to Turkey during the Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and after the Second World War between 1950–1970, when the islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in Kosovo at this time was repressed and both Albanians and Muslim Slavs were encouraged to declare themselves to be Turkish and emigrate to Turkey. Many started to colonize in the European part
East Thrace
East Thrace or Eastern Thrace , also known as Turkish Thrace, is the part of the modern republic of Turkey that is geographically part of Europe, all in the eastern part of the historical region of Thrace; most of Turkey is in Anatolia, also known as Asia Minor. Turkish Thrace is also called...
and in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
. Later on, Turkey had a wave of 260,259 Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
refugees, who found refuge in Turkey. Today it is estimated that 8 million Turks are of at least partial Albanian ancestry, whereas 2,500,000 consider themselves Albanian.
Germany
There are an estimated 500,000 Albanians living in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. They mostly migrated to Germany from Kosovo during the 1990s.
Switzerland
There are an estimated 350,000 ethnic Albanians in Switzerland, most of them from Kosovo, a sizeable minority arriving from Macedonia. Albanians have migrated to Switzerland since 1960s, but bulk of immigration took place during the 1990s, especially during 1998-1999.They account for about 2% of total Swiss population, making them the third largest immigrant community in Switzerland, after the Italian and German ones. The Albanian language
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
is the second largest immigrant language spoken in Switzerland, following Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
. About 40,000 have been naturalized as Swiss citizens during the 1990s and 2000s, while an estimated 150,000 remain registered as nationals of either Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia and Montenegro was a country in southeastern Europe, formed from two former republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia : Serbia and Montenegro. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, it was established in 1992 as a federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
(carrying passports issued during the existence of that country, 1992–2006), the Republic of Kosovo
Republic of Kosovo
Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
(34,000 Kosovar passports registered with the Swiss authority by August 2010), the Republic of Macedonia, or Albania.
Canada
It is estimated that 122,395 Albanians live in Canada. The first Albanians arrived in Canada at the beginning of the 20th century, following internal pre-war revolutionary upheavals. Few immigrated to Canada after WWII. Most of the post-war Albanian immigrants settled in either MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
or Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Some found jobs in Calgary and a few in small communities in Ontario (e.g., Peterborough). After the inter-ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia between ethnic Albanians and Serbian military and police forces, many Albanians left Kosovo as refugees. Some have come to Canada, and in 1999 the Canadian government created a program to offer safe haven to 7000 Kosovar Albanian refugees. However, they continue to appreciate their ethnic heritage and their Albanian national history, even though their ancestors may have left Albania several decades ago. Those Albanians from Albania proper are active in their business and social organizations.
United States
Albanians began to settle in the USA in the early 1920s from GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, and in the 1990s from Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, and refugees of war. The largest Albanian American (incl. Kosovar Albanian) populations are in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Detroit, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. Another Albanian American community in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
such as the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area. The Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
(Riverside/San Bernardino) area of California includes Kosovars who entered the United States at the March Joint Air Reserve Base in Riverside. The Albanian-American population is currently 113,661, 0.04% of the US population.
Table of diaspora populations
| Country | Albanian population | Year | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
 Albania |
3,244,933 | (2011) | |
 Republic of Kosovo |
1,825,632 | (2011) | |
 Turkey |
2,500,000 - 8,000,000 | (2007) | |
 Republic of Macedonia |
809,083 | (2002) | |
 Kingdom of Montenegro |
50,600 | (2007) | |
 Greece |
889,663 | 2001 | |
 Italy |
800,000 | ||
 United States |
113,661 | (2001) | |
 Serbia |
121,647 | (2002) | |
 Canada |
111,385 | ||
 Sweden |
55,000 | ||
 United Kingdom |
222,314 | (2001) | |
 Early Modern France |
100,000 | ||
 Switzerland |
294,937 | (2000) | |
 Germany |
550,000 - 800,000 | ||
 Netherlands |
105,706 | ||
 Belgium |
90,352 | ||
 Slovenia |
46,186 | (2002) | |
 Independent State of Croatia |
24,621 | (2001) | |
 Kingdom of Romania |
15,000 | ||
 Norway |
37,000 | ||
 Austria |
28,212 | (2001) | |
 South Africa |
2,000 | ||
 Egypt |
23,000 | ||
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
25,000 | ||
 Denmark |
38,000 | ||
 Ukraine |
13,308 | (2001) | |
 Finland |
23,293 | (2000) | |
 Spain |
25,427 | ||
 Russia |
53,220 | ||
 Czech Republic |
10,221 | ||
 Slovakia |
5,851 | (2001) | |
 Australia |
21,315 | ||
 Kazakhstan |
46 | (1999) | |
 Moldova |
1,204 | (1989) | |
 New Zealand |
15,531 | (2001) | |
 Cyprus |
997 | (2001) | |
 Philippines |
1,495 | (2000) | |
 Republic of Ireland |
1,301 | (2002) | |
 Luxembourg |
4,976 | (2001) | |
 Poland |
3,037 | (2006) | |
 Kingdom of Bulgaria |
10,278 | (2001) | |
 Mexico |
50,000 | (2000) | |
 Bolivia |
5 | (2002) | |
 Argentina |
50,000 | (1997) | |
 Singapore |
9,500 | (2009) | |
 Japan |
120 | (2010) |
Notable Albanians from the Diaspora
- Sedefkar Mehmed Agha- Albanian architect of the Sultan Ahmed MosqueSultan Ahmed MosqueThe Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire . The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior....
(the "Blue Mosque") in Istanbul.
- Mustafa Kemal Ataturk- Ottoman and Turkish with Albanian descent army officer, revolutionary statesman, writer, and the first President of Turkey. He is credited with being the founder of the modern Turkish state.
- Fatmire BajramajFatmire BajramajFatmire "Lira" Bajramaj is a German footballer with Albanian etnicity. She plays as an attacking midfielder for 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam and the German national team. She placed 3rd in 2010 FIFA Ballon d'Or competition, an annual award given to the world's best player.-Club:Bajramaj began her...
- Famous Woman Albanian Football player. She has announced to move to 1. FFC Frankfurt for the 2011–12 season. The transfer is the most expensive in women's Bundesliga history
- Giorgio BastaGiorgio BastaGiorgio Basta, Count of Huszt was an Italian general of Arbëreshë descent, employed by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to command Habsburg forces in the Long War of 1591-1606 and later to administer Transylvania as an Imperial vassal to restore Catholicism as a predominant religion in...
- Italian general of ArbëreshëArbëreshëThe Arbëreshë are a linguistic and ethnic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, especially the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Calabria and Sicily...
descent, employed by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to command Habsburg forces in the Long War of 1591-1606 and later to administer Transylvania as an Imperial vassal to restore Catholicism as a predominant religion in Transylvania.
- James BelushiJames BelushiJames Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
- Albanian-AmericanAlbanian-AmericanAlbanian Americans are United States citizens of full or partial Albanian ancestry. Although according to data from a 2008 Survey of the United States Government, there are 201,118 Americans of full or partial Albanian descent.-Emigration History:...
famous Hollywood actor
- John BelushiJohn BelushiJohn Adam Belushi was an American comedian, actor, and musician, best known as one of the original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, The Star of the Films National Lampoon's Animal House and the The Blues Brothers and for fronting the American blues and soul...
- Albanian-AmericanAlbanian-AmericanAlbanian Americans are United States citizens of full or partial Albanian ancestry. Although according to data from a 2008 Survey of the United States Government, there are 201,118 Americans of full or partial Albanian descent.-Emigration History:...
famous Hollywood actor
- (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu)Mother TeresaMother TeresaMother Teresa , born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu , was a Roman Catholic nun of Albanian ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950...
- was a Catholic nun of AlbanianAlbanianAlbanian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the country of Albania* Albanians, a people living in Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Italy and elsewhere* The Albanian language...
ethnicity and Indian citizenship, who founded the Missionaries of CharityMissionaries of CharityMissionaries of Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Mother Teresa of Calcutta, which consists of over 4,500 sisters and is active in 133 countries...
in Calcutta.
- Lorik CanaLorik CanaLorik Cana is an Albanian footballer, who plays for Lazio as a defensive midfielder and the Albania national football team. He is the captain for Albania at international level...
- Famous Albanian Football player
- Francesco CrispiFrancesco CrispiFrancesco Crispi was a 19th-century Italian politician of Arbëreshë ancestry. He was instrumental in the unification of Italy and was its 17th and 20th Prime Minister from 1887 until 1891 and again from 1893 until 1896.-Sicily:Crispi’s paternal family came originally from the small agricultural...
- Italian politician of Albanian Arberesh ancestry. He was instrumental in the formation of the united country and was its 17th and 20th Prime Minister from 1887 until 1891 and again from 1893 until 1896.
- Joe DioGuardi- Albanian-American certified public accountant and a Republican politician.
- Tie DomiTie DomiTahir "Tie" Domi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets....
- Canadian professional ice hockey player of Albanian heritage. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets.
- Eliza DushkuEliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
- American-Albanian actress known for her television roles.
- Lee EliaLee EliaLee Constantine Elia is a former professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball. He was a manager of the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies . Additionally, he has served as a coach for the Phillies, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Baltimore...
- Albanian-American former professional baseball player and manager in Major League Baseball.
- Farouk I of Egypt- (11 February 1920 – 18 March 1965), Tenth ruler (Muhammad Ali Dynasty) and penultimate King of Egypt and Sudan, 1936, was of Albanian descent as well as native Egyptian and Turkish
- Mit’hat Frashëri- Albanian diplomat, writer and politician. The son of Abdyl Frashëri, one of the most important activists of the Albanian National Awakening in 1908 he participated in the Congress of Monastir
- Antonio GramsciAntonio GramsciAntonio Gramsci was an Italian writer, politician, political philosopher, and linguist. He was a founding member and onetime leader of the Communist Party of Italy and was imprisoned by Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime...
- ArberesheArbëreshëThe Arbëreshë are a linguistic and ethnic Albanian minority community living in southern Italy, especially the regions of Apulia, Basilicata, Molise, Calabria and Sicily...
writer, politician, political theorist, linguist and philosopher.
- William G. GregoryWilliam G. GregoryWilliam George "Borneo" Gregory , is a retired NASA astronaut and United States Air Force lieutenant colonel.-Early life and education:...
- First American-Albanian in space.
- Ismail KadareIsmail KadareIsmail Kadare is an Albanian writer. He is known for his novels, although he was first noticed for his poetry collections. In the 1960s he focused on short stories until the publication of his first novel, The General of the Dead Army. In 1996 he became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral...
- Famous Albanian writer
- Giorgio Kastriota Scanderbeg (~Iskander Bey)- as a 15th-century Albanian lord[D], who as leader of the federation of the League of Lezhë defended the region of Albania against the Ottoman Empire for more than two decades.
- Luan KrasniqiLuan KrasniqiLuan Krasniqi is a professional German boxer of Kosovo Albanian descent.On April, 2006, he was ranked #2 by the WBO, coming before other heavyweight contenders such as Lamon Brewster, Shannon Briggs, and Ruslan Chagaev....
- German boxer of Kosovo Albanian descent.
- Mirela ManjaniMirela ManjaniMirela Manjani is a retired Greek javelin thrower. Prior to 1997 she represented Albania.She won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with a personal best of 67.51 m, and the bronze medal in 2004. Manjani is also a European champion and double world champion. Her personal best throw of...
- is a retired Albanian javelin thrower that represented Greece.
- Aleksander MoisiuAleksander Moisiu- Early years :He was born in Trieste to Konstantin Moisiu from Kavajë, who was a rich Albanian merchant of oil and wheat and an Arbëresh mother Amalia di Rada, daughter of an Italian writer and doctor from Trieste....
- Famous Albanian stage actor.
- Inva MulaInva MulaInva Mula is an Albanian opera soprano and actress. She began her soprano career at a very early age. Her father and mother were also opera singers. -Life and Career:...
- Inva Mula is an Albanian opera soprano. She comes from an artistic family. She began her soprano career at a very early age.
- Ferid MuradFerid MuradFerid Murad is an Albanian-American physician and pharmacologist, and a co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is also an honorary member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo.- Life :...
- Albanian-AmericanAlbanian-AmericanAlbanian Americans are United States citizens of full or partial Albanian ancestry. Although according to data from a 2008 Survey of the United States Government, there are 201,118 Americans of full or partial Albanian descent.-Emigration History:...
physician and pharmacologist, and a co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
.
- Muhammad Ali Pasha- Regarded as the founder of modern Egypt, was an Albanian commander of the Ottoman Sultan's, Mahmud II, army sent to drive Napoleon's forces out of Egypt, upon French withdrawal, became Governor of Egypt (1805), then Khedive (Viceroy) of Egypt and Sudan. He founded a dynasty.
- Regis PhilbinRegis PhilbinRegis Francis Xavier Philbin is an American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows since the 1960s. Philbin is often called "the hardest working man in show business" and holds the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera...
- Albanian-American media personality, actor and singer, known for hosting talk and game shows from the 1960s to the present.
- Rexhep QosjaRexhep QosjaRexhep Qosja is a prominent Albanian politician and literary critic from the area of Malësia in modern Montenegro....
- prominent Albanian politician and literary critic.
- Oruç Reis- Oruç Reis (also called Barbarossa or Redbeard) was a Turkish privateer and Ottoman Bey (Governor) of Algiers and Beylerbey (Chief Governor) of the West Mediterranean with AlbanianAlbanianAlbanian may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to the country of Albania* Albanians, a people living in Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Italy and elsewhere* The Albanian language...
descent
- Girolamo de RadaGirolamo de RadaGirolamo de Rada was an Italian writer of Italo-Albanian literature. Of Arbëreshë descent he was the foremost figure of the Albanian National Awakening in 19th Italy.-Biography:...
(Arbëresh: Jeronim de Rada) (1814–1903) was an Italian writer of Italo-Albanian literature of Arbëreshë descent he was the foremost figure of the Albanian National Awakening in 19th Italy.
- Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani - a prominent Muslim cleric
Further reading
- Vullnetari, Julie. Albanian migration and development: state of the art review. Working Paper No. 18, Amsterdam: Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2007
- Danopoulos, Andrew C. and Danopoulos, Constantine P. Albanian Migration into Greece: The Economic, Sociological, and Security Implications. Mediterranean Quarterly 15, Number 4, Fall 2004, pp. 100-114
- Germenji, Etleva and Ilir Gedeshi. Highly Skilled Migration from Albania: An Assessment of Current Trends and the Ways Ahead. University of Sussex: 2008
- King, Russell and Julie Vullnetari. Migration and Development in Albania. Sussex Centre for Migration Research, University of Sussex: 2003
- Nicholson, Beryl. The tractor, the shop and the filling station: Work migration as self-help development in Albania. Europe-Asia Studies 56(6) 2004:877-890
- Piperno, Flavia. From Albania to Italy: Formation and basic features of a binational migration system, CeSPI: 2002
External links
- History of Emigration from Albania (Albanian)