Kuçovë
Encyclopedia
Kuçovë is an Albania
n city, capital of the Kuçovë District
, with many parks and museums.
, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age
, Iron Age
, urban Illyrian
and the Late Antiquity
era.
During Communist Albania the city was renamed to Stalin City and was a closed military district. The city was extensively developed in the 1950s and is of interest to students of communist architecture, although following the collapse of communism there has been much unauthorised building and modification to the original buildings. It is home of one of Albania's Military Aeronautical Base, although since 2005 the country's air force has ceased flying the aged Mig fighters provided by the Soviet Union and China and has been reduced to rotary wing aircraft only.
and Ballsh
. The Oil industry was originally developed by the Italians during the Zogist period, and much of the infrastructure is dated. Following the end of the communist period the town suffered a severe industrial decline, with the closure of many factories and the destruction of the towns power plan in the riots following the failure of the pyramid banks. Today there is some evidence of a recovery with a large number of micro-businesses operating from former state run factories, although unemployment remains high. There are also a number of foreign owned banks and a small number of ATMs. Like many towns in Albania many young people leave for Italy and Greece.
The city of Kuçova has 5 neighborhoods , Lgj. "11 Janari", Lgj. "Llukan Prifti", Lgj."11 Shkurti", Lgj. "Tafil Skendo", and "1 Maji". One of the largest parks in Kuçovë is called "Pishat". Like many other Albanian cities, Kuçova has a lot of coffee bars, restaurants and some hotels.
n cities or even outside the country.
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...
n city, capital of the Kuçovë District
Kuçovë District
The District of Kuçovë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Berat County. It has a population of 34,907 , and an area of 84 km². It is in the centre of the country, and its capital is Kuçovë.-Description:...
, with many parks and museums.
Ancient
Archaeologists found in the village of Katundas near Kuçovë six phases of inhabitation dating to the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
, Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, urban Illyrian
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
and the Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
era.
Modern
Kuçova has been an industrial city since the Italian influence in the early 1920s. In 1928 in “Dikater” was drilled the first oil hole in Albania. From this moment onwards the city has been on oil drilling maps. Since 1928 until 1943, the Italian company AIPA had an agreement with the Zog I government that if the oil extraction would surpass 50 000 tonnes per year, this company would build a refinery in Albania. Even though the oil extracted wss more than 170 000 tonnes, The refinery was never built and the oil was transported to Italy.During Communist Albania the city was renamed to Stalin City and was a closed military district. The city was extensively developed in the 1950s and is of interest to students of communist architecture, although following the collapse of communism there has been much unauthorised building and modification to the original buildings. It is home of one of Albania's Military Aeronautical Base, although since 2005 the country's air force has ceased flying the aged Mig fighters provided by the Soviet Union and China and has been reduced to rotary wing aircraft only.
Economy
Kuçova is one of Albania's cities known for its oil industry along with PatosPatos
Patos is a city in the District of Fier in Albania. The city had 32,078 residents in the 2005 census. It is the center of the oil industry in Albania, and is 7 kilometers from city of Fier.The city's football team is Klubi Sportiv Albpetrol....
and Ballsh
Ballsh
-Overview:The city's surrounding fields are rich in crude petroleum and are dotted by a series of oil wells established during the communist dictatorship. Only a fraction of these wells are operating today, but the city includes a working refinery, and outputs of naphthas are significant...
. The Oil industry was originally developed by the Italians during the Zogist period, and much of the infrastructure is dated. Following the end of the communist period the town suffered a severe industrial decline, with the closure of many factories and the destruction of the towns power plan in the riots following the failure of the pyramid banks. Today there is some evidence of a recovery with a large number of micro-businesses operating from former state run factories, although unemployment remains high. There are also a number of foreign owned banks and a small number of ATMs. Like many towns in Albania many young people leave for Italy and Greece.
Population
Currently the Kuçova district has a population of around 50,000. Of this population around 31,000 live in the city of Kuçova, classifying it as 12th of 65 municipalities on a national scale. Population density is 567 inhabitants/km², which ranks the Kuçova district as the most heavily populated on a national scale. Another feature of this district compared with others in Albania is that citizens comprise 63% of the general population, the remainder living in villages nearby.The city of Kuçova has 5 neighborhoods , Lgj. "11 Janari", Lgj. "Llukan Prifti", Lgj."11 Shkurti", Lgj. "Tafil Skendo", and "1 Maji". One of the largest parks in Kuçovë is called "Pishat". Like many other Albanian cities, Kuçova has a lot of coffee bars, restaurants and some hotels.
Education
There are two public high schools in the city, General High School (Shkolla e Mesme e Pergjithshme) "Myrteza Kepi" and General High School Kuçove(Shkolla e Mesme e Pergjithshme Kucove) and one non public high school. There are also five 1st to 9th grade schools; "18 Tetori", "28 Nentori", "Gaqi Karakashi", "23 Nentori" and "Deshmoret e Kombit". Many high school graduates who want to pursue a higher education go to other AlbaniaAlbania
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...
n cities or even outside the country.
Notable people
- Ilir BozhiqiIlir BozhiqiIlir Bozhiqi is an Albanian retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Dinamo Tirana.He was the first foreign goalkeeper to play in the Romanian football. He transferred from Dinamo Tirana to FC Braşov in 1991, where he stayed for four seasons, before moving to fellow-citizen team Tractorul...
, retired soccer player (goalkeeper) - Geri Malaj, soccer player.
- Laureta MeciLaureta MeçiLaureta Meci is an Albanian American actress and model. She was born in Kuçovë, Albania on August 30, 1977, where she lived until she finished high school. She and her family moved to Athens, Greece in 1995....
, model and actress - Greta Koci, singer
External links
- Kuçovë Municipality
- Kucova Community
- Kucova WebPage
- Hotel Horizont Kuçovë Hotel in Kuçovë