Vlorë County
Encyclopedia
The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties
of Albania
. It consists of the districts Delvinë
, Sarandë
and Vlorë
and its capital is Vlorë
. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773.
Vlorë's western and southern edges are the shorelines of the Strait of Otranto
, which separates it from the island of Corfu
. The County forms the integral part of the Albanian Riviera
. In the far southeast it has a small border with Greece
. Its population includes a Greek minority. Domestically, it borders the following counties Fier County
to the north and Gjirokastër County
to the east.
form Vlorë or Vlora, pronounced ˈvlɔɾə, while in the Gheg Albanian
dialect it is known as Vlonë. Vlorë was created in antiquity as a Greek colony in the territory of Illyria
. Its first name, still used today in Greece, is Aulón , which means valley and may have been a reinterpretation of a pre-Greek name. In early 20th century, Vlorë was referred to in English as Avlona or by the Italian
name Valona. During the Ottoman era
, the Turkish
name Avlonya was also used.
tribe of the Chaonians
. The Ancient Greeks developed the town of Sarandë
which they referred to as Onchesmos (or Anchiasmos) Onchesmos flourished as the port of the Chaonian capital of Phoenice
(modern-day Finiq
). Further north another Chaonian settlement was founded, Himarë
, while the Corinthians
found the colony of Aulon at the bay of Vlorë. Additional ancient settlements in the region included Thronium
, Amantia
, Oricum.
In the Middle Ages, the region was part of the Byzantine Empire
, while during the Slavic invasion there is evidence the Byzantine rule was maintained in the area.
In 1204 the region became part of the Despotate of Epirus
but returned to the Byzantine Empire. In 1335 Albanian tribes descended south and were in possession of the area between Berat and the bay of Vlore, while in 1345 after the Serbian invasion an independent principality
was formed in Vlorë.
In the middle of the 14th century the aristocratic Delvina family ruled Delvinë and in 1354, Mehmet Ali Pasha Delvina was testified as the owner of the castle and the city.
. The southeastern part of the county borders Greece
. The county has a total area of 2,706 km2 (1,044.8 sq mi). The three main cities are Vlorë
, Sarandë
and Delvinë
.
and industrial
sector. The county produces petroleum
, natural gas
, bitumen and salt
.
Vlorë 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, oil and bitumen export industries. The county is mainly agricultural and pastoral, producing oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, cattle, sheep, skins, hides and butter. These commodities are exported.
Tourism
has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches.
Counties of Albania
Albania is divided into twelve counties . Each contains several districts...
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...
. It consists of the districts Delvinë
Delvinë District
The District of Delvinë or District of Delvina is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 11,985 includes a substantial Greek community. The district has an area of 348 km² . It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Delvinë...
, Sarandë
Sarandë District
The District of Sarandë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, found in southern Albania, in the County of Vlorë.The area of the district is 749 square kilometers. The population of the district was 48,474 . According to the census of January 1993, it was 53,700.The centre of the district...
and Vlorë
Vlorë District
The District of Vlorë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 151,314 . The district has a land area of 1,609 km². It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Vlorë. Its population includes a Greek minority...
and its capital is Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773.
Vlorë's western and southern edges are the shorelines of the Strait of Otranto
Strait of Otranto
The Strait of Otranto connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and separates Italy from Albania. Its width at Punta Palascìa, east of Salento is less than . The strait is named after the Italian city of Otranto.- History :...
, which separates it from the island of Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. The County forms the integral part of the Albanian Riviera
Albanian Riviera
Albanian Riviera is a coastal area in the County of Vlorë running along the Ionian Sea under the Ceraunian Mountains in Southern Albania. It should not be confused with the Albanian Coastline as a whole which incorporates both the Riviera and the mostly flat coastline of the north...
. In the far southeast it has a small border with Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Its population includes a Greek minority. Domestically, it borders the following counties Fier County
Fier County
The County of Fier is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts of Fier, Lushnjë and Mallakastër and its capital is Fier.Fier's western edge is the shoreline of the Adriatic Sea. On land, it borders the following counties:...
to the north and Gjirokastër County
Gjirokastër County
Gjirokastër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë and its capital is Gjirokastër. Its population includes a substantial Greek minority. To the southeast, Gjirokastër shares a border with Greece...
to the east.
Names
The modern name for Vlorë is the AlbanianAlbanian 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...
form Vlorë or Vlora, pronounced ˈvlɔɾə, while in the Gheg Albanian
Gheg Albanian
Gheg is one of the two major varieties of Albanian. The other one is Tosk, on which standard Albanian is based. The dividing line between these two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds its way through central Albania....
dialect it is known as Vlonë. Vlorë was created in antiquity as a Greek colony in the territory of Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
. Its first name, still used today in Greece, is Aulón , which means valley and may have been a reinterpretation of a pre-Greek name. In early 20th century, Vlorë was referred to in English as Avlona or by the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
name Valona. During the Ottoman era
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...
, the Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
name Avlonya was also used.
History
In antiquity the region was inhabited by the GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
tribe of the Chaonians
Chaonians
The Chaonians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus located in the north-west of modern Greece and southern Albania. On their southern frontier lay another Epirote kingdom, that of the Molossians, to their southwest stood the kingdom of the Thesprotians, and to their...
. The Ancient Greeks developed the town of Sarandë
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
which they referred to as Onchesmos (or Anchiasmos) Onchesmos flourished as the port of the Chaonian capital of Phoenice
Phoenice
Phoenice or Phoenike was an ancient Greek city in Epirus and capital of the Chaonians. It was also the location of the Treaty of Phoenice which ended the First Macedonian War, as well as one of the wealthiest cities in Epirus until the Roman conquest. During the early Byzantine period, Phoenice...
(modern-day Finiq
Finiq
Finiq is a village and municipality in southern Albania located 8 km from the Ionian Sea and 20 km north of the Greek border. It is part of Delvinë District and Vlorë County. Its inhabitants speak Greek as their mother tongue. It is the center of the commune of Finiq, which comprises the...
). Further north another Chaonian settlement was founded, Himarë
Himarë
Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë....
, while the Corinthians
Ancient Corinth
Corinth, or Korinth was a city-state on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece, roughly halfway between Athens and Sparta. The modern town of Corinth is located approximately northeast of the ancient ruins...
found the colony of Aulon at the bay of Vlorë. Additional ancient settlements in the region included Thronium
Thronium
Thronion or Thronium was an ancient Greek city of the Euboian-Lokrians in Epirus. It is believed to lie somewhere to the south of Vlorë, between the Shushicë River and the sea....
, Amantia
Amantia
Amantia or Abantia was an ancient Greek polis in Epirus. It occupied an important defensive position above the Aoos river valley to the east, and on the road to the coast and the Bay of Vlorë. A Greek temple, the Aphrodite temple, a theatre, and a stadium have also been found in the city...
, Oricum.
In the Middle Ages, the region was part of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, while during the Slavic invasion there is evidence the Byzantine rule was maintained in the area.
In 1204 the region became part of the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
but returned to the Byzantine Empire. In 1335 Albanian tribes descended south and were in possession of the area between Berat and the bay of Vlore, while in 1345 after the Serbian invasion an independent principality
Principality of Valona
The Principality of Valona was a medieval principality in Albania, roughly encompassing the territories of the modern counties of Vlorë , Fier, and Berat...
was formed in Vlorë.
In the middle of the 14th century the aristocratic Delvina family ruled Delvinë and in 1354, Mehmet Ali Pasha Delvina was testified as the owner of the castle and the city.
Geography
Vlorë County is located in the south of Albania and forms the Albanian RivieraAlbanian Riviera
Albanian Riviera is a coastal area in the County of Vlorë running along the Ionian Sea under the Ceraunian Mountains in Southern Albania. It should not be confused with the Albanian Coastline as a whole which incorporates both the Riviera and the mostly flat coastline of the north...
. The southeastern part of the county borders Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The county has a total area of 2,706 km2 (1,044.8 sq mi). The three main cities are Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, Sarandë
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
and Delvinë
Delvinë
Delvinë is a small town in Vlorë County in southern Albania, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 .The city is built on a mountain slope...
.
Administrative divisions
| District | Capital | District Population (2010) |
Area (km²) | Municipalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delvinë District Delvinë District The District of Delvinë or District of Delvina is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 11,985 includes a substantial Greek community. The district has an area of 348 km² . It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Delvinë... |
Delvinë Delvinë Delvinë is a small town in Vlorë County in southern Albania, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 .The city is built on a mountain slope... |
10,810 | 348 | Delvinë Delvinë Delvinë is a small town in Vlorë County in southern Albania, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 .The city is built on a mountain slope... , Finiq Finiq Finiq is a village and municipality in southern Albania located 8 km from the Ionian Sea and 20 km north of the Greek border. It is part of Delvinë District and Vlorë County. Its inhabitants speak Greek as their mother tongue. It is the center of the commune of Finiq, which comprises the... , Mesopotam Mesopotam Mesopotam is a municipality in the Delvinë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania.. The municipality consists of the villages Mesopotam, Kardhikaq, Pecë, Muzinë, Dhrovjan, Krongj, Bistricë, Velahovë, Livinë, Brajlat, Sirakat, Kostar, Fitore, Krane and Ardhasovë. Mesopotam in Greek means "between... , Vergo Vergo Vergo is a municipality in the Delvinë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Vergo, Tatzat, Kalasë, Fushë Vërri, Senicë, Kopaçez, Qafë Dardhë and Bajkaj.... |
| Sarandë District Sarandë District The District of Sarandë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, found in southern Albania, in the County of Vlorë.The area of the district is 749 square kilometers. The population of the district was 48,474 . According to the census of January 1993, it was 53,700.The centre of the district... |
Sarandë Sarandë Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a... |
35,201 | 749 | Aliko Aliko Aliko is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Aliko, Çaush, Neohor, Tremul, Rahullë, Pllakë, Jermë, Vurgu i Ri, Halo, Dritas and Çukë.... , Dhivër Dhivër Dhivër is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Dhivër, Rumanxë, Memoraq, Navaricë, Dermish, Leshnicë e Sipërme, Leshnicë e Poshtme, Janicat, Llupsat, Cerkovicë, Shëndre and Malcan.... , Konispol Konispol Konispol is the southernmost town in Albania. It sits one kilometer away from the Albanian-Greek border. The municipality consists of the town Konispol and the village Çiflik.The town's main interests are agriculture and viticulture... , Ksamil Ksamil Ksamil is a municipality in the riviera of Southern Albania, built in 1966 and part of the Butrint National Park.It is located south of the city of Sarandë off the road to Butrint and is part of District of Sarandë... , Livadhja Livadhja Livadhja is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Livadhja, Sopik, Pandalejmon, Kulluricë, Llazat, Kalcat, Kodër, Lefter Talo, Vagalat, Gravë, Qesarat, Komat, Karroq, Grazhdan and Zminec. Some villagers also speak the... , Lukovë Lukovë Lukovë is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Lukovë, Borsh, Fterrë, Çorraj, Piqeras, Sasaj, Qazim Pali, Shënvasil and Nivicë.-Notable people:... , Markat Markat Markat is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Dishat, Vërvë, Shalës, Markat, Ninat and Janjar.... , Sarandë Sarandë Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a... , Xarrë Xarrë Xarrë is a municipality in the Sarandë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Xarrë, Mursi, Shkallë and Vrinë.... |
| Vlorë District Vlorë District The District of Vlorë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 151,314 . The district has a land area of 1,609 km². It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Vlorë. Its population includes a Greek minority... |
Vlorë Vlorë Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912... |
147,411 | 1,609 | Armen Armen, Albania Armen is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Armen, Karbunarë, Rromës, Treblovë, Lubonjë, Picar and Mesarak.... , Brataj Brataj Brataj is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Brataj, Lepenicë, Gjorm, Velçë, Ramicë, Mesaplik, Matogjin, Bashaj, Vërmik and Malas.... , Himarë Himarë Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë.... , Horë-Vranisht, Kotë Kotë Kotë is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Kotë, Gumeicë, Hysoverdhë, Lapardha, Mavrovë, Mazhar, Vajzë, Vodicë, Shkallë Mavrovë and Drashovicë.... , Novoselë Novoselë Novoselë is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania.-Villages:The municipality consists of the villages Novoselë, Aliban, Bishan, Mifol, Poro, Dëllënjë, Delisuf, Trevllazër, Cerkovinë, Skrofotinë, Fitore and Akërni.... , Orikum Orikum Orikum is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. It was named after the ancient city Oricum, which was located 4 km west of modern Orikum. The municipality consists of the town Orikum and the villages Dukat Fushë, Dukat, Tragjas and Radhimë... , Qendër Qendër, Vlorë Qendër is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Bestrovë, Babicë e Madhe, Babicë e Vogël, Hoshtimë, Kaninë, Kërkovë, Nartë, Sherishtë, Panaja, Xhyherinë, Zvërnec and Sazan Island.... , Selenicë Selenicë Selenicë is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The population is 6,900. The town is well-known for its bitumen mines. The football club is KS Selenicë.... , Sevaster Sevaster Sevaster is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Sevaster, Golimbas, Dushkarak, Shkozë, Mazhar, Ploçë, Lezhan and Amonicë.... , Shushicë Shushicë, Vlorë Shushicë is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Shushicë, Bunavi, Beshisht, Grabian, Drithas, Mekat, Llakatund, Çeprat and Risili.... , Vllahinë Vllahinë Vllahinë is a municipality in the Vlorë District, Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Vllahinë, Kocul, Mërtiraj, Rexhepaj, Hadëraj, Mallkeq, Gërnec, Petë, Kropisht, Vezhdanisht, Peshkëpi and Penkovë.... , Vlorë Vlorë Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912... |
Economy
The city of Vlorë remains a major seaport and commercial centre, with a significant fishingFishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
sector. The county produces petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, bitumen and salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
.
Vlorë 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, oil and bitumen export industries. The county is mainly agricultural and pastoral, producing oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, cattle, sheep, skins, hides and butter. These commodities are exported.
Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
has become a major industry in recent years, with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches.