Elbasan County
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Elbasan County (Albanian: Qarku i Elbasanit) is one of the 12 counties of Albania. The population is 232,580 (as of 2023), in an area of 3199 km2. Its capital is the city Elbasan.
Administrative divisions
Until 2000, Elbasan County was subdivided into four districts: Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, and Peqin. Since the 2015 local government reform, the county consists of the following 7 municipalities: Belsh, Cërrik, Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin and Prrenjas. Before 2015, it consisted of the following 50 municipalities:
- Belsh
- Bradashesh
- Cërrik
- Elbasan
- Fierzë
- Funarë
- Gjergjan
- Gjinar
- Gjoçaj
- Gostimë
- Gracen
- Gramsh
- Grekan
- Hotolisht
- Kajan
- Karinë
- Klos
- Kodovjat
- Kukur
- Kushovë
- Labinot-Fushë
- Labinot-Mal
- Lenie
- Librazhd
- Lunik
- Mollas
- Orenjë
- Pajovë
- Papër
- Peqin
- Përparim
- Pishaj
- Polis
- Poroçan
- Prrenjas
- Qendër Librazhd
- Qukës
- Rrajcë
- Rrasë
- Shalës
- Shezë
- Shirgjan
- Shushicë
- Skënderbegas
- Steblevë
- Stravaj
- Sult
- Tregan
- Tunjë
- Zavalinë
The municipalities consist of about 385 towns and villages in total. See Villages of Elbasan County for a structured list.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 130,000 | — |
| 1960 | 160,849 | +23.7% |
| 1969 | 206,842 | +28.6% |
| 1979 | 281,769 | +36.2% |
| 1989 | 357,497 | +26.9% |
| 2001 | 362,736 | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 295,827 | −18.4% |
| 2023 | 232,580 | −21.4% |
| Source: |
Elbasan County has 232,580 inhabitants as of 2023. The county is 89.9% Albanian, 1.86% Roma and Balkan Egyptian, 0.23% of a South Slavic ethnicity (mainly Bulgarian, but lesser numbers of Serbs, Macedonians, and Bosniaks), 0.06% Aromanians, 0.06% Greeks, and the rest unidentified or of mixed ethnicities.
Religion
Between the 2011 and 2023 censuses in Elbasan, there were notable shifts in religious affiliation. The Sunni Muslim population decreased significantly from 64.4% to 52.9%, while Bektashi Muslims rose from 0.5% to 1.4%. The Catholic Christian population slightly declined from 1.0% to 0.7%, and Orthodox Christians remained stable at 5.2%. Evangelical Christians experienced a modest rise, from 0.1% to 0.3%.
There was a substantial increase in the irreligious population: atheists rose from 3.3% to 4.4%, and those identifying as believers without denomination grew significantly from 10.2% to 17.5%. Meanwhile, the "Not stated/other" category also saw an increase, rising from 15.3% to 17.5%.
| Religion group | Census 2011 | Census 2023 (Revised Source) | Difference (2023−2011) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
| Sunni Muslim | 190,550 | 64.4% | 123,133 | 52.9% | -67,417 | -11.5% |
| Bektashi Muslim | 1,515 | 0.5% | 3,186 | 1.4% | +1,671 | +0.9% |
| Total Muslim | 192,065 | 64.9% | 126,319 | 54.3% | -65,746 | -10.6% |
| Catholic Christian | 3,054 | 1.0% | 1,617 | 0.7% | -1,437 | -0.3% |
| Orthodox Christian | 15,295 | 5.2% | 12,140 | 5.2% | -3,155 | +0.0% |
| Evangelical | 147 | 0.1% | 679 | 0.3% | +532 | +0.2% |
| Total Christian* | 18,591 | 6.3% | 14,624 | 6.3% | -3,967 | +0.0% |
| Atheists | 9,679 | 3.3% | 10,167 | 4.4% | +488 | +1.1% |
| Believers without denomination | 30,161 | 10.2% | 40,747 | 17.5% | +10,586 | +7.3% |
| Total Non-religious | 39,840 | 13.5% | 50,914 | 21.9% | +11,074 | +8.4% |
| Not stated / other** | 45,331 | 15.3% | 40,723 | 17.5% | -4,608 | +2.2% |
| TOTAL | 295,827 | 100% | 232,580 | 100% | -63,247 | – |