Northern Albanian counties lose up to 25% of residents over past decade

Official INSTAT data show that Albania’s northern counties have experienced a sharp population decline between 2016 and 2026 due to accelerated emigration. Shkodra recorded the steepest drop, losing 25.58% of its residents (over 50,000 people). Kukësi fell by 24.78%, Lezha by 24.11%, and Dibër by 22.49%. Four major northern districts are losing population faster than the rest of the country, which saw an overall net decline of 14.23% (about 387,462 people). Other regions also faced reductions, with Fieri down 23.02% and Elbasan down 21.06%, while only the capital district, Tirana, recorded a modest 1.25% increase.