Emigration "devours" men in Albania, they decrease at twice the rate of women

The population of Albania has started to accelerate the rate of decline in recent years, but men are decreasing at a higher rate than women, refer to the comparable data of recent years from INSTAT.

As of January 1, 2023, there were officially 71.6 thousand men less than in 2018, with a 5% decrease. In the same period, we had 36.8 thousand fewer women, with a decrease of 2.6%.

Albania has a gender ratio in the east that favors men. On average, 105 boys are born per 100 girls in a year, but the higher emigration of men and lower life expectancy than women is reducing men, the data points out.

According to the districts, the largest decrease in the male population from 2018 to 2022 was in the District of Gjirokastra with 18% from 5%, which is the national average, while Berati ranks second with a 15% decrease.

Dibra with -12%, Elbasan with -11, Fieri with -10%, Korça with -12% also had a double-digit decline in the male population, while only Tirana recorded an increase in the number of men with 4% during 2018-2023.

On the other hand, the female population recorded a strong decrease in the counties of Gjirokastra, Berat and Dibra, respectively -12, -10% and -11%.

In the counties, the male population is declining more strongly due to internal and external emigration and lower life expectancy than in Tirana.

There is still a tendency to move from the districts to Tirana, while the departure abroad has continued at a high rate in recent years.

Most of the country's counties, 9 out of 12 in total, are suffering population decline from internal emigration, in addition to emigration and declining births. INSTAT reported that in 2022 migration within Albania has a significant impact on the population of administrative units.

In 2022, at the county level, only Tirana, Durres and Vlora had a positive net internal migration (more arrivals than departures). According to official INSTAT data, all other counties (Berati, Dibra, Elbasani, Fieri, Gjirokastra, Korça, Kukësi, Lezha, Shkodra,) had negative net internal migration during 2022.

The country's population has been on a downward trend for three decades, but the working-age population (15-64 years) is shrinking at a faster rate.

According to INSTAT data, on January 1, 2023, the country's general population decreased by 1.1% compared to 2022, while the working-age population decreased by 1.8%.

The working-age population was reduced by about 101 thousand people compared to 2019, before the pandemic. Currently, the working age population is 1,864,062 people from 1,974,207 in 2019, or 101 thousand less./ MONITOR