Albania's depopulation! 70% of municipalities with negative natural increase

43 municipalities, out of a total of 61, had negative natural increase in 2023, as more people died in each of them than were born, INSTAT reported.

The number of municipalities in this group has expanded further in 2024 due to the decline in births nationally, but there is still no detailed data.

Most municipalities in the South of the country have negative natural increases because the aging population is producing more mortality.

According to INSTAT data, Korça records the deepest decline, with -394 inhabitants, followed by Vlora -182, Shkodra -152 and Kuçova -146. The reasons are related to the aging population, high emigration and the decrease in birth rate, especially in the urban centers of the south and north of the country that once had strong industrial bases.

Municipalities such as Fier -128, Lushnja -124, Maliqi -101, Pogradec -85 and Gjirokastra -74, which were once densely populated areas, also recorded continuous declines.

On the other hand, some small municipalities such as Klosi (+4), Divjaka (+9), Saranda (+22) or Bulqiza (+47) showed stability or slight growth, reflecting the impact of tourism and traditional norms.

On the other hand, Tirana stands at the top with a positive natural increase of 2,880 inhabitants in 2023, being the only municipality with significant demographic growth.

This indicates the concentration of births and internal migration towards the capital, which remains the epicenter of the economy, education, and employment in the country.

Following it are Kamza with a natural increase of +640, Durrës +386, Kruja +231 and Kukës +221, which mark moderate growth also due to the preservation of the tradition of large families.

The natural population growth rate in Albania remains deeply negative in most of the territory. The growth of Tirana and several surrounding municipalities is occurring in parallel with the depopulation of the rest of the country, signaling an increasing concentration of human and economic resources in a few urban centers.

In 10 municipalities, 7 of them have a shrinking population due to aging and low fertility. The main cause is the emigration of young people, which removes the reproductive age group from rural areas and small towns.

On the other hand, the aging of the population increases the number of deaths and decreases the birth rate. Economic conditions and the lack of services, which encourage couples to have fewer children or to move towards Tirana and some large cities.

In the long term, this process brings serious consequences, such as school closures, labor shortages, a decline in local consumption, and difficulties in providing public services./ Monitor