The population of Albania is shrinking for the fifth year in a row, in 2021 42 thousand people left

Population aging, high emigration rates and the effects of Covid-19 on population health have led to a decline in population in 2021.

INSTAT reported that the population of Albania on January 1, 2022 is 2,793,592 inhabitants, experiencing a decrease of 1.3%, compared to January 1, 2021. This is the fifth consecutive year with a contraction in the number of inhabitants.

During 2021 the natural increase of the population (birth-death) was -3,296 inhabitants, marking for the first time a negative natural increase.

During 2021, a significant increase in emigration was observed, while the number of returnees remains low.

INSTAT reported that the number of immigrants in 2021 was 9,195 persons and the number of emigrants was 42,048 persons. The number of departures, according to INSTAT graphs, was the highest since 2019 and 2014.

Net migration (the difference between immigrants and emigrants) increased in absolute value, compared to a year ago: from -16,684 to -32,853 inhabitants in 2021.

The average age of the population was also increasing.

According to INSTAT, On January 1, 2022, the median age of the population is 38.2 years, up from 37.6 on January 1, 2021.

On January 1, 2022, the youth dependency ratio (the ratio of the population 0-14 years old to the population 15-64 years old) decreased compared to January 1, 2021: from 24.2% to 24.0%, while the ratio of elderly (ratio of population 65+ to population 15-64 years old) increased: from 22.3% to 23.1% over the same period.

The gender ratio of the total population on January 1, 2022 has decreased compared to January 1, 2021: from 99.3 to 98.6 males per 100 females.

The gender ratio at birth increased, reaching 107.5 in 2021, from 106.6 in 2020.

During 2021, 27,284 babies were born, a decrease of 2.8%, compared to the previous year. The number of deaths in 2021 was 30,580 people, having an increase of 10.8%, compared to a year ago. Deaths increased significantly due to the health consequences of Covid-19 (Monitor note).

In 2021 the number of immigrants was 42,048 people and the number of immigrants was 9,195 people.

Tirana, Durres and Fieri have the highest weight in the total population.

Më 1 janar 2022 Tirana zë rreth 32,9 % të popullsisë gjithsej, duke vazhduar të jetë një nga qarqet më të populluara të vendit, ndjekur nga Durrësi dhe Fieri me nga 10,4 % dhe 10,0 % përkatësisht.

Sa i përket qarqeve të tjerë, pesë prej tyre zënë respektivisht nga 2 % deri 5 % të popullsisë gjithsej.

Më 1 janar 2022 popullsia u rrit vetëm në një qark të vendit

Përllogaritjet e popullsisë më 1 janar 2022 tregojnë se vetëm një qark i vendit shënojë rritje të popullsisë, krahasuar me një vit më parë, ndërsa njëmbëdhjetë qarqet e tjerë shënuan rënie të popullsisë. Rritja u shënua në Tiranë (+ 0,8 %).

Në të kundërt, uljet më të mëdha të popullsisë u shënuan në qarqet: Gjirokastër (- 4,7 %), Berat (- 3,7 %) dhe Dibër (- 3,6 %).

The region with the highest youth dependency ratio is Kukes (33.5%), which also results as the region with the highest elderly dependency ratio (26.2%), followed by the Lezha region me (26.1%). Monitor