Prehistory in the
county of Korçë Mesolithic habitation in Albania has been evidenced in several open-air sites which were close to the Adriatic coastline and in caves. Mesolithic objects found in a cave near Xarrë include
flint and
jasper objects along with fossilised animal bones, while those discoveries at Mount Dajt comprise bone and stone tools similar to those of the
Aurignacian culture. The
Neolithic era in Albania began around 7000 BC and is evidenced in finds which indicate domestication of sheep and goats and small-scale agriculture. A part of the Neolithic population may have been the same as the Mesolithic population of the southern Balkans, like in the
Konispol cave, where the Mesolithic stratum co-exists with Pre-Pottery Neolithic finds.
Cardium pottery culture appears in coastal Albania and across the Adriatic after 6500 BC, while the settlements of the interior took part in the processes that formed the
Starčevo culture. The Albanian
bitumen mines of
Selenicë provide early evidence of bitumen exploitation in Europe, dating to Late Neolithic Albania (from 5000 BC), when local communities used it as pigment for ceramic decoration,
waterproofing, and
adhesive for repairing broken vessels. The bitumen of Selenicë circulated towards eastern Albania from the early 5th millennium BC. First evidence of its overseas trade export comes from the Neolithic and Bronze Age southern
Italy. The high-quality bitumen of Selenicë has been exploited throughout all the historical ages since the Late Neolithic era until today. The
Indo-Europeanisation of Albania in the context of the IE-isation of the western Balkans began after 2800 BC. The presence of the Early Bronze Age
tumuli in the vicinity of later
Apollonia dates to 2679±174 calBC (2852–2505 calBC). These burial mounds belong to the southern expression of the Adriatic-Ljubljana culture (related to the later
Cetina culture), which moved southwards along the Adriatic from the northern Balkans. The same community built similar mounds in Montenegro (Rakića Kuće) and northern Albania (Shtoj). The first
archaeogenetic find related to the IE-isation of Albania involves a man with predominantly
Yamnaya ancestry buried in a tumulus of northeastern Albania, which dates to 2663–2472 calBC. During the Middle Bronze Age, Cetina culture sites and finds appear in Albania. Cetina culture moved southwards across the Adriatic from the
Cetina valley of
Dalmatia. In Albania, Cetina finds are concentrated around southern
Lake Shkodër and appear typically in tumulus cemeteries, such as in Shkrel and Shtoj, and hillforts like Gajtan (Shkodër), as well as cave sites like Blaz, Nezir, and Keputa (central Albania) and lake basin sites like Sovjan (southeastern Albania).
Antiquity was the capital of the
Illyrian kingdom of
Ardiaei and
Labeatae. The incorporated territory of Albania was historically inhabited by
Indo-European peoples, amongst them numerous
Illyrian and
Epirote tribes. There were also several
Greek colonies. The territory referred to as
Illyria corresponded roughly to the area east of the
Adriatic Sea in the
Mediterranean Sea, extending in the south to the mouth of the
Vjosë. The first account of the Illyrian groups comes from the
Periplus of the Euxine Sea, a Greek text written in the 4th century BC. Other colonies, such as
Apollonia and
Epidamnos, were established by Greek city-states on the coast by the 7th century BC. was an important
Greek colony on the
Illyrian coast along the
Adriatic Sea and one of the western points of the
Via Egnatia route, which connected Rome and
Constantinople. The Illyrian
Taulanti were a powerful Illyrian tribe among the earliest recorded tribes in the area. They lived in an area that corresponds with much of present-day Albania. Together with the Dardanian ruler
Cleitus,
Glaucias, the ruler of the Taulantian kingdom, fought against
Alexander the Great at the
Battle of Pelium in 335 BC. As time passed, the ruler of Ancient Macedonia,
Cassander of Macedon, captured Apollonia and crossed the river
Genusus () in 314 BC. A few years later, Glaucias laid siege to Apollonia and captured the Greek colony of
Epidamnos. The Illyrian
Ardiaei tribe, centred in Montenegro, ruled over most of the territory of northern Albania. Their
Ardiaean Kingdom reached its greatest extent under
King Agron, the son of
Pleuratus II. Agron extended his rule over other neighbouring tribes as well. Following Agron's death in 230 BC, his wife,
Teuta, inherited the Ardiaean kingdom. Teuta's forces extended their operations further southwards to the Ionian Sea. In 229 BC, Rome declared war on the kingdom for extensively plundering Roman ships. The war ended in an Illyrian defeat in 227 BC. Teuta was eventually succeeded by
Gentius in 181 BC. Gentius clashed with the Romans in 168 BC, initiating the
Third Illyrian War. The conflict resulted in the Roman conquest of the region by 167 BC. The Romans split the region into three administrative divisions.
Middle Ages was the capital of the
Principality of Arbanon in the Middle Ages. The
Roman Empire was split in 395 upon the death of
Theodosius I into an
Eastern and
Western Roman Empire, in part because of the increasing pressure from threats during the
Barbarian Invasions. From the 6th century into the 7th century, the
Slavs crossed the
Danube and largely absorbed the indigenous Greeks, Illyrians, and Thracians in the
Balkans; thus, the Illyrians were mentioned for the last time in historical records in the 7th century. In the 11th century, the
Great Schism formalised the break of communion between the
Eastern Orthodox and
Western Catholic Church, which is reflected in Albania through the emergence of a Catholic north and Orthodox south. The Albanian people inhabited the west of
Lake Ochrida and the upper valley of the
River Shkumbin and established the
Principality of Arbanon in 1190 under the leadership of
Progon of Kruja. The realm was succeeded by his sons
Gjin Progoni and
Demetrio Progoni. Upon the death of Dhimiter, the territory came under the rule of the Albanian-Greek
Gregorios Kamonas and subsequently under the
Golem of Kruja. In the 13th century, the principality was dissolved. Arbanon is considered to be the first sketch of an Albanian state, which retained a
semi-autonomous status as the western extremity of the
Byzantine Empire, under the Byzantine
Doukai of
Epirus or
Laskarids of
Nicaea. commemorating the
siege of Shkodra. It illustrates
Sultan Mehmet II laying siege to the Albanian town of Scutari, then part of the
Venetian Empire. Towards the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries,
Serbs and
Venetians began to take possession of the territory. The
ethnogenesis of the Albanians is uncertain; however, the first undisputed mention of Albanians dates back in historical records from 1079 or 1080 in a work by
Michael Attaleiates, who referred to the
Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against
Constantinople. At this point, the Albanians were fully Christianised. After the dissolution of Arbanon,
Charles I of Anjou concluded an agreement with the Albanian rulers, promising to protect them and their ancient liberties. In 1272, he established the
Kingdom of Albania and conquered regions back from the
Despotate of Epirus. The kingdom claimed all of central Albania territory from
Dyrrhachium along the Adriatic Sea coast down to
Butrint. A Catholic political structure was a basis for the papal plans of spreading
Catholicism in the Balkan Peninsula. This plan also found the support of
Helen of Anjou. Around 30 Catholic churches and monasteries were built during her rule, mainly in northern Albania. Internal power struggles within the Byzantine Empire in the 14th century enabled Serbs' most powerful medieval ruler,
Stefan Dušan, to establish a
short-lived empire that included all of Albania except Durrës.
Ottoman Empire With the
fall of Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire entered an extended period of military conquest and expansion, with its borders gradually expanding deep into
Southeast Europe. In 1385, they reached the
Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, while in 1415, they established their garrisons across
Southern Albania, eventually occupying most of Albania in 1431. Thousands of Albanians consequently fled to Western Europe, particularly to
Calabria,
Naples,
Ragusa, and
Sicily, while numerous others sought protection at the often inaccessible
Mountains of Albania. The Ottoman conquest was also accompanied by the gradual process of
Islamisation and the rapid construction of mosques. A prosperous and longstanding revolution erupted after the formation of the
League of Lezhë until the
fall of Shkodër under the leadership of
Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, who consistently defeated major Ottoman armies led by
Sultans
Murad II and
Mehmed II. Skanderbeg managed to unite several of the Albanian principalities, amongst them the
Arianitis,
Dukagjinis,
Zaharias, and
Thopias, and establish a centralised authority over most of the non-conquered territories, becoming the
Lord of Albania. The Ottoman Empire's expansion ground to a halt during the time that Skanderbeg's forces resisted, and he has been credited with being one of the main reasons for the delay of Ottoman expansion into
Western Europe, giving the Italian principalities more time to better prepare for the
Ottoman arrival. However, the failure of most European nations, with the exception of Naples, to adequately support him, along with the failure of Pope Pius II's plans to organise a promised crusade against the Ottomans, signified that none of Skanderbeg's victories permanently hindered the Ottomans from invading the Western Balkans. Despite his competence as a military leader, Skanderbeg's victories over the
Ottoman Empire's military had only a short-term impact, as his forces were unable to halt the Ottomans' advancement permanently; therefore, they successfully delayed the final conquest of Albanian lands only temporarily. The constant Ottoman invasions caused enormous destruction to Albania, greatly reducing the population and destroying flocks of livestock and crops. Besides surrender, there was no possible way Skanderbeg would be able to halt the Ottoman invasions despite his military forces achieving several consecutive victories against them. Among other factors, his manpower and resources were insufficient for a prolonged war, preventing him from expanding the war efforts and driving the Turks from the Albanian borders. Albania was therefore doomed to face an unending series of Ottoman attacks until it eventually fell years after his death. When the Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organised into four principal
sanjaks. The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing persecution in Spain. The city of
Vlorë saw passing through its ports imported merchandise from Europe, such as velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices, and leather from
Bursa and
Constantinople. Some citizens of Vlorë even had business associates throughout Europe. Since the Albanian-inhabited regions were considered strategically important, Albanians made up a significant proportion of the Ottoman Empire's military and bureaucracy. Consequently, many Muslim Albanians attained important political and military positions, while their work made a significant cultural contribution to the broader
Muslim world. Enjoying this privileged position, they held various high administrative positions, which, among others, included over two dozen Albanians serving as
Grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, other distinguished Albanians included members of the prominent
Köprülü family,
Zagan Pasha,
Muhammad Ali of Egypt, and
Ali Pasha of Tepelena. Furthermore, two Ottoman sultans,
Bayezid II and
Mehmed III, were born to mothers of Albanian ethnic backgrounds.
Rilindja The
Albanian Renaissance was a period with its roots in the late 18th century and continuing into the 19th century, during which the Albanian people gathered spiritual and intellectual strength for an independent cultural and political life within an
independent nation. Modern
Albanian culture flourished too, especially
Albanian literature and
arts, and was frequently linked to the influences of the
Romanticism and
Enlightenment principles. Prior to the
rise of nationalism, Ottoman authorities suppressed any expression of national unity or conscience by the Albanian people. The victory of Russia over the Ottoman Empire following the
Russian-Ottoman Wars resulted the execution of the
Treaty of San Stefano which assigned Albanian-populated lands to their Slavic and Greek neighbours. However, the
United Kingdom and
Austro-Hungarian Empire consequently blocked the arrangement and caused the
Treaty of Berlin. From this point, Albanians started to organise themselves with the goal to protect and unite the Albanian-populated lands into a unitary nation, leading to the formation of the
League of Prizren. The league had initially the assistance of the Ottoman authorities whose position was based on the religious solidarity of Muslim people and landlords connected with the
Ottoman administration. They favoured and protected the Muslim solidarity and called for defence of Muslim lands simultaneously constituting the reason for titling the league
Committee of the Real Muslims. Approximately 300 Muslims participated in the assembly composed by delegates from Bosnia, the
administrator of the
Sanjak of Prizren as representatives of the central authorities and no delegates from
Vilayet of Scutari. Signed by only 47 Muslim deputies, the league issued the
Kararname that contained a proclamation that the people from northern Albania,
Epirus and
Bosnia and Herzegovina are willing to defend the
territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire by all possible means against the troops of
Bulgaria,
Serbia and
Montenegro. Ottomans authorities cancelled their assistance when the league, under
Abdyl Frashëri, became focused on working towards Albanian autonomy and requested merging four
vilayets, including
Kosovo,
Shkodër,
Monastir and
Ioannina, into a unified vilayet, the
Albanian Vilayet. The league used military force to prevent the annexing areas of
Plav and
Gusinje assigned to Montenegro. After several successful battles with Montenegrin troops, such as the
Battle of Novšiće, the league was forced to retreat from their contested regions. The league was later defeated by the Ottoman army sent by the sultan.
Independence is regarded as the
founding father of the modern Albanian nation. Albania
declared independence from the Ottoman Empire on 28 November 1912, accompanied by the establishment of the
Senate and
Government by the
Assembly of Vlorë on 4 December 1912. Its sovereignty was recognised by the
Conference of London. On 29 July 1913, the
Treaty of London delineated the borders of the country and its neighbors, leaving many Albanians outside Albania, predominantly
partitioned between
Montenegro,
Serbia, and
Greece. Headquartered in Vlorë, the
International Commission of Control was established on 15 October 1913 to take care of the administration of Albania until its own political institutions were in order. The
International Gendarmerie was established as the
Principality of Albania's first law enforcement agency. In November, the first gendarmerie members arrived in the country. Prince of Albania
Wilhelm of Wied (Princ Vilhelm Vidi) was selected as the first prince of the principality. On 7 March, he arrived in the provisional capital of
Durrës and began to organise his government, appointing
Turhan Pasha Përmeti to form the first Albanian cabinet. In November 1913, the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces had offered the throne of Albania to the Ottoman war minister of Albanian origin,
Ahmed Izzet Pasha. The pro-Ottoman peasants believed that the new regime was a tool of the six Christian
Great Powers and local landowners, who owned half of the arable land. In February 1914, the
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was proclaimed in
Gjirokastër by the local
Greek population against incorporation to Albania. This initiative was short-lived, and in 1921 the southern provinces were incorporated into the Albanian Principality. Meanwhile, the
revolt of Albanian peasants against the new regime erupted under the leadership of the group of Muslim clerics gathered around
Essad Pasha Toptani, who proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and Islam. To gain the support of the
Mirdita Catholic volunteers from northern Albania, Prince
Wied appointed their leader,
Prênk Bibë Doda, foreign minister of the Principality of Albania. In May and June 1914, the International Gendarmerie was joined by
Isa Boletini and his men, mostly from
Kosovo, and the rebels defeated northern
Mirdita Catholics, capturing most of Central Albania by the end of August 1914. Prince Wied's regime collapsed, and he left the country on 3 September 1914.
First Republic played a significant role in the 20th century, advocating for Albanian independence and cultural revival, while also serving as
Prime Minister in 1924 and later as the head of the
Albanian Orthodox Church. The
interwar period in Albania was marked by persistent economic and social difficulties, political instability and foreign interventions. After
World War I, Albania lacked an established government and internationally recognised borders, rendering it vulnerable to neighboring entities such as Greece, Italy, and Yugoslavia, all of which sought to expand their influence. Meanwhile, Italian influence continued to expand during this time, driven by economic interests and political ambitions.
Fan Noli, renowned for his
idealism, became prime minister in 1924, with a vision to institute a Western-style constitutional government, abolish feudalism, counter Italian influence, and enhance critical sectors, including infrastructure, education and healthcare. As
World War II progressed, Italy aimed to expand its territorial dominion in the Balkans, including territorial claims on regions of Greece (
Chameria), Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. These ambitions laid the foundation of
Greater Albania, which aimed to unite all areas with Albanian-majority populations into a single country. In 1943, as Italy's control declined,
Nazi Germany assumed control of Albania, subjecting Albanians to forced labour, economic exploitation and repression under
German rule. The tide shifted in 1944 when Albanian partisan forces, under the leadership of
Enver Hoxha and other communist leaders, successfully liberated Albania from German occupation.
Socialist Republic was the founding leader of communist Albania and its ruler for over four decades, implementing a regime marked by
authoritarianism and
isolationism. The establishment of the
People's Republic of Albania under the leadership of
Enver Hoxha was a significant epoch in modern Albanian history. Hoxha's regime embraced
Marxist–Leninist ideologies and implemented
authoritarian policies, including prohibition of religious practices, severe restrictions on travel, and abolition of private property rights. It was also defined by a persistent pattern of purges, extensive repression, instances of betrayal, and hostility to external influences. were constructed to prevent potential external invasions. By 1983, approximately 173,371 bunkers were scattered throughout its territory. Albania's diplomatic history under Hoxha was characterised by notable conflicts. Under this regime, citizens were forced to renounce their religious beliefs, adopt a secular way of life, and embrace socialist ideology. Considerable economic and financial resources were devoted to
pyramid schemes that were widely supported by the government. The schemes swept up somewhere between one sixth and one third of the population of the country. Despite the
International Monetary Fund's warnings,
Sali Berisha defended the schemes as large investment firms, leading more people to redirect their remittances and sell their homes and cattle for cash to deposit in the schemes. The schemes began to collapse in late 1996, leading many of the investors to join initially peaceful protests against the government, requesting their money back. The protests turned violent in February 1997 as government forces responded by firing on the demonstrators. In March, the Police and Republican Guard deserted, leaving their armories open. These were promptly emptied by militias and criminal gangs. The resulting
civil war caused a wave of evacuations of foreign nationals and refugees. The crisis led both
Aleksandër Meksi and
Sali Berisha to resign from office in the wake of the general election. In April 1997,
Operation Alba, a U.N. peacekeeping force led by Italy, entered Albania with two goals: to assist with the evacuation of expatriates and secure the ground for international organisations. The main international organisation involved was the
Western European Union's
multinational Albanian Police element, which worked with the government to restructure the
judicial system and simultaneously the Albanian police.
Contemporary was the strongest to hit Albania in more than four decades. After its
communist system disintegrated, Albania embarked on an active path towards
Westernisation with the ambition to obtain membership in the
European Union (EU) and the
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). A notable milestone was reached in 2009, when the country attained
membership in NATO, marking a pioneering achievement among the nations of
Southeast Europe. In adherence to its vision for further integration into the EU, it
formally applied for membership on 28 April 2009. Another milestone was reached on 24 June 2014, when the country was granted
official candidate status.
Edi Rama of the
Socialist Party won both the
2013 and
2017 parliamentary elections. As
prime minister, he implemented numerous reforms focused on
modernising the
economy, as well as democratising state institutions, including the
judiciary and
law enforcement. Unemployment has steadily declined, with Albania achieving the 4th-lowest
unemployment rate in the Balkans. Rama has also placed
gender equality at the centre of his agenda; since 2017 almost 50% of the ministers have been female, the largest number of women serving in the country's history. During the
2021 parliamentary elections, the ruling Socialist Party led by Rama secured its third consecutive victory, winning nearly half of votes and enough seats in parliament to govern alone. On 26 November 2019, a 6.4
magnitude earthquake ravaged Albania, with the
epicentre about southwest of the town of
Mamurras. The tremor was felt in
Tirana and in places as far away as
Taranto, Italy, and
Belgrade, Serbia, while the most affected areas were the coastal city of
Durrës and the village of
Kodër-Thumanë. Comprehensive response to the earthquake included substantial humanitarian aid from the
Albanian diaspora and various countries
around the world. On 9 March 2020,
COVID-19 was confirmed to have spread to Albania. From March to June 2020, the government declared a
state of emergency as a measure to limit the virus's spread. The country's COVID-19
vaccination campaign started on 11 January 2021, but as of 11 August 2021, the total number of vaccines administered in Albania was 1,280,239 doses. == Geography ==