Albania Cities by Population 2024

In terms of population, Albania is one of the smaller countries in Europe, with just three million residents as of 2016. Its capital and largest city is Tirana, which was founded as a city in 1614, but the area around Tirana has been continuously inhabited since as long ago as the Bronze Age. Tirana is known as a primate city, as it is disproportionately larger than any other cities in Albania – its population of around half a million people (which increases to over 850,000 if the surrounding metropolitan area is included) is significantly larger than any other city in the country. Given these numbers, Tirana is the cultural, educational and economic hub of Albania.

Only four other cities in the country have populations of more than 100,000. These are Durrës, Vlorë, Elbasan and Shkodër. Although these are the largest cities in Albania after Tirana, their populations are relatively small – Durrës is the largest with around 200,000 residents. However, while Albania's cities may be small, there is still plenty to see and so. Albania's political history is visible in the Ottoman, Fascist, and Soviet-era architecture that still dominates its capital city, and the country also benefits from being one of the sunniest countries in Europe, ranking just below Nice and Monaco in 2016 with 2544 hours of sunshine.