Dibër, Albania

Dibër
Municipality

View of Grama Lake
Dibër
Coordinates: 41°41′28″N 20°27′46″E / 41.69111°N 20.46278°E / 41.69111; 20.46278Coordinates: 41°41′28″N 20°27′46″E / 41.69111°N 20.46278°E / 41.69111; 20.46278
Country Albania Albania
County Dibër
Government
 • Mayor Muharrem Rama (SP)
Area
 • Municipality 937.88 km2 (362.12 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Municipality 61,619
 • Municipality density 66/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal Code 8301
Area Code (0)218
Vehicle registration AL

Dibër is a municipality in Dibër County, northeastern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Arras, Fushë-Çidhën, Kala e Dodës, Kastriot, Lurë, Luzni, Maqellarë, Melan, Muhurr, Peshkopi, Selishtë, Sllovë, Tomin, Zall-Dardhë and Zall-Reç. The seat of the municipality is the town Peshkopi.[1] The total population is 61,619 (2011 census), in a total area of 937.88 km2.[2] It is coterminous with the former Dibër District.[3]

Geography

Mount Grama (2345 m) and Lake Grama in the Korab range

The area is located on the middle stretches of the Drin river, on the border with Macedonia. The eastern and western borders are formed by mountain ranges, with the broad river valley of the Drin running from south to north between them. On the eastern side, the valley floor rises gradually for some time, then suddenly rises steeply to high mountains. On this terrace-like area at the base of the mountains there are many settlements, including the municipal capital, Peshkopi. The Korab mountains, which form the border with Macedonia, include Mount Korab, which is the tallest mountain in Albania and Macedonia, at 2764 metres.

The very rugged mountainous area to the west includes the Lurë National Park.

Demographics

Despite the municipality's proximity to Macedonia, Dibër's ethnic make-up is relatively homogenous, but there is a small Macedonian minority living in the villages around Maqellarë. Unlike the Macedonians who live around Lake Prespa, Macedonians in Dibër have no linguistic rights and no autonomous subdivisions. There has been an active campaign to change this situation for almost ten years.

Almost 90 percent of the population are Muslim, while the Macedonian minoirty is Orthodox. The Khalwati order has a khanqah in the village of Herbel, while Allajbegi's Mosque in Maqellarë is a recognised cultural monument.

Albanians and Macedonians in the area often have relatives in Macedonia, so there is a lot of interaction across the national border. Like all the rural municipalities of Albania, Dibër is heavily effected by emigration.

References

  1. ↑ Law nr. 115/2014
  2. ↑ Interactive map administrative territorial reform
  3. ↑ 2011 Population Census

See also

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/24/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.