Korçë District (), was one of the 36 districts of Albania, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12 counties. It had a population of 143,499 in 2001, and an area of . Its capital was the city of Korçë. Its territory is now part of Korçë County: the municipalities of Korçë, Maliq and Pustec.

Korçë District was considered one of two main minority regions of the country's south.

During World War I the French created the Republic of Korça in the area.

Geography

It had an area of , making it the largest district in Albania. It was situated in the southeastern part of Albania, from lat. 40°27'N to lat. 40°57'N and from long. 21°4'E to 20°19'E.

It was bordered by Pogradec District to the north, by Greece with the Florina regional unit (Greek Macedonia) to the east, Devoll District to the southeast, by Kolonjë District and Përmet District to the southwest, and by Gramsh District and Skrapar District on the west.

History

19th century

Yuriy Venelin (1802–1839) a Russian scholar who specialised in Bulgarian studies noted that the Korçë District in 1833 (at which point its boundaries were quite different from the modern district, including all of Devoll and various other differences) had 50 villages with two thirds being Muslim and a third being Christian. while some Bulgarians living nearby.

20th century

In the 1908 statistics of Amadore Virgili as presented by Nicholas Cassavetes for the Pan-Epirotic Union of Northern Epirus showed the entire kaza of Korçë, which also included surrounding rural areas as well as the modern Devoll District as having a Muslim majority which was not differentiated by nationality alongside a Christian minority of which there were 43,800 Albanian speakers and 1,214 Aromanians (Vlachs), with no Greek speakers found, while Bulgarians were not counted for. For the same area, the 1913 statistics of Destani, which did not differentiate subjects by faith but only language, found 89829 Albanian speakers, 3190 Aromanian speakers, 3985 Bulgarian speakers, no Greek speakers and 527 "others". With regard to the Aromanian population, Lambros Psomas argues the study of Virgili likely undercounted the Aromanian speakers while the study of Destani is more reliable with regard to the Aromanians but he also argues the study of Destani was pro-Albanian in motive and drastically undercounted the number of Greek speakers in the Himara and Leskovik kazas, British historian Tom Winnifrith states that during the delineation of the Greek-Albanian border a part of the local pro-Greek element included communities whose native speech was Greek.

In 1919, US diplomat Joseph Emerson Haven on special detail in Albania wrote a detailed report regarding the political circumstances in the country. Haven also noted that in 1919 there was a degree of antipathy shown by both Muslims and Christians in the district toward Greece, and an ethnic affinity among Albanians that, at the time, came before religious affinity.

Demographics

Ethnicity

According to the 2011 Albanian census most of the population of the district of Korçë are ethnic Albanians, while a significant number of ethnic minorities such as Aromanians and Greeks also inhabit the district.

In 2002 it was reported that Greek-speakers were also present in the city of Korçë and in the area surrounding it. A Slavic minority most concentrated in the municipality of Pustec also exists, as does a scattered presence of Romani people.

Religion

The largest religions in the district of Korçë are Orthodox Christianity and Islam. The Muslims are mainly Albanians and are divided between Sunni, Bektashi and Halveti groups. The Orthodox Christians are mainly Ethnic Albanian Orthodox Christians, Orthodox Albanians, and Aromanians. Additionally, among the Christians, there is a presence of Protestants, dating back to the actions of Gjerasim Qiriazi. Finally, a presence of Catholics was detected in the 2011 census.

Economy

During the 20th century, Korçë gained a substantial industrial capacity in addition to its historic role as a commercial and agricultural centre. The plateau on which the city stands is highly fertile and is one of Albania's main wheat-growing areas. Local industries include the manufacture of knitwear, rugs, textiles, flour-milling, brewing, and sugar-refining. Deposits of lignite coal are mined in the mountains nearby such as Mborje-Drenovë. The city is home to the nationally famous Birra Korça.

Administrative divisions

The district consisted of the following municipalities:

  • Drenovë
  • Gorë
  • Korçë
  • Lekas
  • Libonik
  • Maliq
  • Moglicë
  • Mollaj
  • Pirg
  • Pojan
  • Pustec (Liqenas)
  • Qendër Bulgarec
  • Vithkuq
  • Voskop
  • Voskopojë
  • Vreshtaz

Other communities and settlements

  • Baban
  • Bickë
  • Boboshticë
  • Burim
  • Cerja
  • Dardhë
  • Diellas
  • Drenovë
  • Cangonj
  • Ekmeçi
  • Floq
  • Gollomboç
  • Goricë e Madhë
  • Goricë e Vogël
  • Kallamas
  • Kamenicë
  • Kapshticë
  • Kozeli
  • Kreshpanj
  • Lajthizë
  • Mançurisht
  • Pilur
  • Plasë
  • Progër
  • Pustec
  • Rakickë
  • Shtyllë
  • Sinicë
  • Voskopoja (Moscopole)
  • Vreshtas
  • Vranisht
  • Zaroshkë
  • Zëmblak
  • Zvezdë

Notable residents

  • Pellumb Kulla (born 1940), diplomat and author
  • Ibrahim Agha Father of Muhammad Ali Pasha
  • Mustafa Naili Pasha (1798-1871) Born in Pojan near Zëmblak, Ottoman statesmen who held the title of Grand Vizier twice.

References