Albania is a country in southeastern Europe that lies along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, with a coastline spanning approximately 476 km (296 mi). Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, it is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. It is bounded by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east and Greece to the southeast and south.
Tourism in Albania has been a key element to the country's economic activity and is constantly developing. Albania is characterized by its rich archaeological and cultural heritage dating back to the classical period when Illyrians and Ancient Greeks inhabited the region. Over the course of history, the territory of Albania was occupied and populated by Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans. Notably the country features unspoiled beaches, mountainous landscapes, traditional cuisine, archaeological artifacts, unique traditions, low prices and the wild atmosphere of the countryside.
Dajti is a mountain located in central Albania, just east of the capital, Tirana. Part of the Skanderbeg Mountains range, it stretches from Shkalla e Tujanit in the northwest to Qafa e Priskës in the southeast, at a length of 8 km (5.0 mi) and a width of 5 km (3.1 mi). Its highest peak, Maja e Dajtit, reaches a height of 1,613 m (5,292 ft). Other peaks include Maja e Cem Rrumit 1,571 m (5,154 ft) and Maja e Tujanit 1,531 m (5,023 ft).
Librazhd District was one of the 36 districts of Albania, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12 newly created counties. It had a population of 72,520 in 2001, and an area of 1,102 km2 (425 sq mi). It was formed as an administrative unit in 1958. It is in the east of the country, and its capital and administrative center was the town of Librazhd. The area of the former district includes most of the regions of the ethnographic region. Its territory is now part of Elbasan County: the municipalities of Librazhd and Prrenjas.
Tirana County, officially the County of Tirana, is a county in the Central Region of Albania. It is the tenth largest by area and the most populous of the twelve counties, with more than 912,000 people within an area of 1,652 km2 (638 sq mi). The county borders on the Adriatic Sea to the west, the counties of Durrës to the northwest, Dibër to the northeast, Elbasan to the east and Fier to the southwest. It is divided into five municipalities, Tirana, Kamëz, Kavajë, Rrogozhinë and Vorë, with all of whom incorporate twenty-nine administrative units.
The Shkumbin, also known as Shkembi, is a river in Southern Europe. It is 181.4 km (112.7 mi) long and its drainage basin is 2,444 km2 (944 sq mi). Its average discharge is 61.5 m3/s (2,170 cu ft/s).
Deshat is a massif situated in the Korab mountain range, on the border between Albania and North Macedonia. Positioned at the southeastern tip of the range, it is bounded by the Dibër basin to the south, Banja stream valley to the north, Black Drin valley to the west, and Radikë valley to the east.
Jablanica is a mountain range stretching between the state borders of Albania and North Macedonia. The larger section of the range is located within Albania, where it forms part of the Shebenik National Park, bounded by the municipalities of Librazhd to the southeast and Dibër to the northwest. On the North Macedonia side, it lies within the limits of Struga municipality.
The Accursed Mountains, also known as the Albanian Alps, is a mountain range in coastal Southeast Europe adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. It is the southernmost subrange of the 1,000-kilometre-long (621 mi) Dinaric Alps range (Dinarides), extending from northern Albania to western Kosovo and northeastern Montenegro. Maja Jezercë, standing at 2,694 m (8,839 ft), is the highest point of the Accursed Mountains and of all Dinaric Alps, and the fifth highest peak in Albania. The range includes the mountain Zla Kolata, which, at 2,534 m (8,314 ft), is the tallest mountain in Montenegro. The range also includes the mountain Gjeravica, which, at 2,656 m (8,714 ft), is the second tallest mountain in Kosovo. One of the southernmost glacial masses in Europe was discovered in the Albanian part of the range in 2009.
Gramos is a mountain chain situated on the border of Albania and Greece. Part of the larger northern Pindus mountain range, its highest peak, Maja e Çukapeçit, rises at an elevation of 2,523 m (8,278 ft).
Shkëlzen is a mountain situated in the Albanian Alps, bounded by the Tropojë river valley to the northeast, the Gashi river valley to the southwest, and the Tropojë basin to the southeast. It is the higher of the two peaks, Maja e Shkëlzenit, reaching a height of 2,405 m (7,890 ft).
Valamara is a massif located in eastern Albania. Converging on the borders between Korçë, Gramsh, and Pogradec municipalities, it rises at a height of 2,373 m (7,785 ft). The northern boundary is marked by Guri i Topit 2,125 m (6,972 ft) and the southern limit by Lenie.
Guri i Topit is a mountain located on the border between the municipalities of Gramsh and Pogradec, in eastern Albania. Standing at a height of 2,125 m (6,972 ft), it is bordered by Valamara in the south and Guri i Zi in the northwest.
Shebenik National Park is a national park in eastern Albania adjacent to the border with North Macedonia. It encompasses 34,507.9 hectares (345.079 km2) and is specifically marked by a mountainous landscape supplied with glacial lakes, valleys, dense coniferous and deciduous forests and alpine meadows and pastures. Elevations in the park vary from 300 metres to over 2,200 metres above the Adriatic at the peak of Shebenik and Jabllanica, hence the name. It dwells a number of endangered species that are fast becoming rare in Southern Europe, including the brown bear, gray wolf and Balkan lynx. The abundance in wildlife can in part be explained by the variety of vegetation types and remote location.
The Valbona Valley is in the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. It is part of Alps of Albania National Park, one of the most impressive and notable topographic features of Albania. Being the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, it forms a section of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, which extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Himalaya Mountains. The mountains are characterized by limestone and dolomite rocks and shows major karst features. Maja Jezercë sprawls to the west of the valley and is the highest mountain of the Dinaric Alps, with an altitude of 2,694 m (8,839 ft). The Valbona River originate from several karst springs along the south of Maja Jezercë and the east of Valbona Pass. It is the largest river within the Albanian Alps and drains the entire eastern portion of the range. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park. During the Würm period, the glacier of Valbona reached a total length of 9.5 kilometres. Nowadays, there are two very small active glaciers close to the northeastern edge of Maja Jezercë.
The Central Mountain Region is a physiogeographical region encompassing the central and eastern edge of Albania. It comprises the mountainous inland extending all the way from the valley of Drin and the mountains of Sharr, Skanderbeg, Korab, and Shebenik-Jabllanicë, through the lakes of Ohrid and Prespa, until it reaches the village of Ersekë and the mountains of Pindus close to the border between the country and Greece.
Lunxhëri is a mountain located in Gjirokastër municipality, in southern Albania. It forms part of the Shëndelli-Lunxhëri-Bureto mountain range, extending approximately 25 km (16 mi) from Gryka e Këlcyrës to Gryka e Selckës, in a general northwest-southeast orientation. Its highest peak, Maja e Spilesë (Lalucit), reaches a height of 2,155 m (7,070 ft).
Kollata is a massif in the Albanian Alps, located between Kukaj stream and Valbonë pass in the west, the upper Valbonë Valley in the south, Cerem basin in the east and extending beyond the state border with Montenegro to the north. Its highest peak, Maja e Kollatës, reaches a height of 2,553 m (8,376 ft). On the Montenegrin side rise two smaller peaks that overlap into the Albanian territory, Zla Kolata 2,535 m (8,317 ft) and Dobra Kolata 2,525 m (8,284 ft).
Nemërçka is a mountain chain situated along the boundary between Gjirokastër and Përmet municipalities, in southern Albania and northern Greece. Part of the Trebeshinë-Dhëmbel-Nemërçkë mountain range, its highest peak, Maja e Papingut, reaches a height of 2,482 m (8,143 ft), making it the highest peak in the Southern Mountain Region. Other notable peaks include Maja e Gatakut 2,269 m (7,444 ft), Maja e Qesarit 2,253 m (7,392 ft), Maja e Poliçanit 2,138 m (7,014 ft), etc.
Polisi is a massif located in the municipality of Librazhd, in eastern Albania. Its highest peak, Maja e Polisit, reaches a height of 1,974 m (6,476 ft). The other important peak of the massif is Mali Plak, standing at 1,943 m (6,375 ft) above sea level.
Albania