Kamza is the most urbanized municipality in Albania, with 99% of its population living in settlements classified as urban, while Tirana ranks second at 93.2% and Durrës third at 84.5%.

At the other end of the scale, a large number of municipalities have no urban core that meets the international classification criteria of around 5,000 residents.

The ranking is based on the Final Report on Administrative-Territorial Reform 2.0, which uses the DEGURBA methodology and data from the 2023 Census to measure the actual settlement structure in each municipality.

After Kamza, Tirana and Durrës, the highest urbanization rates are recorded in Vlorë, at 81%; Sarandë, at 78.6%; Gjirokastër, at 76.4%; Korçë, at 76.1%; and Shkodër, at 74.2%.

Berat, Kuçovë and Elbasan also have more than 70% of their populations living in urban settlements, while Vorë reaches 64%, Shijak 62.6% and Pogradec 59.1%.

The picture changes significantly across the rest of the country. A large group of municipalities has very low or zero urbanization rates.

They include Himarë, Përmet, Tepelenë, Delvinë, Konispol, Selenicë, Divjakë, Mirditë, Pukë, Fushë-Arrëz, Tropojë and Has, as their administrative centers do not have a core population of 5,000 residents. The report explains that a zero rate does not mean the municipality lacks an administrative center or settlements traditionally recognized as towns.

Himarë is the most illustrative case. Despite its strong tourism and coastal profile, its settlements do not form a connected cluster of more than 5,000 residents under the methodology’s threshold, resulting in an urbanization rate of 0%.

The data highlight Albania’s strong territorial polarization: on one side is the capital, the metropolitan corridor and several consolidated regional centers; on the other is a considerable number of municipalities that function as territories with many small, scattered settlements and no dominant urban core.

The report estimates that only 6 municipalities are classified primarily as “cities,” 13 as “towns and suburbs,” while 42 municipalities—around two-thirds of the local government system—have a predominantly rural character.

This division also has a direct impact on the organization of public services. In municipalities with dispersed populations, distances, infrastructure and fixed costs make service delivery per resident more expensive, while more urbanized centers face greater pressure on transport, housing and infrastructure. /Monitor.al/

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