From a purely ethnic point of view, Albania is a fairly homogeneous country. In fact, ethnic Albanians constitute the absolute majority of the population, about 98 % of the total of about 2.8 million people. Their distinguishing feature is, first and foremost, the Albanian language, an Indo-European language but of a branch isolated from the others (unlike Neo-Latin or Germanic languages, for example). The origins of the Albanian language are disputed, although it is believed to derive from Illyrian or Old Thracian.

A typical feature of Albanian is that it is divided into two main variants that have the same dignity (at least they used to), similar in this to Norwegian (whose two variants, Bokmål and Nynorsk, are co-official in Norway).

In the case of Albanian, we have Tosk (in the south) and Guego (in northern Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and parts of Montenegro). There are considerable differences between Tosk and Gheg, especially in phonetics, but also in morphology and syntax.

Forced adoption of the language

As mentioned in the previous article, the communist regime of Enver Hoxha (which lasted from 1944 to 1985), with its delirium of omnipotence and omnipresence in all aspects of Albanian life, applied a forced linguistic "standardization", in order to culturally standardize the country, and imposed the Tosk variant for the development of a "standard" Albanian language ("shqipja standarde"). It was also chosen because Hoxha was from Gjirokastra, in the south, an area where this variant is spoken, and the Communist Party had its historical and cultural bases in the south.

Obviously, the forced adoption of a language based on the variant of one part of the population penalized the other part and fueled divisions and tensions within the nation, also at the religious level (e.g., Orthodox Christians are concentrated in the south, Catholics in the north, etc.).

Tosk is also the variant spoken by the Albanians of Italy (called "arbëreshë" in arbërisht, the language of the Italo-Albanians), a community established in the south of the peninsula between the 15th and 18th centuries, after the Ottoman invasion of the Balkans. However, this language has archaic features that are no longer found in modern Albanian, as well as having been heavily influenced by Italian and southern Italian dialects. "Arbërisht" is recognized and protected in Italy as a minority language. Albanians also represent 92.9 % of the population of Kosovo (a state with limited recognition, claimed by Serbia as part of its territory), almost 9 % of the population of the Republic of Montenegro and 25 % of North Macedonia.

Ethnic minorities in Albania

The most important ethnic minority present in Albania are the Greeks, who represent about 2 % of the population. They are concentrated mainly in the south of the country, especially in the regions of Gjirokastra and Saranda, near the Greek border. They are a community with very ancient origins, dating back to the time of the Greek colonies on the Ionian coast. To this day, the Albanian Greeks enjoy a certain degree of cultural and linguistic autonomy, despite having been at the center of various tensions with Greece, especially during the years of the Hoxha regime, which suppressed all forms of cultural, linguistic and religious autonomy.

Other minorities are the Macedonians (Slavic-speaking, related to Bulgarian), about 0.2 % of the population, in the southeast of the country (near the border with North Macedonia); Armenians (who speak a neo-Latin language very similar to Romanian and are said to be descended from the Romance, i.e. Latinized, populations of the area), in the southern mountains (between a few thousand and 30 thousand individuals); Gypsies (between 10 and 100 thousand) who, as in other European countries, live in often precarious economic and social conditions.

The religion of the Albanians is "Albanianness".

There is a saying in Albania: "the religion of the Albanians is 'Albanianness'" ("Feja e shqiptarit është shqiptaria"). This is because the feeling of belonging to an ethnic, rather than religious, group is very strong in the country, and the culture of tolerance and peaceful coexistence between the different communities is also highly developed, although in the Ottoman era there was a progressive Islamization followed by the suppression of the right to religious practice under the communist regime, particularly from 1967, which imposed state atheism until 1991. After that date, religious practice resumed, but society remained essentially secular.

Islam

Islam is the most widespread religion in Albania, with about 58.8 % of the population confessing to being Muslim (according to the 2011 census, the latest official census available). The majority of Muslims are Sunni (about 56.7 % of Albanians), mostly in the center and south of the country.

There is also a Bektashi Shiite minority. The Bektashi are part of a Shiite Sufi current (or confraternity) and represent between 2 % and 5 % of the population, making them a small minority; however, their community (whose doctrine developed in the 13th century in Anatolia and then spread to the Balkans) has such important historical and cultural roots in Albania that several Albanian political leaders are or were Bektashi (including Enver Hoxha himself, who, however, instituted a system of at least 31 lagers, according to a 1991 Amnesty International report, intended for opponents and members of religious orders, i.e. Catholic and Orthodox priests, imams....).

The Bektashi community is a particular example of peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance, both fostered by its doctrine, and has played an important role in maintaining a balance between the country's different faiths. 

During the Ottoman domination, the Bektashis were linked to the janissaries, the elite troops of the Sublime Porte but, with the arrival of Atatürk, Bektashism was banned in Turkey (1925) and its members were forced to leave the country, finding refuge in Albania, with the support of the local monarch of the time, Zog I.

In fact, it was in Tirana that the world spiritual center bektashi (Tekke) was moved and, in the Balkan country, the Sufi brotherhood continued to promote values of openness and interreligious dialogue, finding fertile ground because Albania had never developed a national identity based on belonging to one faith and not another and dialogue between different religions was already a well-tested reality.

In September 2024, Prime Minister Edi Rama (a Catholic by baptism, but an avowed agnostic) proposed the creation of a bektashi micro-state in Tirana (a sort of The Vatican 27-acre, miniature, religious and residential facilities) in order to provide the community with an autonomous space to practice their faith and preserve their traditions. In the current government's intentions, this would also be a way to ensure a greater voice and visibility for a more tolerant view of Islam. However, the proposal has drawn various criticisms, both because Albania is not actually an Islamic country, because the Bektashis do not even represent the majority of Muslims, and because, finally, secularism is a founding element of the society and culture of the small Balkan nation.

Christianity

Albanian Christians represent about 16.9 % of the population, divided between Catholics (10 %) and Orthodox (6.8 %).

Catholics are especially concentrated in the northern regions. The Catholic tradition in Albania has deep roots dating back to the time when the country was part of the Roman Empire. The Albanian Catholic Church is distinguished, in the words of the Archbishop of Tirana, Msgr. Arjan DodajIt has been a martyred Church throughout its history, persecuted in Roman times, in the Ottoman era and, above all, under the communist regime. It is very present in the life of the country, in constant harmony with the other religious confessions, with which it maintains a dialogue and cooperation based on common initiatives in various fields.

The Orthodox, on the other hand, are mainly concentrated in the southern regions, around the border with Greece. The Orthodox Church also has a long tradition (dating back to Byzantine times) and is linked to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but was granted autocephaly (ecclesiastical autonomy) in 1937.

Cultural traditions

While less than 90 % of Albanians report having any religious affiliation, more than 10 % do not recognize themselves in any religion (it is one of the European countries with the highest percentage of atheists and agnostics). Many, therefore, describe themselves as primarily Albanian and then as adherents of a particular cult.

Among other things, a curiosity of this small country is the presence of an ancient code of customary laws, the Kanun (from the Arabic "qanun", law), transmitted orally for centuries but ordained in writing in the 15th century by Lekë Dukagjini, a 15th century leader and contemporary of Scanderbeg. The Kanun regulates various aspects of social and family life, addressing issues such as property rights, honor and revenge.

One of its key notions is the "besa", based on the word of honor and sacred hospitality, fundamental concepts in Albanian communities, especially rural ones. The Kanun also regulates blood revenge ("gjakmarrja"), giving precise rules on how and when to exercise it (if a clan member is killed, the family has the right and duty to take revenge, which often leads to long conflicts between rival clans, but the Kanun sets precise limits to the exercise of "gjakmarrja"), and protects the honor of women, who, however, have a subordinate role in traditional society.

In more recent years, the influence of the kanun has diminished, but it remains a fundamental part of Albanian cultural identity, especially in the northern mountainous regions, and common to all religious denominations.

"Communitas" in Albania

This could also be an example of "communitas," a concept that, according to anthropologist Victor Turner, represents a kind of "anti-structure," a condition in which individuals transcend religious divisions to form community ties through other elements. In the case of Albania, therefore, there are also cults, feasts and shrines shared by the different confessions. An example of this is St. George (think also of the importance of the name Scanderbeg, also George, or the fact that Muslims often identify St. George with Al-Khadr, the green prophet, who appears in Sura XVIII in aid of Moses, or also the Bektashi know him as Hidrellez, linked to spring and fertility). In fact, according to historian Frederick William Hasluck, there are "ambiguous shrines" that often symbolize a cultural and religious syncretism that transcends individual doctrines.

In conclusion, in a tiny territory like Albania, cultural and religious traditions of incredible richness coexist. That's why, as an Italian, I'm ashamed I haven't been there yet!

Two years ago I had the pleasure and honor of interviewing Msgr. Arjan DodajMetropolitan Archbishop of the Diocese of Tirana (Albania). It was a wonderful opportunity that allowed me to get to know the story of an exceptional man and to get a little closer to a country that is very important for us Italians.

In fact, in addition to our geographical proximity, we are linked to Albania by a series of events, not always happy ones, which have nevertheless strengthened our relations. Most Albanians, therefore, know Italian perfectly well and follow Italian television channels. More importantly, several Italian regions are home to ancient villages and towns founded by Albanian exiles who fled their country between the 15th and 18th centuries, following the Ottoman conquest of the Byzantine territories. This ethno-linguistic minority of about 100,000 individuals is well settled in southern Italy and preserves the ancient Albanian language and the Byzantine rite, to the extent that it does not belong to local dioceses, but has its own eparchies immediately subject to the Holy See.

However, a few kilometers from my hometown, Sant'Arcangelo, in Basilicata, there are several Albanian-speaking and Albanian-culture villages (such as San Costantino Albanian and San Paolo Albanian).

The first time I heard about Albania was in 1990, when I was 11 years old. It was the first time that Italy experienced mass immigration and we watched in amazement, on television, as barges plied the Adriatic and Ionian seas loaded with people crammed in the holds, on the decks, clinging to the railings. They filled every space, every corner to escape the poverty and uncertainty that reigned in their country after the fall of the communist regime that had oppressed them for decades.

Sons of the Eagle

Albania, in the western part of the Balkan peninsula, is a very small country, although Albanian speakers also populate neighboring countries, such as the disputed region of Kosovo, or Montenegro and North Macedonia (where they constitute a considerable minority) and Greece. With an area of 28,748 km², it borders Montenegro to the north, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south. To the west it faces the Adriatic Sea and to the southwest the Ionian Sea.

It is called the kingdom of the eagles because the modern toponym of the country, Shqipëria, means "eagles' nest" in Albanian and its inhabitants are called "shqiptar", "sons of the eagle" (even the Albanian flag represents a black double-headed eagle on a red background, coming from the Byzantine standard, which alludes to the very strong link of the Albanians with Byzantium). However, this toponym began to be used during the period of Ottoman domination. In fact, in medieval times the terms "Arban" and "Arbër" (probably from Albanopolis, which later became Arbanon, a city in ancient Illyria near present-day Durres) were used. Before that, however, the territory of present-day Albania was part of Illyria, a larger area that encompassed part of the Balkan Adriatic coast, from southern Dalmatia to northern Greece, near Epirus.

From the Illyrians to the Romans and Byzantines

Albania has been inhabited since prehistoric times (especially since the Neolithic). There are traces of the presence of various populations, mainly Indo-European-speaking, but the characteristic civilization of this part of Europe was that of the Illyrians, themselves divided into several tribes often at odds with each other (Albanians, Amantines, Dardanians and others) who spoke the Illyrian language, a scarcely attested language but of clear Indo-European origin (it is not clear, however, whether modern Albanian is in any way related to the ancient Illyrian language). Peoples of Illyrian origin reached as far as Italy (the Iapi of Apulia, for example, were of Illyrian origin).

The Illyrians, a proud and warlike people, were divided into several autonomous entities and, although they were under Greek influence (the Greeks had founded several colonies in Illyria, among them Apollonia, Epidamnos-Dirrachion - today's Durres - and Lissos, today's Alexis), they were able to maintain their independence and resist foreign invasions for a long time, at least until the second century BC, when the Romans led a series of campaigns to conquer their territory, which became part of the Roman dominions in 168 BC as the province of Illyricum (Illyricum).

During Roman times, local towns such as Durazzo (Dyrrachium) and Butrint (Buthrotum), whose impressive archaeological park can be admired, were important commercial and military centers.

After the division of the Roman Empire, Albania became part of the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire. At this time, the region was invaded by various populations, including Slavs and Visigoths, which changed the ethnic composition of the territory to some extent.

Precisely its position between East and West, and between the two parts of the Roman Empire, made Albania a meeting point of different civilizations and traditions.

Although Byzantine influence remained predominant, small local principalities and kingdoms eventually emerged (including the Principality of Arbanon) which, with customary Albanian pride, sought to assert their independence from Constantinople. Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the country was invaded and occupied by various regional powers, such as the Normans and the Serbs.

The national hero: Scanderbeg

In the 14th century, the Ottoman Empire began to expand into the Balkans, including Albania. Here, however, the Turks met with the tenacious resistance of the Albanian people, led by a leader, named George Castriota but nicknamed Scanderbeg, an Albanian Christian nobleman who, after serving as an Ottoman general, rebelled against the Sublime Porte and led a long and strenuous resistance from 1443 to 1468.

He was the first to manage to unify numerous Albanian clans and successfully defend the territory for more than two decades, also gaining the support of European powers such as the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice. His exploits were also celebrated in the West, to the point that the great Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi composed an opera dedicated to him, and Pope Callixtus III awarded him the title of "Athleta Christi et Defensor Fidei" (Athlete of Christ and Defender of the Faith), and Pope Pius II that of "the new Alexander" (in reference to Alexander the Great).

Scanderbeg became a sort of Cid Campeador for the Albanian people, who longed to be free and independent, but above all for the exiles, the numerous Albanians who, after his death and the final conquest of the country by the Ottomans, were forced to flee to Italy, forming the Italian Albanian diaspora.

Albania remained under the rule of the Sublime Porte for more than four centuries, with considerable repercussions on the culture, religion (progressive Islamization) and customs of the country.

Contemporary Albania

Like other Eastern European countries under the Ottoman yoke (Bulgaria and Greece in the first place), a nationalist movement developed in Albania in the 19th century, aiming to liberate the country from the domination of the Sublime Porte. The League of Prizren, in fact, founded on June 10, 1878 in Prizren (in present-day Kosovo), aimed at preserving the territories of ethnic Albanian majority (and predominantly Islamic religion) assigned to other Ottoman provinces or to other states (Greece, Montenegro, Serbia) by the Treaties of St. Stephen and Berlin, in order to reunite them under a single autonomous Albanian administration (vilayet) within the Ottoman Empire. Its main exponents were Abdyl and Sami Frashëri.

Despite its defeat in the First Balkan War (1912-1913), the League contributed to the awakening of national consciousness, influenced the Albanian Renaissance and attracted the attention of European powers. Disbanded in 1881, it tried in vain to reorganize.

On November 28, 1912, Ismail Qemali finally declared Albania's independence from the Porte in the city of Vlora, but it was a short-lived independence and was immediately marked by great difficulties, including the intervention of European powers that redrew the country's borders. In the years that followed, the fledgling nation faced considerable political instability, of which the Italians took advantage. Albania became an Italian protectorate in 1939 and was occupied by Mussolini's army during World War II.

Enver Hoxha

At the end of the war, a newly independent Albania became a socialist state under the leadership of Enver Hoxha.

Hoxha established one of the most repressive regimes of the communist bloc, ruling the country with an iron fist until his death in 1985, imposing on the nation an extremely rigid international isolation (he broke with his main allies, the Soviet Union in 1961 and China in 1978) and a totalitarian control over all aspects of social life, in total ideological and political autarchy.

Hoxha's government also promoted state atheism, banning religious practices (Christian and Islamic) and closing or destroying places of worship such as churches and mosques. Political repression was intense, with arrests, summary executions and the creation of forced labor camps where dissidents and opponents often met death by starvation. The economy was based on five-year development plans and forced collectivization, but development never came; on the contrary, poverty became more and more widespread.

The communist regime tried to intervene even in the language spoken by the citizens, applying a policy of centralization and standardization of Albanian (traditionally divided into two dialects, Tosk and Guego), and imposing the use of one of the two, Tosk, as the official and written form, with the marginalization of Guego and other dialects. The aim was to culturally unify the country and reinforce national identity by eliminating regional divisions and promoting the use of the unified Albanian language as a tool for propaganda and social control.

Albania's isolation continued after the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985.

Transition to democracy

In fact, it was in 1991, after the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, that the country began a difficult transition to democracy and a market economy. The post-communist period was characterized by political instability and a very serious economic and social crisis that culminated in the 1997 riots.

Since then, however, the country has made remarkable progress towards political stability and economic development, despite the controversies surrounding successive governments and the scourges of corruption and drug trafficking (especially marijuana), which had one of its most important centers in the world in the town of Lazarat, known as the capital of marijuana, since this town alone produced about 900 tons annually.

It was not until 2014 that the current Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (a member of the Socialist Party of Albania and a great opponent of his predecessor Sali Berisha and his party, the Democratic Party of Albania) ordered the destruction of the marijuana plantations, having 800 special forces agents and two army battalions besiege Lazarat.

Albania is now a candidate country for EU membership and a NATO member since 2009.