Albanians Shqiptarë
Total population
Approximately 8,5 million Demographics of Albania, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ...
Regions with significant populations
Albania 3,200,000 [1]  Serbia 1,400,000 (est.) [2][3][4]  Turkey 5,000 (est.) [5]  Rep. Macedonia 509,083 [6][7]  Greece 438,036 [10][11][12]  Montenegro 31,163 (2003) [8][9]  Italy 338,000  United States 250,000 [13]  Canada 16,135 [14]  Sweden 35,000 - 46,000 [15][16]  United Kingdom 300,000  France 20,000  Switzerland 95,000 [17]  Germany 400,000 [18]  Netherlands 165,706  Russia 1,200  Slovenia 6,200 [19]  Croatia 15,082 [20]  Romania 500  Norway 7,000  Belgium 5,000  Australia 12,000  Austria 20,000  South Africa 2,000  Egypt 25,000  Bosnia/Herz. 15,000  Denmark 8,000  Luxembourg 4,802  Ukraine 3,300  Finland 5,000 [21][22]
Languages
Albanian
Religions
mostly Sunni Muslims, but also large amounts of Bektashi Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, other.

Part of a series of articles on Albanians Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Serbia. ... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 812   -  Kingdom established 1217   -  Empire established 1346   -  Independence lost to... Image File history File links Flag_of_Turkey. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Macedonia. ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Greece. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Montenegro. ... Anthem Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, Bright Dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Demonym Montenegrin Government Republic  -  President Filip Vujanović  -  Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence due to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro   -  Declared June 3, 2006... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Sweden. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Switzerland. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Slovenia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Romania. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Norway. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Belgium_(civil). ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Africa. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Egypt. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina. ... This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Denmark. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Luxembourg. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ukraine. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Finland. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... The Bektashism (Turkish: BektaÅŸilik) is an Islamic Sufi order (tariqat). ... The Orthodox Authocephalous Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches, having only been established in the 20th century. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Albanian culture Literature · Modern art Music · Sport · Cuisine Image File history File links Flag_of_Albania. ... // The oldest known document in Albanian is from November 8, 1462, a formula of baptism (Albanian: Formula e Pagëzimit) by the bishop of Durrës, Pal Engjëlli. ... Frontispiece of Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi, Epirotarum principis by Marin Barleti Albania, part of the ancient Illyrian territories, a cross-road of civilizations and geopolitical interests during the barbaric onslaughts and later on a province of the Eastern and Western Empires, Rome and Byzantium, after, over centuries, having... // A Brief History Albania, a country of southeastern Europe, has a unique culture from that of other European countries. ... Albanian drummers playing in the street of Prizren, Kosovo Albania is a Southeast European nation that was ruled by Enver Hoxhas communist government for much of the later part of the 20th century, it is now a democratic country. ... Albanian cuisine consists of local dishes from around the country of Albania. ... By region or country Albania · Republic of Macedonia · Montenegro Serbia (Kosovo • South • Belgrade) Romania · United States Çamëria · Greece · Italy Bulgaria Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia, according to the 1981 census. ... Ethnic map of Montenegro according to the 2003 census There is an Albanian minority living in Montenegro. ... Albanians in Kosovo in 1991 The Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. ... There is an Albanian minority living in Central Serbia. ... The Serbian capital, Belgrade, has been the home at the most of 8. ... Cham Albanians (In Albanian: Çamë, in Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes) are a group of ethnic Albanians originally residing close to the river Thyamis (Θύαμις in Greek, Çam in Albanian). ... Varieties of Albanian Albanian · Gheg · Tosk Arvanitika · Arbëresh (Italy) Geg is a northern Albanian dialect. ... Tosk is the southern dialect of the Albanian language. ... Arvanitika or Arvanitic (native name: arbërisht, Greek: αρβανίτικα arvanitika) is the variety of Albanian traditionally spoken by the Arvanites, a population group in Greece. ... Arbëresh (or Arbërishte or Arbërisht) is the dialect of the Albanian language spoken by the Arbëreshë, the Albanian-speaking minority in Italy. ... History of Albanians Origins · History · Illyrians The origin of Albanians has been for some time a matter of dispute among historians. ... This article briefly outlines each period in the history of Albania; details are presented in separate articles (see the links in the box and below). ... Illyria (disambiguation) Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined Indo-European[1] group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans (Illyria, roughly from northern Epirus to southern Pannonia) and even perhaps parts of Southern Italy in classical times into the Common era, and spoke Illyrian languages. ... Persecution of Albanians Exodus Albanian exodus is term used to refer to the deportation or mass migration of Albanians from their homes. ... v • d • e

Albanians (Albanian: Shqiptarët) are defined as an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common Albanian culture, speaking the Albanian language as a mother tongue and being of Albanian descent. Some scholars believe that the Albanians are descendants of the Illyrians and that the Albanian language derives from the now-extinct Illyrian language, others however dispute this asserting that it derived from a dialect of the now-extinct Thracian language.^[23] Albanian ( IPA ) is a language spoken by about 7-8 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo, but also in other parts of the Balkans with an Albanian population (parts of the Republic of Macedonia, and some parts in Montenegro and Serbia), along the eastern coast of Italy and in... Illyria (disambiguation) Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined Indo-European[1] group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans (Illyria, roughly from northern Epirus to southern Pannonia) and even perhaps parts of Southern Italy in classical times into the Common era, and spoke Illyrian languages. ... The Illyrian languages are a group of Indo-European languages that were spoken in the western part of the Balkans in pre-Roman times. ... The Thracian language was the Indo-European language spoken in ancient times by the Thracians in South-Eastern Europe. ...

About half of Albanians live in Albania, with the second largest group living in the UN administered Serbian province of Kosovo and the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). There are also Albanian minorities and immigrant communities in a number of other countries. The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo or UNMIK is an interim civilian administration in Kosovo, under the authority of the United Nations. ... Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 812   -  Kingdom established 1217   -  Empire established 1346   -  Independence lost to... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Official languages Macedonian language¤,2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Bučkovski Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % water Ranked 145th  25,713 km²  1. ...

History of the term

Further information: Origin of the Albanians and Albania (toponym)

Albanians are often claimed as the direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians, or alternatively derived of Thracian or Dacian stock, or from a mixture of these. The name Albanian itself was first mentioned in the 2nd century BCE by Polybius (Arbanios, Arbanitai with their city Arbon), the 1st century CE by Pliny (Olbonensis), and the 2nd century CE by geographer and astronomer Ptolemy (Albanoi), as one of the important Illyrian tribes situated where is now Central Albania with Albanopolis as their main city. The origin of the Albanians has been for some time a matter of dispute among historians. ... The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba. ... Illyria (disambiguation) Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined Indo-European[1] group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans (Illyria, roughly from northern Epirus to southern Pannonia) and even perhaps parts of Southern Italy in classical times into the Common era, and spoke Illyrian languages. ... The Thracians were an Indo-European people, inhabitants of Thrace and adjacent lands (present-day Bulgaria, Romania, northeastern Greece, European Turkey and northwestern asiatic Turkey, eastern Serbia and parts of Republic of Macedonia). ... Alternate meanings: see Dacia (disambiguation) Dacia, in ancient geography the land of the Daci or Getae, was a large district of Central Europe, bounded on the north by the Carpathians, on the south by the Danube, on the west by the Tisa (Tisza river, in Hungary), on the east by... BCE is a TLA that may stand for: Before the Common Era, date notation equivalent to BC (e. ... Polybius (c. ... “BCE” redirects here. ... Pliny the Elder: an imaginative 19th Century portrait. ... “BCE” redirects here. ... A medieval artists rendition of Claudius Ptolemaeus Claudius Ptolemaeus (Greek: ; ca. ...

Albani (Albanoi), tribe in ancient Illyria, from Alexander G. Findlay's Classical Atlas to Illustrate Ancient Geography, New York, 1849

The ethnonym applied to the people now known as Albanians is first attested from the 11th century (e.g. Anna Komnene, Alexiad 4.8.4), the first reference to a lingua albanesca dates to the later 13th century. Download high resolution version (2038x1677, 721 KB)Classical Balkans: from Map from rothers Publishers, New York, 1849A Classical Atlas to Illustrate Ancient Geography, Alexander G. Findlay, Harper and B ros. ... Download high resolution version (2038x1677, 721 KB)Classical Balkans: from Map from rothers Publishers, New York, 1849A Classical Atlas to Illustrate Ancient Geography, Alexander G. Findlay, Harper and B ros. ... Anna Komnene or Comnena (Greek: Άννα Κομνηνή, Anna KomnÄ“nÄ“), (December 1, 1083 – 1153). ... The Alexiad (original Greek title : Αλεξιάς) is a medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian Anna Comnena, daughter of Emperor Alexius I. Within the Alexiad, she describes the political and military history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of her father (1081-1118), making it...

Due to the high rate of migration of various ethnic groups throughout the Balkans in the last two decades, exact figures are difficult to obtain. A tenuous breakdown of Albanians by location is as follows: This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Europe

Approximately 7 million Albanians are to be found within the Balkan peninsula with only about half this number residing in Albania and the other divided between Serbia (of which 1,9 million in the province of Kosovo) Montenegro, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece and to a much smaller extent Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and Romania. Anthem Serbia() on the European continent() Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian 1 Recognised regional languages Hungarian, Croatian, Slovak, Romanian, Rusyn 2 Albanian 3 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Boris Tadić  -  Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment  -  Formation 812   -  Kingdom established 1217   -  Empire established 1346   -  Independence lost to... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... Anthem Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, Bright Dawn of May Montenegro() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Official languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 Demonym Montenegrin Government Republic  -  President Filip Vujanović  -  Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence due to the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro   -  Declared June 3, 2006... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...

Albanians in Greece, because of historical migration, are divided into different groupings. The first are the Arvanites, descendants of ethnic Albanian immigrants from the 11th to the 15th century that have intermingled and been largely assimilated into the dominant Greek population and generally do not self-identify as Albanians. A second one are Albanian nationals who migrated during the 1990s, mainly as illegal immigrants. According to the 2001 census, there were 445,000 holders of Albanian citizenship in Greece. The Watson Institute raised this number to 600,000 in 2004 [14]. Arvanites (Greek: Αρβανίτες, see also below about names) are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitika, a form of Albanian. ... After the fall of communism throughout Eastern Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a large number of economic refugees and immigrants from Greeces neighboring countries, Albania, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, as well as from more distant countries such as Russia, the Ukraine, Armenia... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The Thomas J. Watson Jr. ...

Also an unknown number of Orthodox Cham Albanians reside in the Greek region of Epirus (Albanian: Çamëria). There were thought to be a population of around 19,000 Muslim Chams before the end of World War II who left Greece for Albania and Turkey in 1945. The exact reasons for their departure vary depending on source. (According to Greek sources, it was to avoid the impending military court sentences, a consequence of their collaboration with the Italian/German occupying forces. Albanian sources claim they were forcefully expelled by the EDES troops of the Greek resistance for having collaborated with the Italian/German occupying forces.) Cham Albanians (In Albanian: Çamë, in Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes) are a group of ethnic Albanians originally residing close to the river Thyamis (Θύαμις in Greek, Çam in Albanian). ... Epirus, spanning Greece and Albania. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Ethnikos Dimokratikos Ellinikos Syndesmos (Greek Εθνικός Δημοκρατικός Ελληνικός Σύνδεσμος, Greek National Democratic Union, abbreviated EDES) was a World War II Greek resistance movement. ...

Whereas approximately 1 million are dispersed throughout the rest of Europe, most of these in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy (the majority having arrived since 1991, but also older populations of Arbëreshë), Austria and France. Arbëreshë are an Albanian-speaking community living in southern Italy and Sicily. ...

Rest of the world

Americas: In the United States the number reaches 114,000 according to the latest 2000 US Census, while in Canada approximately 15,000 as of the 2001 census. Oceania: In Australia and New Zealand 12,000 in total. Africa: In Egypt there are 18,000 Albanians, mostly Tosk speakers. Many are descendants of the soldiers of Mehmet Ali. A large part of the former nobility of Egypt was Albanian in origin. A small community also resides in South Africa. World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1] and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... For other uses, see Oceania (disambiguation). ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... This article is about the viceroy of Egypt. ...

Kosovo & Republic of Macedonia

Both the Province of Kosovo and the western regions of the Republic of Macedonia have in recent years seen armed movements (Kosovo Liberation Army, UCPMB, Macedonian NLA) aiming either for independence, greater autonomy, or increased political rights. Further clashes were also reported in the Preševo Valley during the period between 2000 to 2001 (in the lead-up to the Macedonian conflict). For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës. ... The Liberation Army of PreÅ¡evo, MedveÄ‘a and Bujanovac (Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanovcit - UCPMB) was a guerrilla group fighting for independence from Serbia for the three municipalities: PreÅ¡evo, MedveÄ‘a and Bujanovac, home to most of the Albanians of inner Serbia, adjacent... The National Liberation Army (Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare Kombëtare - UÇK ; Macedonian: Ослободителна национална армија - ОНА), also known as the Macedonian UÇK, is a military organization that operated in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001. ... The PreÅ¡evo Valley is a geographical region in the far south of Serbia and Montenegro, in Serbias Pčinja District, at the eastern border crossing with the Republic of Macedonia, now commonly used to avoid entrance into Kosovo. ...

The fate of Kosovo remains uncertain owing to the reluctance of the Albanian majority in the province to accept the restoration of Serbian sovereignty and the reluctance of the United Nations and NATO to separate the territory from the Republic of Serbia in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 from 1999. The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Serbia and Montenegro  -Serbia    -Kosovo and Metohia    -Vojvodina  -Montenegro Official language Serbian1 Capital Belgrade Area  - Total  - % water 88,361 km² n/a Population  - Total (1998)  - Density 11,206,847 126. ...

The conflict in the Republic of Macedonia seems to have calmed down. It was resolved by the Macedonian government giving the Albanian minority a greater role in the government and the right to use the Albanian language in areas where the Albanians form a majority. Albanian ( IPA ) is a language spoken by about 7-8 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo, but also in other parts of the Balkans with an Albanian population (parts of the Republic of Macedonia, and some parts in Montenegro and Serbia), along the eastern coast of Italy and in...

It is worth mentioning here that rights to use the Albanian language in education and government were given and guaranteed by the Constitution of SFRY and were widely utilized in Serbia, Macedonia, and in Montenegro long before Dissolution of Yugoslavia. The only thing that changed in that matter is that before NATO intervention in 1999, there were information services and news ("Dnevnik") broadcasted in Albanian language on the Serbian National Radio and Television, RTS. Albanian ( IPA ) is a language spoken by about 7-8 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo, but also in other parts of the Balkans with an Albanian population (parts of the Republic of Macedonia, and some parts in Montenegro and Serbia), along the eastern coast of Italy and in... The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a Balkan state that existed from 1945 to 1992. ... Yugoslavia was a south-eastern European country in the Balkans, a region with a long history of sectarian and ethnic conflict. ... Albanian ( IPA ) is a language spoken by about 7-8 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo, but also in other parts of the Balkans with an Albanian population (parts of the Republic of Macedonia, and some parts in Montenegro and Serbia), along the eastern coast of Italy and in...

Religion

Main article: Religion in Albania

The majority of Albanians today are either Atheists or Agnostics. ...

Ancient Illyrian Religion

The two main Illyrian cults were the Cult of the Sun and the Cult of the Snake.^[24][25] The main festivals were the seasonal summer and winter festivals during the solstices and the spring and autumn festivals during the equinoxes. An organic system of assigning human personifications to natural phenomena was culturally developed and remnants of these still appear in everyday Albanian folklore and tradition.^[25] This article is about an ancient civilization in southeastern Europe; see also Illyria (software), Illyria (character in the TV series Angel). ...

Development of Modern Albanian Religious Affiliation

The original culture continued until the Roman and Byzantine Empires crowned Christianity as official religion of the regime, thus suffusing Paganism, until both were later overshadowed by Islam, which kept the scepter of the major religion during the period of Ottoman Turkish rule from the 15th century until year 1912. Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Paganism kept being practiced in a lower scale. During the 20th century the monarchy and later the totalitarian state followed a systematic dereligionization of the nation and the national culture. This policy was mainly applied and felt within the borders of the present Albanian state, thus producing a nonreligious majority in the population. All forms of Christianity, Islam and other religious practices were prohibited except for old non-institutional Pagan practices in the rural areas which were seen as identifying with the national culture. As a result of this the current Albanian state has also brought pagan festivals to life, like the lunar Spring festival (Albanian: Dita e Verës) held yearly on March 14th in the city of Elbasan, which is a national holiday. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... “Ottoman” redirects here. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Pagan and heathen redirect here. ... For the comic series, see Monarchy (comics). ... A totalitarian state is a modern regime which regulates nearly every aspect of public and private behavior. ... State atheism is the official rejection of religion in all forms by a government in favor of atheism. ... Irreligion, irreligiousness, or nonreligion is an umbrella term which, depending on context, may be understood as referring to atheism, agnosticism, deism, skepticism, freethought, secular humanism, general secularism, or heresy. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Pagan may refer to: A believer in Paganism or Neopaganism Bagan, a city in Myanmar also known as Pagan Pagan (album), the 6th album by Celtic metal band Cruachan Pagan Island, of the Northern Mariana Islands Pagan Lorn, a metal band from Luxembourg, Europe (1994-1998) Pagans Mind, is... It is proposed that this article be deleted, because of the following concern: local only to that school district, as far as I can tell. ... March 14 is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (74th in Leap years) with 292 days remaining in the year. ... Elbasan (Albanian: Elbasan or Elbasani) is a city in central Albania. ...

Most Albanians are Muslims^[26][27] (Sunni Muslims and Bektashis). It is estimated thet 70% of Albanians in the Republic of Albania are Muslim, 99% in the Province of Kosovo and 90% in the Republic of Macedonia are believed to be Muslim.(CIA Factbook 2007). Although there are also Orthodox Christians(predominantly in Southern Albania, bordering Greece) and Roman Catholics(predominantly in Northern Albania, bordering the Republic of Montenegro). After 1992 an influx of foreign missionaries has brought more religious diversity with groupings such as Jehova Witnesses, Mormons, Hindus, Bahá'í, Scientologists, a variety of Christian denominations and many others. This rich blend of religions has rarely caused religious strife and fanaticism and people of different religions freely intermarry. For part of its history, Albania has also had a Jewish community. Some of the members of the Jewish community were saved by a group of Albanians during the Nazi occupation, [15] they left for Israel circa 1990-1992. A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... The Bektashism (Turkish: BektaÅŸilik) is an Islamic Sufi order (tariqat). ... The Orthodox Authocephalous Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches, having only been established in the 20th century. ... “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... Motto: None Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Capital Podgorica Largest city Podgorica Official language(s) Serbian Government • President • Prime Minister Republic Filip Vujanović Milo Đukanović Independence Part of Serbia and Montenegro Area  - Total    - Water (%)   13,812 km² (157th if ranked) 5,333 sq mi  N/A Population  - 2003 est. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Watchtower Buildings in Brooklyn, New York Jehovahs Witnesses are an international Christian denomination that had its origins in the United States with the 19th century Millerite and Bible Student movements. ... The term Mormon is a colloquial name, most-often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... Known in India as the Lotus Temple, the Baháí House of Worship attracts an average of four million visitors a year (around 13,000 each day). ... Scientology is a system of beliefs and teachings, originally established as a secular philosophy in 1952 by author L. Ron Hubbard, and subsequently reoriented from 1953 as an applied religious philosophy. It is most prominently represented by the Church of Scientology. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ...

Other terms used

The Albanians are and have been referred to by other terms as well. Some of them are:

• Illyrians; old term used during antiquity up to the Byzantine Empire.
• Macedonians; old term used by local and other European authors during the Middle Ages.
• Epirotes; old term widely used during the Middle Ages by local and foreign authors.
• Arbër, Arbën, Arbëreshë; the old native term denoting ancient and medieval Albanians and sharing the same root with the latter. At the time the country was called Arbër (Gheg: Arbën) and Arbëria (Gheg: Arbënia). This term is still used for the Albanians that migrated to Italy during the Middle Ages.
• Arnauts; old term used mainly from Turks and by extension by European authors during the Ottoman Empire. A derivate of Arbër, Albanian.
• Skipetars; the historical rendering of the ethnonym Shqiptar, or Shqyptar by French, Austrian and German authors, mainly during the 18th-20th century.

Illyria (disambiguation) Illyrians has come to refer to a broad, ill-defined Indo-European[1] group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans (Illyria, roughly from northern Epirus to southern Pannonia) and even perhaps parts of Southern Italy in classical times into the Common era, and spoke Illyrian languages. ... “Byzantine” redirects here. ... Inhabitants of Epirus. ... Arbëreshë are an Albanian-speaking community living in southern Italy and Sicily. ... Arbëreshë are an Albanian-speaking community living in southern Italy and Sicily. ... Arbëreshë are an Albanian-speaking community living in southern Italy and Sicily. ... Geg is a northern Albanian dialect. ... Geg is a northern Albanian dialect. ... {Aranaut is the way that Tureky call people of albania. ... Anthem Himni i flamurit also called Albania() on the European continent()  —  [] Capital (and largest city) Tirana Official languages Albanian Government Republic  -  President Alfred Moisiu  -  Prime Minister Sali Berisha Independence from the Ottoman Empire   -  Date November 28, 1912  Area  -  Total 28 748 km² (139th) 11,100 sq mi   -  Water (%) 4. ...

Misnaming

Because of confounding nationality with religious affiliation many authors from Byzantine times have also called and registered Albanians with the following names:

• Latins; term used during the Middle Ages from Venetian and other European authors to denote Albanians of Catholic faith mainly in the Northern regions up to the 19th century.
• Greeks; old term used generically from Byzantine times up to the 20th century by other European authors to denote Albanians of Orthodox faith in the Southern regions, as also those migrating, during the Ottoman Occupation, from Epirus and Peloponnese to Italy. Toponyms reflecting this historical misnaming began being corrected in Italy during the 1930s.
• Serbs; old term as above, used by authors to denote Albanians of Orthodox faith in the Northern regions up to the 19th century.
• Turks; old term used by ecclesiastical writings and embraced by other European authors to denote Albanians of Muslim faith, and generally all Albanian legions of the Ottoman army.

The Latins were an ancient Italic people who migrated to central Italy, (Latium Vetus - Old Latium), in the 2nd millennium B.C., maybe from the Adriatic East Coast and Balkanic Area, perhaps from pressures by Illyrian peoples. ... Languages Serbian Religions Predominantly Serbian Orthodox Christian Related ethnic groups Other Slavic peoples, especially South Slavs See Cognate peoples below (* many Serbs opted for Yugoslav ethnicity) [28] Serbs (Serbian: Срби or Srbi) are a South Slavic people who live mainly in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and, to a lesser extent, in...

Historical individuals

Prominent individuals from Albania have included the defender of Albania during the mid-15th century Skenderbeg, the writer Ismail Kadare, the painter Ibrahim Kodra, the composer Simon Gjoni, the Nobel Prize winner Ferid Murad, the Olympic athlete Klodiana Shala, the Roman Catholic missionary Mother Teresa and Pope Clement XI.Other well known individuals include the prime minister of the Ottoman Empire Ferhat Pasha and Mehemet Ali the viceroy of Egypt. John Belushi and his brother Jim Belushi were of Albanian parents who immigrated in the USA after WWII. Also the American actress Eliza Dushku is born of an Albanian father and a half-Danish mother. Scanderbeg sculpture Gjergj Kastrioti (Italian: Giorgio Castriota) (1405–January 17, 1468), better known as Skanderbeg or Skenderbej, was an Albanian leader who resisted the expanding Ottoman Empire for 25 years and is today considered a national hero of Albania. ... Ismail Kadare at a reading in Zurich Ismail Kadare is a world-renowned Albanian writer. ... ‹The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Simon Gjoni (1926 - 1991) was an Albanian composer of many popular pieces for piano and orchestra. ... The Nobel Prizes (Swedish: ) are awarded for Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace, and Physiology or Medicine. ... Dr. Ferid Murad Ferid Murad (born September 14, 1936) is an American physician and pharmacologist, and a co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. ... Klodiana Shala (b. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Mother Teresa (born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu IPA: ) (August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997), was a Roman Catholic nun who founded the Missionaries of Charity and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work. ... Clement XI, né Giovanni Francesco Albani (July 23, 1649 – March 19, 1721) was pope from 1700 to 1721. ... “Ottoman” redirects here. ... Ferhat-Pasha Ferhadija Mosque Ferhat-Pasha Mosque or more widely known as Ferhadija Mosque was a central building of the city of Banja Luka and one of the most successful achievements of the Islamic architecture of the 16th century Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... See Mehemet Ali (Turkey) for the Turkish foreign minister and regent. ... A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. ... John Adam Belushi (January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an Emmy Award-winning American actor, comedian and musician, notable for his work on Saturday Night Live, National Lampoons Animal House and The Blues Brothers. ... James Belushi (also known as Jim Belushi) (born June 15, 1954) is an American film and television actor. ... Eliza Patricia Dushku (born December 30, 1980) is an American film actress, who has appeared in several Hollywood movies such as True Lies, Bring It On, and Wrong Turn. ...

Notes and references

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Kosovo Government estimates 2005 - [2]
3. ^ Serbian Government 2003 census - [3]
4. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rb.html
5. ^ [4]
6. ^ Republic of Macedonia 2002 census - [5]
7. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mk.html
8. ^ Yugoslavian Federation 2003 census - [6]
9. ^ [7]
10. ^ Republic of Greece 2001 census - [8]
11. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gr.html
12. ^ [9]
13. ^ United States 2000 census - [10]
14. ^ statcan.ca
15. ^ http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/9808/27/telegram/inrikes48.html]
16. ^ [11]
17. ^ speakers of Albanian as first language as of 2000: see Demographics of Switzerland
18. ^ Federal Republic of Germany - [12]
19. ^ Slovenia
20. ^ Demographics of Croatia - 2001 census
21. ^ http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=TRE
22. ^ BBC News [13]
23. ^
24. ^ Aleksandar Stipčević - Iliri: povijest, život, kultura, Zagreb, Školska knjiga, 1989
25. ^ ^{a b} Mark Tirta, "Mitologjia ndër shqiptarë", Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë, Tirana, 2004
26. ^ The World Factbook - Albania
27. ^ BBC - Muslims in Europe: Country guide: Albania

Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the countrys languages and cultural practices. ... Croatia is inhabited mostly by Croats, while minority groups include Serbs, Bosniaks, Hungarians, Italians, Germans, Czechs, Roma people and others. ... The World Factbook 2007 (government edition) cover. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

Reading

Edith Durham, The Burden of the Balkans (1905) Edith Durham in North Albania, 1913 Mary Edith Durham (1863-1944) was a British traveller, artist and writer who became famous for her anthropologist accounts of life in Albania in the early 20th century. ...

The Albanians or Shqiptarë are a people of the western Balkan peninsula, numbering today approximately six million. ... Albanians in Kosovo in 1991 The Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. ... There is an Albanian minority living in Central Serbia. ... Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia, according to the 1981 census. ... Ethnic map of Montenegro according to the 2003 census There is an Albanian minority living in Montenegro. ...

See also

Albanoi, Albanian language :Albanët, were Illyrian tribe who lived in the modern central Albania, near the city of Kruja. ... Demographics of Albania, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ... This article briefly outlines each period in the history of Albania; details are presented in separate articles (see the links in the box and below). ... Cham Albanians (In Albanian: Çamë, in Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes) are a group of ethnic Albanians originally residing close to the river Thyamis (Θύαμις in Greek, Çam in Albanian). ... Arvanites (Greek: Αρβανίτες, see also below about names) are a population group in Greece who traditionally speak Arvanitika, a form of Albanian. ... Location of Mandritsa in Bulgaria Mandritsa (Bulgarian: , small dairy; Albanian: ; Greek: ) is a village in southernmost Bulgaria, part of Ivaylovgrad municipality, Haskovo Province. ... The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts (a civil war followed by an international war) in the southern Serbian province called Kosovo (officially Kosovo and Metohia), part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ...

External links

• Albanians in Turkey
• Albanian Canadian League Information Service (ACLIS)
• Albanians in the Balkans U.S. Institute of Peace Report, November 2001