Counties

Albania is divided into 12 counties (Albanian: official qark/qarku, but also prefekture/prefektura). Each county comprises several districts (rreths), of which there are 36 in total, as shown in the table below.

County Capital Districts
Berat Berat Berat, Kuçove, Skrapar
Diber Peshkopi Bulqize, Diber, Mat
Durres Durres Durres, Kruje
Elbasan Elbasan Elbasan, Gramsh, Librazhd, Peqin
Fier Fier Fier, Lushnje, Mallakaster
Gjirokaster Gjirokaster Gjirokaster, Permet, Tepelene
Korçe Korçe Devoll, Kolonje, Korçe, Pogradec
Kukes Kukes Has, Kukes, Tropoje
Lezhe Lezhe Kurbin, Lezhe, Mirdite
Shkoder Shkoder Malesi e Madhe, Puke, Shkoder
Tirana Tirana Kavaje, Tirana
Vlore Vlore Delvine, Sarande, Vlore

Each district has its own local administration and governor. District governors are elected by the District Council, whose members are selected from party lists made public to voters before local elections, on the basis of proportional representation. City mayors are directly elected by voters, while city councils are chosen by proportional representation.