Bulgarians in Albania

Bulgarians in Albania
Българи в Албания
Total population
7,057 (2023 census)[1]

The Bulgarians in Albania live mostly in the areas of Mala Prespa, Gollobordë and Gora. Ethnic identity can be fluid among Albania's Slavophonic population, who might identify as Albanian, Bulgarian or Macedonian, depending on the circumstances.[2] Between 2001 and 2016, around 4,470 Albanian nationals applied for a Bulgarian citizenship and over 2,600 of them were granted one.[3] The Bulgarian minority was recognized by the Albanian government in October 2017.[4] In the 2023 Albania census, 7,057 people declared themselves to be Bulgarians making them the largest Slavophone population in Albania.[5]

  1. ^ ALBANIA POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS 2023, Tab 13. Resident population by ethnicity and sex, p. 73
  2. ^ INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR MINORITY STUDIES AND INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS (IMIR)ALBANIA:LANDMARKS OF TRANSITION Valeri Grigorov p.18
  3. ^ "Dash for Bulgarian passports empties Albanian village". The News International. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Albania officially recognizes Bulgarian minority - Xinhua - English.news.cn". news.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Population and Housing Census 2023" (PDF). Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT).