Korça records the highest drop in births in Albania for the first nine months of 2025, with a decline of 16.8%!

Natural population growth improved in the third quarter of 2025 thanks to a decline in deaths, but the number of births continues to decrease.

The latest data from INSTAT show that Albania is facing a continuous drop in births, which is no longer limited only to remote or rural areas but is now spreading throughout the country. Major urban centers, which once compensated for the demographic deficit of other regions, are now showing signs of stagnation, while the inner and northern regions are becoming increasingly depopulated.

During the first nine months of 2025, a total of 16,052 babies were born a decrease of 4.6% compared to the same period last year.

Tirana remains the district with the highest number of births, but it has also recorded a slight decline of 2.2% compared to 2024. Although this drop is milder than in other parts of the country, it signals a slowdown in natural population growth even in the capital traditionally the most attractive area for young families due to employment opportunities and public services. The high cost of living and economic uncertainty are increasingly affecting urban families in Tirana as well.

On the other hand, Korça has recorded the steepest decline in births nationwide, at -16.8% for the first nine months of 2025. This result is mainly linked to the ongoing emigration of young people and an aging population, leading to a structural decrease in birth rates.

Elbasan and Fier also show significant declines 6.3% and 6.7%, respectively. In these districts, once based on industry and agriculture, the drop is attributed to economic hardship and the lack of prospects for young people, prompting migration toward Tirana or abroad.

Durrës, another major urban area, has seen a 4% decline, indicating that even economically developed regions cannot maintain stable birth rates. Rising housing costs and job market insecurity seem to be discouraging young families from having children.

In Shkodër, births have fallen by 6.2%, reflecting both massive emigration and the aging of the rural population.

Dibër, traditionally known for its high birth rates, has recorded a steep 11.3% decline, showing further depopulation of mountain areas.

Meanwhile, Berat is one of the few districts to record a slight increase of 1.8%, possibly due to the return of some families from emigration or local social support policies.

Vlora has seen a mild decrease of 2.6%, while Gjirokastra, Kukës, and Lezha have shown minimal changes, though the overall trend remains negative or stagnant.

“KORÇA BOOM”