Tirana is the region where most of the country's population is concentrated and at the same time the youngest. Data published by INSTAT show that Tirana region has the youngest population in Albania with a median age of 34.7 years. Together with Dibra and Kukes, they constitute the regions with the youngest population in the country, followed by Durres. The median age in Albania in 2018 was estimated at just over 36 years and all four of these counties had a median age below the national average.
On the other hand, the Gjirokastra region has the oldest population in the country with a median age of 39.4 years, followed by the Berat region with a median age of over 38 years and the Vlora region with the same age.
The median age of the population represents the age at which half the population is younger and the other half is older.
Population structure and dependency ratios
In 2018, there were 500,192 young people aged less than 15 years in Albania and 396,188 young people aged 65 or over. In Albania, the working age population, people aged 15 to 64, was 1,969,996 during the same year.
As can be seen from the population distribution, in each of the three main age groups, there is a higher number of young people in each county compared to the elderly. Therefore, the youth dependency ratio is higher than the elderly dependency ratio in each county. The regions with the highest youth dependency ratio are those of Kukes and Dibra, with 32.1 and 31.0 persons younger than 15 years respectively for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years.
Whereas the regions with the lowest youth dependency ratio are those of Vlora and Gjirokastra, with 22.7 and 23.2 persons younger than 15 years respectively for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years. On the other hand, the regions with the highest proportion of elderly dependents are those of Lezha and Gjirokastra, both with around 21.7 persons older than 65 years for 100 persons from 15 to 64 years. The regions with the lowest proportion of elderly dependents are those of Korça and Tirana, with 19.2 and 19.4 persons older than 65 years respectively per 100 persons from 15 to 64 years old.
Gloomy population forecasts, average age 61 years
According to a normal scenario, without increasing immigration and falling birth rates, the average age of the population of Albania, according to UN projections, reaches 50.1 years in 2050 and reaches 61 years in 2100.
In the pessimistic scenario with continued immigration and declining fertility, the average age of the population reaches 79.1 in 2010 and the total resident population within Albania reaches 512,000.
The average age of the Albanian population will increase at a faster rate than other countries of the Southern European group by two or three times.
Source: Monitor
