List of mountains in Albania
Albania is mostly mountainous, with the first alpine regions forming towards the end of the Jurassic period. During the Cenozoic era, the malformation of the Albanides accelerated, causing the subterranean landscape to take its present form. The average altitude of the country is 708 metres (2,323 ft), twice that of Europe. The highest summits are situated in the Albanian Alps and the eastern mountain range, with Korab being the highest peak, at 2,764 metres (9,068 ft) above sea level.
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Source: Ministry of Mines and Energy Resources (1999)
The country's geography is unique due to its location and varied relief, with landscapes ranging from mediterranean in the west to a more continental influence in the east, and mountainous terrain in the interior and east. This combination of plains, hills, and mountains has resulted in a diverse range of geographical features, extending horizontally and vertically. However, this complexity has made regionalization challenging, as different authors have used alternating criteria and methods. In the 1920s, Herbert Louis proposed a scheme that divided Albania into two large regions: Inner Albania and Coastal Albania, each with specific subdivisions. Louis' scheme was widely used until 1964, when it was replaced by Pandi Geço's proposed scheme which divided the country into four physiographic regions, listed as follows: Northern Mountain Region, Central Mountain Region, Southern Mountain Region, Western Lowlands and its hills. In 1985, Geço's scheme was improved through further research and consideration of ecological concerns, recapping all regions into 8 zones, 36 subzones and 93 sections.[1][2][3][4]
The earliest written accounts on the mountains of Albania can be attributed to German geographer Kurt Hassert, who explored the northern region of the country in June 1897, and carried out his first expedition to Mount Cukal.[5]
During the period of World War II, Distaptur Editions published a mountain guidebook titled "Montagne d'Albania" in 1941, authored by renowned Italian alpinist Piero Ghiglione and printed by the "Geographical Institute De Agostini of Novara". The guidebook includes a study of the rhapsodes of Albanian mountains by Nicola Lo Russo Attoma and contains 118 pages, featuring 60 black and white illustrations from photographs taken by Ghiglione.[6]
The first post-war mountaineering expedition in Albania was organized by the Committee of Physical Culture and Sports and was held at Mount Tomorr on July 27-28, 1949. A different expedition in the same mountain took place the following year on May 21, 1950, with Minella Kapo, a delegate from the highest forum leadership of the Committee in attendance, to witness the name-changing ceremony of the main peak from Çuka e Tomorrit to Çuka Partizani. According to mounteneering expert Aleksandër Bojaxhi, the new designation of this mountain peak and others that followed, was not decided by party officials or institutions but by sports forums and even mountaineers themselves.[7]
The mountain peaks listed below are arranged by their massifs. Occasionally, the highest peak of the massif is listed instead, if it holds greater notability. The remaining mountains on the list are important landmarks of biodiversity, history, culture and economic impact.[8]
Main peaks (+2,000 m)
| No. | Image | Mountain | Range | Height | Prominence | Isolation | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Korab | Korab | 2,764 m (9,068 ft) | 2,167 m (7,110 ft) | 90 m (300 ft) |   |
| 2 | _sa_Karanfila_(2480).jpg.webp) |
Jezercë | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,694 m (8,839 ft) | 2,036 m (6,680 ft) | 93.3 km (58.0 mi) | |
| 3 | .jpg.webp) |
Grykat e Hapëta | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,625 m (8,612 ft) | 822 m (2,697 ft) | 8.2 km (5.1 mi) | |
| 4 |  |
Maja e Popllukës | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,578 m (8,458 ft) | 171 m (561 ft) | 1.7 km (1.1 mi) | |
| 5 |  |
Radohina | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,568 m (8,425 ft) | 856 m (2,808 ft) | 6.2 km (3.9 mi) | |
| 6 | .jpg.webp) |
Mali i Hekurave | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,560 m (8,400 ft) | 495 m (1,624 ft) | 5.9 km (3.7 mi) | |
| 7 |  |
Maja e Brijasit | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,557 m (8,389 ft) | 160 m (520 ft) | 1.4 km (0.87 mi) | |
| 8 |  |
Maja e Kollatës | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,556 m (8,386 ft) | 519 m (1,703 ft) | 8.1 km (5.0 mi) | |
| 9 | |
Maja e Shnikut | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,552 m (8,373 ft) | 618 m (2,028 ft) | 17 m (56 ft) | |
| 10 | |
Maja e Gavnit | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,521 m (8,271 ft) | 338 m (1,109 ft) | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) | |
| 11 |  |
Gjallica | Korab | 2,489 m (8,166 ft) | 744 m (2,441 ft) | 24.0 km (14.9 mi) | |
| 12 |  |
Maja e Papingut | Nemërçka | 2,482 m (8,143 ft) | 1,797 m (5,896 ft) | 33.2 km (20.6 mi) | |
| 13 | |
Maja e Langojve | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,426 m (7,959 ft) | | ||
| 14 | |
Qetat e Arushës | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,421 m (7,943 ft) | 120 m (390 ft) | 765 m (2,510 ft) | |
| 15 | .jpg.webp) |
Maja e Kulmakut | Tomorr | 2,416 m (7,927 ft) | 1,448 m (4,751 ft) | 65.6 km (40.8 mi) | |
| 16 | _in_the_Albanian_Alps.jpg.webp) |
Maja e Thatë | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,406 m (7,894 ft) | 302 m (991 ft) | 2.0 km (1.2 mi) | |
| 17 | .jpg.webp) |
Shkëlzen | Gjakova Highlands | 2,405 m (7,890 ft) | 384 m (1,260 ft) | 6.9 km (4.3 mi) | |
| 18 |  |
Maja e Pikëllimës | Koritnik | 2,395 m (7,858 ft) | 1,400 m (4,600 ft) | 9.9 km (6.2 mi) | |
| 19 |  |
Maja e Faqekuqit | Ostrovicë | 2,352 m (7,717 ft) | 153 m (502 ft) | 2.7 km (1.7 mi) | |
| 20 | _04.jpg.webp) |
Velivar | Korab | 2,373 m (7,785 ft) | 409 m (1,342 ft) | 51 m (167 ft) | |
| 21 | .jpg.webp) |
Valamarë | 2,373 m (7,785 ft) | 1,525 m (5,003 ft) | 26.5 km (16.5 mi) | | |
| 22 |  |
Trekufiri | Bogiçevica | 2,366 m (7,762 ft) | 65 m (213 ft) | 855 m (2,805 ft) | |
| 23 | .jpg.webp) |
Maja e Kakisë | Bjeshkët e Namuna | 2,359 m (7,740 ft) | 506 m (1,660 ft) | 4.8 km (3.0 mi) | |
| 24 |  |
Pllaja e Pusit | 2,288 m (7,507 ft) | 1,121 m (3,678 ft) | 30.3 km (18.8 mi) | | |
| 25 | |
Shebenik | 2,265 m (7,431 ft) | 1,336 m (4,383 ft) | 30.3 km (18.8 mi) | | |
| 26 |  |
Guri i Zi | Jabllanicë | 2,257 m (7,405 ft) | 456 m (1,496 ft) | 6.0 km (3.7 mi) | |
| 27 |  |
Dejë | 2,244 m (7,362 ft) | 1,403 m (4,603 ft) | 27.5 km (17.1 mi) | | |
| 28 | |
Biga e Gimajve | 2,230 m (7,320 ft) | 424 m (1,391 ft) | 5.9 km (3.7 mi) | | |
| 29 |  |
Maja e Harapit | 2,218 m (7,277 ft) | 297 m (974 ft) | 1.1 km (0.68 mi) | | |
| 30 | |
Maja e Pallavërcës | Vermosh | 2,195 m (7,201 ft) | 430 m (1,410 ft) | 7.7 km (4.8 mi) | |
| 31 | |
Lunxhëri | 2,155 m (7,070 ft) | 1,309 m (4,295 ft) | 10.3 km (6.4 mi) | | |
| 32 | |
Maja e Gjarpërit | 2,142 m (7,028 ft) | 90 m (300 ft) | 842 m (2,762 ft) | | |
| 33 | |
Guri i Topit | 2,125 m (6,972 ft) | 134 m (440 ft) | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) | | |
| 34 |  |
Maja e Këndrevicës | Mali i Gribës | 2,122 m (6,962 ft) | 1,662 m (5,453 ft) | 77.4 km (48.1 mi) | |
| 35 | |
Mali i Balgjajt | 2,101 m (6,893 ft) | 1,141 m (3,743 ft) | 4.2 km (2.6 mi) | | |
| 36 | .jpg.webp) |
Dhëmbel | Trebeshinë-Dhëmbel-Nemërçkë | 2,050 m (6,730 ft) | 593 m (1,946 ft) | 560 m (1,840 ft) | |
| 37 |  |
Maja e Çikës | Malet e Vetëtimës | 2,045 m (6,709 ft) | 1,564 m (5,131 ft) | 19.1 km (11.9 mi) | |
| 38 |  |
Mali i Lopës | Martanesh | 2,012 m (6,601 ft) | 65 m (213 ft) | 1.4 km (0.87 mi) | |
Main peaks (+1,000 m)
| No. | Image | Mountain | Range | Height | Prominence | Isolation | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Munellë | 1,990 m (6,530 ft) | 1,028 m (3,373 ft) | 56 m (184 ft) | | |
| 2 |  |
Polisi | 1,974 m (6,476 ft) | 1,423 m (4,669 ft) | 12.3 km (7.6 mi) | | |
| 3 | |
Trebeshinë | 1,922 m (6,306 ft) | 1,369 m (4,491 ft) | 13.9 km (8.6 mi) | | |
| 4 | |
Mali i Shpatit | 1,823 m (5,981 ft) | 286 m (938 ft) | 9.0 km (5.6 mi) | | |
| 5 | |
Mali me Gropa | 1,822 m (5,978 ft) | 436 m (1,430 ft) | 11.2 km (7.0 mi) | | |
| 6 | |
Shëndelli | 1,802 m (5,912 ft) | | |||
| 7 |  |
Mali i Gjerë | 1,789 m (5,869 ft) | 972 m (3,189 ft) | 464 m (1,522 ft) | | |
| 8 | |
Bureto | Shëndelli-Lunxhëri-Bureto | 1,763 m (5,784 ft) | 817 m (2,680 ft) | 428 m (1,404 ft) | |
| 9 | |
Veleçik | 1,727 m (5,666 ft) | | |||
| 10 | |
Mali i Skënderbeut | 1,724 m (5,656 ft) | | |||
| 11 |  |
Cukal | 1,721 m (5,646 ft) | 235 m (771 ft) | 2.3 km (1.4 mi) | | |
| 12 |  |
Dajti | 1,613 m (5,292 ft) | 939 m (3,081 ft) | 36 m (118 ft) | | |
| 13 | |
Miçan | 1,581 m (5,187 ft) | | |||
| 14 |  |
Maranaj | 1,576 m (5,171 ft) | 235 m (771 ft) | 4.8 km (3.0 mi) | | |
| 15 | |
Rrëza e Kanalit | 1,499 m (4,918 ft) | | |||
| 16 |  |
Guri i Kamjes | 1,455 m (4,774 ft) | 0 m (0 ft) | 14 m (46 ft) | | |
| 17 | _in_der_Burg_von_Berati%252C_Albanien_-_panoramio.jpg.webp) |
Shpirag | 1,198 m (3,930 ft) | 666 m (2,185 ft) | 20.9 km (13.0 mi) | | |
See also
References
- Qiriazi, Perikli (2001). Gjeografia Fizike e Shqipërisë. Tiranë: Ideart. pp. 155–157. ISBN 978-99956-29-80-9.
- Lack, Hans Walter (2020). "The early botanical exploration of Albania (1839–1945)" (PDF). bioone.org.
- Ely, John (2002). "Rock Climbing and Mountaineering in Albania:" (PDF). bigwalls.net.
- Buda, Aleks (1985). Fjalori Enciklopedik Shqiptar. Tiranë: Akademia e Shkencave e RPSSH. p. 1245.
- "Streifzüge in Ober-Albanien". Verhandlungen der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde. 24: 529-544. 1897.
- "Buletini Mujor i Turizmit Shqiptar". Revista Drini (8). 1 October 1941.
- Polovina, Ylli (2020). Qyteti pranë qiellit. Emal. p. 225. ISBN 9789928046277.
- "Malet më të larta të Shqipërisë". shbat.org. Shoqata Bjeshkatarë dhe Alpinistë Tirana. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
