Tropojë (; sq-definite, Tropoja) is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

Kukës County Kukës County (; sq, Qarku i Kukësit) is a landlocked county in northeastern Albania, with the capital in Kukës. The county spans and had a total population of 74,388 people as of 2021. The county borders on the counties of Dibër, Lezhë a ...

, northeastern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

, within the historical ethnographic region of the Gjakova Highlands. The municipality consists of the administrative units of

Bajram Curri Bajram Curri (16 January 1862 – 29 March 1925) was an Albanian chieftain, politician and activist who struggled for the independence of Albania, later struggling for Kosovo's incorporation into it following the 1913 Treaty of London. He wa ...

Bujan Bujan is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 2,550.

Bytyç Bytyç is a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë Tropojë (; sq-definite, Tropoja) is a municipality in Kukës County, northeastern A ...

, Fierzë,

Lekbibaj Lekbibaj is a village and a former municipality Tropojë northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 1,207. It is the historical center of the Nik ...

Llugaj Llugaj is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë Tropojë (; sq-definite, Tropoja) is a municipality in Kukës County, ...

Margegaj Margegaj is a village and a former municipality in the Kukës County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Tropojë. The population at the 2011 census was 2,346.

and Tropojë, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Bajram Curri. As of the Institute of Statistics estimate from the 2011 census, there were 4,117 people residing in the municipal unit Tropojë and 20,517 in Tropojë Municipality.

Etymology

Tropojë's old name was ''Trebopolje'' and is recorded in Serbian medieval charters and Ottoman registers. The word itself comes from the old Slavic ''trebiti'', ‘to clean’, and ''polje'', ‘field’, i.e. ‘clean field’. Tropojë used to be more commonly known as Malësia e Gjakoves.

History

The region was inhabited by Illyrian tribes. Archaeological evidence found in the area, such as castles or

tumuli A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones buil ...

show that the area was populated since the ancient time. The region lies in the geographical span of the

Dardani The Dardani (; grc, Δαρδάνιοι, Δάρδανοι; la, Dardani) or Dardanians were a Paleo-Balkan people, who lived in a region that was named Dardania after their settlement there. They were among the oldest Balkan peoples, and their ...

tribes.

Geography

Tropojë Municipality is located on the bank of Valbonë River between the

Albanian Alps The Accursed Mountains ( sq, Bjeshkët e Nemuna; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Проклетије, Prokletije, ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps ( sq, Alpet Shqiptare), are a mountain group in the western part of the B ...

in northeastern Albania bordering

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

to the northwest and

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

to the northeast and east.

Valbonë Valley National Park The Valbona Valley National Park ( sq, Parku Kombëtar i Luginës së Valbonës) is a national park inside the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. The park covers a total area of , encompassing Valbona River and its surrounding areas with mountai ...

sprawls in the northwest of Tropojë and protects the Valbonë Valley and the

Gashi River The Gashi ( sq, Lumi i Gashit) is a river located in Tropojë, northern Albania. It is a nature reserve, spanning an area of . The nature reserve forms a part of the European Green Belt and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site within th ...

, which has been inscribed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

list as portion of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe. The area of the municipality is .

Climate

According to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

, Tropojë falls under the periphery of the

warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate (also called a dry summer temperate climate ''Cs'') is a temperate climate sub-type, generally characterized by warm, dry summers and mild, fairly wet winters; these weather conditions are typically experienced in the ...

(Csb) zone with an average annual temperature of .

Notable people

* Albana Osmani *

Arben Bajraktaraj Arben Bajraktaraj (born 29 January 1973) is a Kosovan-born French actor. Bajraktaraj has starred in numerous French films but also in roles in international movies, such as ''Eden Log'' and ''Sex Traffic''. He has frequently portrayed crime syndica ...

Azem Hajdari Azem Shpend Hajdari (, March 11, 1963 – September 12, 1998) was the leader of the student movement in 1990–1991 that led to the fall of communism in Albania. He then became a politician of the Democratic Party of Albania (DP). He symbolizes t ...

Besnik Mustafaj Besnik Bajram Mustafaj (born 1958) is an Albanian writer and diplomat. Career Mustafaj is a former Albanian ambassador to France. He became 62nd foreign minister of Albania on 11 September 2005 when the government of Prime Minister Sali Berisha ...

Binak Alia Binak Alia (1805–1895) was an Albanian leader from the Highlands of Gjakova. He is remembered mainly for his participation in the Albanian Revolt of 1845, and as a wise old man who helped resolve blood feuds in the area. Life Alia was bor ...

* Erjon Dollapi *

Fatime Sokoli Fatime Sokoli (18 June 1948 – 12 August 1987) was an Albanian 20th century folk music singer. References External links * * * * * 20th-century Albanian women singers Albanian folk musicians 1987 deaths 1948 births People from Tropo ...

Haxhi Zeka Haxhi Zekë Byberi mostly known as Haxhi Zeka ( tr, Haci Zeka; 20 December 1832 – 21 February 1902) was an Albanian nationalist leader, a member of the League of Prizren, while in 1899 he was part of the establishment and leadership of the Le ...

Mic Sokoli Mic Sokoli (1839 – 20 April 1881) was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter from the Highlands of Gjakova. He was a noted guerrilla leader during the years of the League of Prizren and took part in the fighting in Yakova agai ...

Sali Berisha Sali Ram Berisha (; born 15 October 1944) is an Albanian conservative politician and former cardiologist who served as the second President of Albania from 1992 to 1997 and Prime Minister from 2005 to 2013. He is also the current chairman of t ...

* Shpend Dragobia *

Skënder Gega Skënder Gega (born 14 November 1963) is an Albanian retired football player and current manager. Playing career Club Gega played the majority of his career at Partizani, an Albanian team, whilst also having a two-year stint with German side ...

Soni Malaj Soni Malaj (born 23 October 1981), also known mononymously as Soni, is an Albanian singer, songwriter and dancer. Life and career Soni Malaj was born on 23 October 1982 into an Albanian family in the city of Tropojë, then part of the People' ...

Notes

References

External links

tropoje.gov.al
– Official Website {{DEFAULTSORT:Tropoje Administrative units of Tropojë Albanian ethnographic regions Gegëri Municipalities in Kukës County Towns in Albania