Elbasan District
The circle Elbasan (Albanian: Rrethi i Elbasanit ) is one of the 36 administrative districts of Albania. The circle with an area of 1,290 km ² belongs to the same Qark. He has 188 662 inhabitants ( 2011). It was named after the main town of Elbasan district.
Geography
The circle is Elbasan in central Albania at the transition between the coastal plain and the mountains. With the exception of the West, the whole area is surrounded by mountains, which increase from west to east at height. In the center of the circle lies the valley of the river Shkumbin which enters in the east through a narrow gorge in the wide valley of Elbasan and continues to flow across the county to the west. From Elbasan to the west and south-west to the Adriatic Sea ( 60 km ) extends the great Myzeqe level. This is bounded on the south by the river Devoll, which, coming from the southeast Albania also flow through the circuit Elbasan approaches in Cërrik of ten kilometers to the Shkumbin, an arc to the south describes and then places the border south to the circles Kuçova and Berat forms.
North of the Shkumbin the landscape is rapidly increasing. The Kodrat e Krrabës ( Krraba Hill ) and the Çermenika reach heights of over 1,000 m. Still, the mountainous southeast of the circle where the Malet e Shpatit ( Shpati Mountains ) rising to 1880 m ( Maja e Shirokut ). To the west of these mountains Devoll is jammed into a large lake. On the south-west also is a large artificial lake, but is not needed for energy, but for irrigation. In the area Dumreja ( Diapirdom of Dumrea ) around the small town Belsh in the west of the circle can be found some 80 small karst lakes ( Liqenet te Belshit / Dumrea Lakes ). A few kilometers south of Elbasan located at Llixhat hot source whose thermal water is also used for medical treatments.
Economy
Lines of business
A few kilometers west of Elbasan a huge steel plant was built in the 1970s by the Communists. More than 10,000 people were here once work. But almost all were unemployed after the collapse of the communist regime. In 1993, the county Elbasan had the highest unemployment in the country. The city and surrounding areas are still suffering under. Attempts in Elbasan to boost industrial production again have achieved only modest proportions.
In the less central areas of the circle is still agriculture is the main source of income.
Traffic
The Shkumbin Valley is an important traffic route since ancient times. The Roman road Via Egnatia also led by Elbasan (then Scampa ) as of today Corridor 8 of the Pan-European transport corridors. From the Roman road and infrastructure belonging to be found today on the outskirts of Elbasan numerous remains. The modern city dates back to a foundation of the Ottomans, who built a fortress at this important place.
In Elbasan, the road from Tirana unite over the Krraba Pass ( SH3 ) and Durres through Shkumbin Valley to southeastern Albania (SH 7). The route of the Albanian Railroad HSH after Pogradec leads through Shkumbin Valley.