Maqellarë

41.58888888888920.485625Koordinaten: 41 ° 35 'N, 20 ° 29'

Maqellara ( Albanian: Maqellarë, macedonian Макелара / Make Lara or Маќелари / Makjelari ) is a village and capital of the homonymous municipality ( Alb. Komuna e Maqellarës ) in the district of Dibra, which belongs to Qark Dibra, in the northeastern Albania.

Geography

Maqellara lie in the historical region of Dibra and half way between the Macedonian town of Debar ( Dibra Alb. ) and the Albanian city Peshkopia. The border with Macedonia is only a few kilometers away. Maqellara lies in the fertile valley of the Black Drin on a terrace on the east side of the river. The site is located approximately 60 kilometers in a straight line from the Albanian capital of Tirana; on the road but is to deal with a 160-kilometer route through the mountains.

East of the terrace rises steeply the Eastern Edge Mountains, the southern foothills of the Korabgebirgzugs. The 2343 meter high mountain Kërçin overlooks the village, which is located at about 600 meters altitude. The Maja e Velivarit in the northeast is with 2372 meters the highest mountain in the municipality. The deepest point is in the Drin Canyon in the northwest of the municipality to around 410 müa.

The municipality of Maqellara includes not only the actual village 21 other villages. Of the villages Burim, Kllobçisht and Pocest are similar to or even greater than Maqellara. Around 89 hectares of its territory is forest and 2,950 hectares of agricultural land. The entire municipal area is 87.3 square kilometers.

Population

The municipality of Maqellara counts 10662 inhabitants ( 2011 census ), which claims to even 13,854 inhabitants ( 2011). The place is populated by ethnic Albanians in addition Macedonians. Exact figures on the ethnic distribution are not available. Common religions are Islam and Catholic Christianity.

History

It is first mentioned in an Ottoman register Maqellara 1467. Consequently, there were seven houses this year.

Built in the 16th century Allajbegi mosque in the village Burim is one of the national cultural heritage of Albania.

Economy and infrastructure

The inhabitants are mostly engaged in agriculture. Many residents have migrated as a result of unemployment and poverty in the capital Tirana or in the West.

The region is economically backward and there are no investments in infrastructure. The Albanian National Road SH 6 leads west of the village over after Peshkopia. The not yet completed Rruga e Arbërit will connect in the future Maqellara close to the national road network. The capital Tirana will then be more directly connected with the Macedonian capital Skopje.

Policy

Mayor of the Municipality of Maqellara since 2011 Bardhyl Agolli (PD).