Albanians Shqiptarë
Skanderbeg · Ali Pasha Muhammad Ali of Egypt · Lekë Dukagjini
Total population
Approximately 8 million
Regions with significant populations
Albania 3,500,000 [1]  Kosovo 1,800,000 (est. Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg ( 6 May 1405 &ndash 17 January 1468) ( Albanian: Gjergj Kastriot Skënderbeu, widely known as Ali Pasha of Tepelen or of Yannina, the "Lion of Yannina" (1741 &ndash January 24, 1822) was the ruler ( Pasha) of the western This article is about the leader of Egypt For other people named Muhammad Ali or Mehmet Ali see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation and Mehemet Ali (disambiguation Lekë Dukagjini (1410–81 was an Albanian prince who fought against the Ottoman Empire. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. ) [2][3][4]  Rep. Macedonia 509,083 [5][6]  Greece 481,663 (2006) [7]  Montenegro 31,163 (2007) [8]  Italy 375,947 [9]  United States 114,000 [10]  Canada 22,395 [11]  Sweden 35,000 [12][13]  United Kingdom 200,000  France 20,000  Switzerland 95,000 [14]  Germany 100,000 [15]  Netherlands 105,706  Russia 1,200  Slovenia 6,200 [16]  Croatia 15,082 [17]  Romania 10,000  Norway 7,000  Belgium 5,000  Australia 11,815 [18]  Austria 20,000  South Africa 2,000  Egypt 5,000  Bosnia/Herz. 15,000  Luxembourg 4,802  Ukraine 3,300  Finland 5,000  Turkey 65,000 [19][20]  Serbia 61,647 [21]
Languages
Albanian
Religions
Predominantly Islam, the majority of the population adhering to the Sunni and Bektashi schools. The Republic of Macedonia (Република Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam Others adhere mainly to Christian denominations such as Eastern orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania ( Albanian: Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë) is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern The Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church is an autonomous Byzantine Rite Particular Church in communion with Rome, whose members live in Albania

Albanians (Albanian: Shqiptarët) are defined as an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common Albanian culture, speaking the Albanian language as a mother tongue and being of Albanian descent. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco -

About half of Albanians live in Albania, with other large groups residing in Kosovo and the Republic of Macedonia. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. The Republic of Macedonia (Република There are also Albanian minorities and immigrant communities in a number of other countries.

Contents 1 History of the term 1.1 Europe 1.2 Rest of the world 2 Kosovo and Republic of Macedonia 3 Religion 3.1 Development of Modern Albanian Religious Affiliation 4 Other ethnonyms 4.1 Misnaming 5 Historical individuals 6 See also 7 Notes and references 8 Further reading 9 External links

History of the term

Further information: Origin of the Albanians and Albania (toponym)

Albanians are the descendants of a Paleo-Balkans people, perhaps the ancient Illyrians or Thracians/Dacians or a mixture of these, but scholarly opinion is divided on specifics. The origin of the Albanians has been for some time a matter of dispute among historians Illyrians has come to refer to a broad ill-defined " Indo-European " group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans ( Illyria, roughly "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity The Dacians ( Lat Daci, Gr Dákai) were a Thracian people the ancient inhabitants of Dacia (located in the area The name Albanian itself was first mentioned in the 2nd century BCE by Polybius (Arbanios, Arbanitai with their city Arbon), the 1st century CE by Pliny (Olbonensis), and the 2nd century CE by geographer and astronomer Ptolemy (Albanoi), as one of the important Illyrian tribes situated where is now Central Albania with Albanopolis as their main city. Polybius (ca 203 &ndash 120 BC, Greek) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic Period noted for his book called The Histories Gaius or Caius Plinius Secundus, ( AD 23 – August 25, AD 79 better known as Pliny the Elder, was an ancient Author Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca The ethnonym applied to the people now known as Albanians is first attested from the 11th century (e. g. Anna Komnene, Alexiad 4. Anna Komnene or Comnena (Greek Άννα Κομνηνή Anna Komnēnē December 1, 1083 &ndash1153 was a Byzantine princess and scholar daughter of The Alexiad (original Greek title: Αλεξιάς) is a Medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian 8. 4), although such a nominal connection does not prove an actual link to Illyrians. The first reference to a lingua albanesca dates to the later 13th century.

Due to the high rate of migration of various ethnic groups throughout the Balkans in the last two decades, exact figures are difficult to obtain. A tenuous breakdown of Albanians by location is as follows:

Europe

Approximately 7 million Albanians are to be found within the Balkan peninsula with only about half this number residing in Albania and the other divided between Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece and to a much smaller extent Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and Romania. Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! The Republic of Macedonia (Република Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania

Albanians in Greece, because of historical migration, are divided into different groupings. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The first comprises the Arvanites, descendants of ethnic Albanian immigrants from the 11th to the 15th century that have been largely assimilated by the dominant Greek population and generally self-identify as Greeks. A second group comprises Albanian nationals who migrated during the 1990s, mainly as illegal immigrants. According to the 2001 census, there were 445,000 holders of Albanian citizenship in Greece. ^[22] The Watson Institute raised this number to 600,000 in 2004. History The Watson Institute was founded in 1981 as the Center for Foreign Policy Development by Thomas J ^[23]

An unknown number of Orthodox Cham Albanians reside in the Greek region of Epirus (Albanian: Çamëria). Cham Albanians, or Chams ( Albanian: Çamë Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes) are a group of ethnic Albanians who originally resided Epirus (from Ionic Greek Ήπειρος - Ēpeiros, Doric Greek: Ἅπειρος - Apeiros, in Albanian Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - There is thought to have been a population of around 19,000 Muslim Chams before the end of World War II who left Greece for Albania in 1945. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The exact reasons for their departure vary depending on source. (According to Greek sources, it was to avoid the impending military court sentences, a consequence of their collaboration with the Italian/German occupying forces. Albanian sources claim they were forcefully expelled by the EDES troops of the Greek resistance for having collaborated with the Italian/German occupying forces. The National Republican Greek League ( Εθνικός Δημοκρατικός Ελληνικός Σύνδεσμος, Ethnikos Dimokratikos Ellinikos Syndesmos, abbreviated )

Approximately 1 million are dispersed throughout the rest of Europe, most of these in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy (the majority having arrived since 1991, but also older populations of Arbëreshë), Austria and France. Arbëreshë are an ethnic community living in Italy, especially the regions of Calabria and Sicily.

Rest of the world

Americas: In the United States the number reaches 114,000 according to the latest 2000 US Census, while in Canada approximately 15,000 as of the 2001 census. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Oceania: In Australia and New Zealand 12,000 in total. Africa: In Egypt there are 18,000 Albanians, mostly Tosk speakers. Many are descendants of the soldiers of Mehmet Ali. This article is about the leader of Egypt For other people named Muhammad Ali or Mehmet Ali see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation and Mehemet Ali (disambiguation A large part of the former nobility of Egypt was Albanian in origin. A small community also resides in South Africa.

Kosovo and Republic of Macedonia

Both the Province of Kosovo and the western regions of the Republic of Macedonia have in recent years seen armed movements (Kosovo Liberation Army, UCPMB, Macedonian NLA) aiming either for independence, greater autonomy, or increased political rights. The Republic of Macedonia (Република The Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA ( Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës or UÇK) was a Kosovar Albanian guerilla group which sought The Liberation Army of Preševo Medveđa and Bujanovac ( Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit, UCPMB was a guerrilla Further clashes were also reported in the Preševo Valley during the period between 2000 to 2001 (in the lead-up to the Macedonian conflict). The Preševo Valley Albanian: Lugina e Preshevës) ( Serbian: Прешевска Долина or Preševska Dolina; is a geographical region

The fate of Kosovo remains uncertain owing to the reluctance of the Albanian majority in the province to accept the restoration of Serbian sovereignty and the reluctance of the United Nations and NATO to separate the territory from the Republic of Serbia in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244 from 1999. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country In February 2008, the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, an assembly under UNMIK, declared Kosovo's independence as the Republic of Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosovës). Its independence is recognized by some countries and opposed by others, including the Republic of Serbia, which continues to claim sovereignty over it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

The conflict in the Republic of Macedonia seems to have calmed down. It was resolved by the Macedonian government giving the Albanian minority a greater role in the government and the right to use the Albanian language in areas where the Albanians form a majority. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco -

It is worth mentioning here that rights to use the Albanian language in education and government were given and guaranteed by the Constitution of SFRY and were widely utilized in Serbia, Macedonia, and in Montenegro long before Dissolution of Yugoslavia. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: The only thing that changed in that matter is that before NATO intervention in 1999, there were information services and news ("Dnevnik") broadcaster in Albanian language on the Serbian National Radio and Television, RTS. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco -

Religion

Main article: Religion in Albania

Part of a series of articles on Albanians Albanian culture Literature · Modern art Music · Sport · Cuisine By region or country Albania · Kosovo Macedonia · Greece Montenegro · Serbia Romania · United States Çamëria · Italy Bulgaria Varieties of Albanian Albanian · Gheg · Tosk Arvanitika · Arbëresh (Italy) Religion Islam Albanian Orthodox Church Greek Catholicism Roman Catholicism Protestanism History of Albanians Origins · History · Illyrians Persecution of Albanians Exodus · Kosovo War v • d • e

Development of Modern Albanian Religious Affiliation

The original culture continued until the Roman and Byzantine Empires crowned Christianity as official religion of the regime, thus suffusing Paganism. The majority of Albanians today are either Atheists or Agnostics. Education See also Education in Albania The education system in Albania is secular Albania, part of the ancient Illyrian territories a cross-road of civilizations and geopolitical interests during the barbarian onslaughts and later on a province of the Eastern Albania, a country of southeastern Europe has a unique culture from that of other European countries Albania is a Southeast European nation that was ruled by Enver Hoxha 's communist government for much of the later part of the 20th century it is now a democratic The cuisine of Albania, as with most Mediterranean and Balkan nations is strongly influenced by its long history This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. The Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. According to the 1991 Serbian census boycotted by Albanians there were 2596072 Albanians in Kosovo Albanians ( Albanian: Shqiptarë, Macedonian: Албанци Albanci) are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic Albanians in Montenegro constitute 503% of the county's total population. Albanians are the majority in Serbian muncipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac and a significant minority in Medvedja. The Albanians ( Shqiptarë in Albanian, Albanezi in Romanian) are an ethnic minority in Romania. Albanian Americans are Citizens of the United States who are of Albanian ancestry Cham Albanians, or Chams ( Albanian: Çamë Greek: Τσάμηδες Tsámidhes) are a group of ethnic Albanians who originally resided Arbëreshë are an ethnic community living in Italy, especially the regions of Calabria and Sicily. Mandritsa (Мандрица "small dairy" Mandrica or Mandricë Μανδρίτσα is a village in southernmost Bulgaria, part of Ivaylovgrad Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - Gheg (or Geg) is one of the two major dialects of the Albanian language. Tosk is the southern dialect of the Albanian language. The line of demarcation between Tosk and Gheg (the northern dialect is the Shkumbin River. Arvanitika or Arvanitic ( Albanian: Arbërisht, Greek: αρβανίτικα arvanitika) is the variety of Albanian Arbëresh, Arbërisht or Arbërishte is the dialect of the Albanian language spoken by the Arbëreshë; the Albanian-speaking minorities in Italy During the Ottoman occupation according to Ottoman data the majority of Albanians were of Muslim affiliation ( Sunni and Bektashi) The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania ( Albanian: Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë) is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern The Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church is an autonomous Byzantine Rite Particular Church in communion with Rome, whose members live in Albania The information in this article is from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica and applies to Albania as it stood at the time of writing Albania has a total Population of 3563112 inhabitants from which 8191 are Protestants. The origin of the Albanians has been for some time a matter of dispute among historians The History of Albania began over two millennia ago with tribes of uncertain origin populating the area Illyrians has come to refer to a broad ill-defined " Indo-European " group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans ( Illyria, roughly Albanian exodus is term used to refer to the deportation or mass migration of Albanians from their homes The term Kosovo War or Kosovo Conflict is often used to describe two sequential and at times parallel armed conflicts in Kosovo: 1996–1999 Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world Both were later overshadowed by Islam, which kept the scepter of the major religion during the period of Ottoman Turkish rule from the 15th century until year 1912. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Paganism were continued practiced with less frequency. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world

During the 20th century the monarchy and later the totalitarian state followed a systematic secularization of the nation and the national culture. A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe Political systems where a State regulates nearly every aspect of public and private State atheism is the official promotion of Atheism by a Government, typically by active suppression of Religious freedom and practice This policy was chiefly applied within the borders of the current Albanian state. It produced a secular majority in the population. All forms of Christianity, Islam and other religious practices were prohibited except for old non-institutional Pagan practices in the rural areas, which were seen as identifying with the national culture. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "country dweller rustic" is a word used to refer to various religions and religious beliefs from across the world The current Albanian state has revived some pagan festivals, such as the lunar Spring festival (Albanian: Dita e Verës) held yearly on March 14 in the city of Elbasan. Spring Day is a Holiday marking the coming of the spring season which takes place in different countries on varying dates Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - Elbasan ( Albanian: Elbasan or Elbasani) is a City in central Albania. It is a national holiday.

Most Albanians are Muslims^[24][25] (Sunni Muslims and Bektashis). Jean-Léon Gérôme ( May 11, 1824 – January 10, 1904) was a French painter and sculptor in the style A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Bektashism (Bektaşilik is an Islamic Sufi order ( Tariqat) considered to be a distinct branch of Shi'a Islam It is estimated that 70% of Albanians in the Republic of Albania are Muslim, 90% in the Province of Kosovo and 99% in the Republic of Macedonia. (CIA Factbook 2007). There are also Orthodox Christians, predominantly in Southern Albania, bordering Greece, and Roman Catholics, predominantly in Northern Albania, bordering the Republic of Montenegro. The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania ( Albanian: Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë) is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Albanian Byzantine Catholic Church is an autonomous Byzantine Rite Particular Church in communion with Rome, whose members live in Albania Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! After 1992 an influx of foreign missionaries has brought more religious diversity with faiths such as Jehova Witnesses, Mormons, Hindus, Bahá'í, Scientologists, a variety of Christian denominations and others. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind A Scientologist is a follower of the doctrines and beliefs of Scientology. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth This rich blend of religions has rarely caused religious strife. People of different religions freely intermarry. For part of its history, Albania has also had a Jewish community. Some of the members of the Jewish community were saved by a group of Albanians during the Nazi occupation. ^[26] Many left for Israel circa 1990-1992 during warfare with the break-up of Yugoslavia.

All over the world, an estimated 78% of Albanians are Muslims, 14% are Orthodox Christians and 8% are Roman Catholics.

Other ethnonyms

Indo-European topics
Indo-European languages
Albanian · Armenian · Baltic Celtic · Germanic · Greek Indo-Iranian (Indo-Aryan, Iranian) Italic · Slavic   extinct: Anatolian · Paleo-Balkans (Dacian, Phrygian, Thracian) · Tocharian
Indo-European peoples
Albanians · Armenians Balts · Celts · Germanic peoples Greeks · Indo-Aryans Iranians · Latins · Slavs historical: Anatolians (Hittites, Luwians) Celts (Galatians, Gauls) · Germanic tribes Illyrians · Italics  · Sarmatians Scythians  · Thracians  · Tocharians Indo-Iranians (Rigvedic tribes, Iranian tribes)
Proto-Indo-Europeans
Language · Society · Religion
Urheimat hypotheses
Kurgan hypothesis · Anatolia Armenia · India · PCT
Indo-European studies

The Albanians are and have been referred to by other terms as well. Albanian (sq ''Gjuha shqipe'' ˈɟuha ˈʃcipɛ is an Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million peoplewhile others claim that it derives from Daco - The Armenian language (hy հայերեն լեզու hajɛɹɛn lɛzu —, conventional short form) is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic" a branch of the greater Indo-European Language family. The Germanic languages are a group of related languages that constitute a branch of the Indo-European (IE Language family. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly The Indo-Iranian language group constitutes the easternmost extant branch of the Indo-European family of languages The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. The Italic subfamily is a member of the Indo-European language family's Centum branch The Slavic languages (also called Slavonic languages) a group of closely related Languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages The Anatolian languages are a group of extinct Indo-European languages which were spoken in Asia Minor, the best attested of them being the Hittite language The Paleo-Balkan languages were the Indo-European languages that were spoken in the Balkans in Ancient times. The Dacian language was spoken by the ancient inhabitants of Dacia. The Phrygian language was the Indo-European language of the Phrygians a people from Thrace who later migrated to Asia Minor. The Thracian language was the Indo-European language spoken in ancient times by the Thracians in South-Eastern Europe Tocharian or Tokharian is one of the branches of the Indo-European language family. The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The Balts or Baltic peoples (People who live by the Baltic Sea) defined as speakers of one of the Baltic languages, a branch of the Indo-European Modern Celts are those peoples who are speakers of Celtic languages, or who consider themselves or have been considered by others to participate in a Celtic culture This is a list of Germanic peoples. Classical philosophy The Greeks assigned names to populations they considered distinct based on the city-state ( The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages. Latin is the name of various peoples or ethnicities related to the Latium region in the Italian Peninsula, to the Latin language, or to its descendants Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who spoke a language of the Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family and established Luwian (sometimes spelled Luvian) is an extinct language of the Anatolian branch of the Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic Illyrians has come to refer to a broad ill-defined " Indo-European " group of peoples who inhabited the western Balkans ( Illyria, roughly Ancient peoples of Italy are all those peoples that lived in Italy (including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia) before the Roman domination The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae ( Old Iranian Sarumatah 'archer' Σαρμάτες The Scythians or Scyths (Σκύθες Σκύθοι were an Iranian speaking people of horse-riding Nomadic pastoralists who dominated the Pontic "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity The Tocharians were the Tocharian -speaking inhabitants of the Tarim basin, making them the easternmost speakers of an Indo-European language in antiquity Indo-Iranian peoples consist of the Indo-Aryan, Iranian, Dardic and Nuristani peoples that is speakers of Indo-Iranian languages The Indo-Aryan tribes mentioned in the Rigveda are described as semi- Nomadic pastoralists subdivided into temporary settlements ( vish, viś and headed Ancient Iranian peoples who settled Greater Iran in the 2nd millennium BC first appear in Assyrian records in the 9th century BC. The Proto-Indo-Europeans (PIE were the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language, who likely lived around 4000 BC, during the Copper Age and the The society of the Proto-Indo-Europeans (PIE existed during the Bronze Age (roughly fifth to fourth millennium BC and has been reconstructed The existence of similarities among the deities and religious practices of the Indo-European (IE peoples allows glimpses of a common Proto-Indo-European The question of the homeland ( Urheimat) of the Proto-Indo-European peoples and their Proto-Indo-European language has been a recurring topic in Indo-European The Kurgan hypothesis (also theory or model) is a model of early Indo-European origins, which postulates that the Kurgan culture of the Pontic steppe The Anatolian hypothesis is also called Renfrew's NDT; it proposes that the dispersal ( Discontinuity) of Proto-Indo-Europeans originated in Neolithic The Armenian hypothesis of the Proto-Indo-European Urheimat, based on the Glottalic theory suggests that the Proto-Indo-European language The Out of India theory ( OIT, also called the Indian Urheimat Theory) is the proposition that the Indo-European language family originated in The Paleolithic Continuity Theory (or PCT,Italian La teoria della continuità) is a Hypothesis suggesting that the hypothetical Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies is a field of Linguistics dealing with Indo-European languages, both current and extinct Some of them are:

• Arbër, Arbën, Arbëreshë; the old native term denoting ancient and medieval Albanians and sharing the same root with the latter. Arbëreshë are an ethnic community living in Italy, especially the regions of Calabria and Sicily. Arbëreshë are an ethnic community living in Italy, especially the regions of Calabria and Sicily. Arbëreshë are an ethnic community living in Italy, especially the regions of Calabria and Sicily. At the time the country was called Arbër (Gheg: Arbën) and Arbëria (Gheg: Arbënia). Gheg (or Geg) is one of the two major dialects of the Albanian language. Gheg (or Geg) is one of the two major dialects of the Albanian language. This term is still used for the Albanians that migrated to Italy during the Middle Ages.
• Arnauts; old term used mainly from Turks and by extension by European authors during the Ottoman Empire. Arnaut is the Turkish word for the people of Albania. Arnauts in modern Turkey are people of Albanian descent A derivate of Arbër, Albanian.
• Skipetars; the historical rendering of the ethnonym Shqiptar, or Shqyptar by French, Austrian and German authors, mainly during the 18th-20th century. Shqip(ëtar ( Plural: Shqip(ëtarët, Feminine: Shqip(ëtare) is an Albanian language Ethnonym (autonym by which It is similar to Šiptari, the term used by south Slavs which the Albanians consider derogatory.

Misnaming

Because of confounding nationality with religious affiliation many authors from Byzantine times have also called and registered Albanians with the following names:

• Latins; term used during the Middle Ages from Venetian and other European authors to denote Albanians of Catholic faith mainly in the Northern regions up to the 19th century. Latin is the name of various peoples or ethnicities related to the Latium region in the Italian Peninsula, to the Latin language, or to its descendants
• Greeks; old term used generically from Byzantine times up to the 20th century by other European authors to denote Albanians of Orthodox faith in the Southern regions, as also those migrating, during the Ottoman Occupation, from Epirus and Peloponnese to Italy. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions Toponyms reflecting this historical misnaming began being corrected in Italy during the 1930s.
• Serbs; old term as above, used by authors to denote Albanians of Orthodox faith in the Northern regions up to the 19th century. Serbs ( Serbian: Срби Srbi) are a South Slavic people living in the Balkans and Central Europe, mainly in Serbia,
• Turks; old term used by ecclesiastical writings and embraced by other European authors to denote Albanians of Muslim faith, and generally all Albanian legions of the Ottoman army. Also called Turkalbanians.
• Epirotes; old term widely used during the Middle Ages by local and foreign authors. The term Epirotes (Ηπειρώτες refers to the inhabitants of the region of Epirus.

Historical individuals

Prominent Albanians have included the defender of Albania during the mid-15th century Skenderbeg, the writer Ismail Kadare, the painter Ibrahim Kodra, the composer Simon Gjoni, the Nobel Prize winner Ferid Murad, the Olympic athlete Klodiana Shala, the Roman Catholic missionary Mother Teresa and Pope Clement XI. Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg ( 6 May 1405 &ndash 17 January 1468) ( Albanian: Gjergj Kastriot Skënderbeu, widely known as Ismail Kadare (born January 28, 1936) is a world-renowned Albanian writer Ibrahim Shaban Likmetaj Kodra ( April 22 1918 - February 7 2006) is an Albanian Artist. Simon Gjoni (1926 – 1991 was an Albanian composer of many popular pieces for piano and orchestra The Nobel Prize (Nobelpriset (Nobelprisen is a Swedish prize established in the 1895 will of Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel; it was first awarded in Peace, Literature Ferid Murad (born September 14, 1936) is an Albanian American Physician and Pharmacologist, and a co-winner of the Klodiana Shala (born August 22, 1979 in Tirana) is one of Albania 's most popular athletes She is a Track and field Mother Teresa, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, (born August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997) was an Albanian ref>Spink Pope Clement XI ( July 23, 1649 &ndash March 19, 1721) born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death Other well known individuals include the prime minister of the Ottoman Empire Ferhat Pasha and Mehemet Ali the viceroy of Egypt. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Ferhat-Pasha Mosque (Ferhat-pašina džamija or more widely known as Ferhadija Mosque was a central building of the city of Banja Luka and one of the most successful This article is about the leader of Egypt For other people named Muhammad Ali or Mehmet Ali see Muhammad Ali (disambiguation and Mehemet Ali (disambiguation A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the Monarch. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. John Belushi and his brother Jim Belushi were of Albanian parents who emigrated to the USA after WWII. John Adam Belushi ( January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American Comedian, Actor and Musician James Adam "Jim" Belushi (born June 15, 1954) is an American Actor, Comedian and Musician, the younger brother Also the American actress Eliza Dushku was born of an Albanian father and a half-Danish mother. Eliza Patricia Dushku (born December 30 1980 is an American Actress, who has appeared in several Hollywood movies such as True Lies,

See also

Albanoi Demographics of Albania History of Albania Cham Albanians Arvanites

Mandritsa Kosovo war List of Albanians List of Albanian-Americans

Notes and references

Further reading

Edith Durham, The Burden of the Balkans (1905)

External links

• Albanians in Turkey
• Albanian Canadian League Information Service (ACLIS)
• Albanians in the Balkans U.S. Institute of Peace Report, November 2001

Mary Edith Durham (1863-1944 was a British traveller artist and writer who became famous for her anthropologist accounts of life in Albania in the early } Albanians (Shqiptarët are an Ethnic group and a Nation, in the sense of sharing a common Albanian culture speaking the Albanian language This articles is about the demographics of the people of Albania. The Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo. According to the 1991 Serbian census boycotted by Albanians there were 2596072 Albanians in Kosovo Albanians ( Albanian: Shqiptarë, Macedonian: Албанци Albanci) are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic Albanians in Montenegro constitute 503% of the county's total population. The Albanians ( Shqiptarë in Albanian, Albanezi in Romanian) are an ethnic minority in Romania. Albanians are the majority in Serbian muncipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac and a significant minority in Medvedja. The United States Institute of Peace or USIP, established in 1984, is an independent nonpartisan national institution established and funded by the United States

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