View source for Memaliaj

{{Infobox settlement (Albanian)
| type = m
| name = Memaliaj
| emblem = Stema e Bashkisë Memaliaj.svg
| skyline = Memaliaj_(Albania).jpg
| county = Gjirokastër
| mayor = Albert Malaj
| party = [[Together We Win|BF]]
| coordinates = {{coord|40|21|N|19|59|E|type:adm1st_region:AL_dim:100000|display=inline}}
| elevation = 130
| area munic = 372.30 
| population as of = 2011
| population munic = 10657 
| population unit = 2647
| postal code = 6302
| area code = (0)885 
| website = {{URL|https://www.memaliaj.gov.al/}}
}}

'''Memaliaj''' is a town and a municipality in [[Gjirokastër County]], [[Southern Albania|southern]] [[Albania]]. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities [[Buz, Albania|Buz]], [[Krahës]], [[Luftinjë]], Memaliaj, [[Memaliaj Fshat]] and [[Qesarat]], that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Memaliaj.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vendime.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/137-2014.pdf |title=Law nr. 115/2014 |language=sq |pages=6371|access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> The total population is 10,657 (2011 census),<ref name="census11">{{cite web |url=http://www.instat.gov.al/media/3064/6__gjirokaster.pdf |title=Population and housing census - Gjirokastër 2011 |access-date=2019-09-25 |publisher=[[Institute of Statistics (Albania)|INSTAT]]}}</ref> in a total area of {{convert|372.30|km2}}.<ref name="LAU">{{cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/501971/EU-28-LAU-2019-NUTS-2016.xlsx |title=Correspondence table LAU – NUTS 2016, EU-28 and EFTA / available Candidate Countries |access-date=2019-09-25 |publisher=[[Eurostat]]|format=XLS}}</ref> The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 2,647.<ref name=census11/> It is entirely populated by [[Albanians]], both [[Bektashism in Albania|Muslim Bektashis]] and [[Eastern Orthodox Christians]]. The dialect of [[Albanian language|Albanian]] spoken in the region is [[Tosk Albanian|Tosk]].

==History==
In 2 December of 1942 in Memaliaj under the supervision of the [[National Liberation Movement (Albania)|Albanian National Liberation]] Council was founded the first National Liberation Committee of [[Tepelenë District|Tepelenë]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Van Gerven Oei |first=Vincent |title=Lapidari 1 |publisher=Punctum Books |year=2015 |pages=189 |language=Sq}}</ref>

In 1958 Memaliaj became famous for the newly established [[Coal mining|Coal Mine]], which multiplied the coal profit of Albania by 64 times, in contrast with older mines of 1938.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tiagunenko |title=Development of the Albanian Economy |publisher=U.S. Joint Publications Research Service |year=1961 |pages=23 |language=En}}</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Agron Llakaj]], comedian
* [[Foto Strakosha]], former goal keeper
* [[Thomas Strakosha]], goal keeper, son of Foto Strakosha

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Municipalities of Albania}}
{{Gjirokastër County}}
{{Memaliaj div}}

[[Category:Memaliaj| ]]
[[Category:Administrative units of Memaliaj]]
[[Category:Municipalities in Gjirokastër County]]
[[Category:Towns in Albania]]


{{Gjirokastër-geo-stub}}