Albanians (Albanian: Shqiptarë, Macedonian: Албанци,Albanci) are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. The Albanian minority inhabit mainly the north-western part of the country. The largest Albanian communities are in the areas of Tetovo (60% of the total population), Gostivar (56%), Debar (58%), Struga (56%), Kičevo (31%), Kumanovo (25%) and Skopje (20%).
According to the official census data (held every 10 years), Albanian...
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Albanians (Albanian: Shqiptarë, Macedonian: Албанци,Albanci) are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. The Albanian minority inhabit mainly the north-western part of the country. The largest Albanian communities are in the areas of Tetovo (60% of the total population), Gostivar (56%), Debar (58%), Struga (56%), Kičevo (31%), Kumanovo (25%) and Skopje (20%).
According to the official census data (held every 10 years), Albanians made up 19% of the total population in 1953. The population fell to 13% in 1961. It grew again in 1971 to 17%. They made up 19.7% in 1981 and 21% in 1991. At the last census in 2002, the Albanian population was at 25.2%. Ethnologue in 2002 estimated some 500,000 people speaking the Albanian language in Republic of Macedonia. In the decade since the Republic declared independence from Yugoslavia, some Albanians have claimed to account for 30% of the population and demanded an appropriate share of power. On the other side, Ethnic Macedonians...
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