Editing Demographics of Albania (section)

== Diaspora ==
{{Main|Albanian diaspora}}

[[File:Albanians in Europe.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Distribution of [[Albanian people|Albanians]] in Europe]]

Albanians have established communities in many regions throughout southern Europe. The modern Albanian diaspora was formed largely in the 15th century, when many Albanians emigrated to southern [[Arbereshe people|Italy]], especially in [[Sicily]] and [[Calabria]] also to [[Albanians in greece|Greece]], to escape either various socio-political difficulties and the Ottoman conquest. Other destinations include the [[US]], [[Canada]], [[Argentina]], and [[Turkey]].

Over the last twenty years, Albania has experienced major demographic changes, having the [[Population growth|highest population growth]] in Europe before the [[Collapse of communism in Albania|collapse of communism]] in the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Fertility Rates in selected European countries|url=http://www.instat.gov.al/media/239393/population_and_population_changes_in_albania_b.d.b1.pdf|website=instat.gov.al|page=6|language=en|quote=Albania's fertility no longer the highest in Europe|access-date=11 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170207225134/http://www.instat.gov.al/media/239393/population_and_population_changes_in_albania_b.d.b1.pdf|archive-date=7 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Albania has also shifted to population decline since the changes. However, during the final days of the transition from communism to capitalism in 1990, over a million Albanians moved to foreign countries. These include [[Albanian Australians|Australia]], [[Albanian Canadians|Canada]], [[Albania-France relations|France]], [[Albanians in Germany|Germany]], [[Albanians in Italy|Italy]], [[Albanians in the Nordic countries|the Nordic countries]], [[Albanians in Switzerland|Switzerland]] and the [[Albanians in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]]. About 440,000 of them settled in [[Greece]], where Albanians make up 60% of immigrants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.migrantsingreece.org/transpartner/Tables.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325222928/http://www.migrantsingreece.org/transpartner/Tables.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Data on immigrants in Greece, from Census 2001, Legalization applications 1998, and valid Residence Permits, 2004|website=migrantsingreece.org|archivedate=25 March 2009}}</ref> 350,000 Albanians have migrated to Italy over the 1990s to 2000s, however the number has increased substantially.<ref>Istituto nazionale di statistica: [http://www.istat.it/salastampa/comunicati/non_calendario/20061017_00/testointegrale.pdf ''La popolazione straniera residente in Italia''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090327081537/http://www.istat.it/salastampa/comunicati/non_calendario/20061017_00/testointegrale.pdf |date=27 March 2009 }}</ref> The situation in Kosovo is similar. More than a million Albanians have left Kosovo permanently since the late 1980s, not counting those fleeing the [[Kosovo War]] who have subsequently returned.<ref>{{cite web|title=KOSOVO ENDE der GEDULD|url=http://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/kosovo-ende-der-geduld_aid_169033.html|language=de|quote=Seit dem Abschluß des Rückführungsabkommens zwischen Bonn und Belgrad im Oktober 1996 kehrten jedoch erst rund 5000 Albaner zurück. Das Abkommen sieht vor, daß innerhalb von drei Jahren 135 000 Albaner die Bundesrepublik verlassen müssen.|access-date=2 June 2017|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416182441/https://www.focus.de/politik/ausland/kosovo-ende-der-geduld_aid_169033.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Important destinations for Albanians emigrating from Kosovo have been Switzerland and Germany.<ref>150,000 Albanians resided in Switzerland as of 2000 (1.5–2.0% of the total population of Switzerland). [http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/22/publ.Document.52216.pdf Eidgenössiche Volkszählung 2000: Sprachenlandschaft in der Schweiz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012114511/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/22/publ.Document.52216.pdf |date=12 October 2012 }}</ref>