Jump to content

Mesopotam

Coordinates: 39°55′N 20°6′E / 39.917°N 20.100°E / 39.917; 20.100
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Mesopotan)
Mesopotam
Μεσοπόταμος
View of Mesopotam village in Finiq
View of Mesopotam village in Finiq
Mesopotam is located in Albania
Mesopotam
Mesopotam
Coordinates: 39°55′N 20°6′E / 39.917°N 20.100°E / 39.917; 20.100
Country Albania
CountyVlorë
MunicipalityFiniq
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
2,786
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal Code
9717[1]

Mesopotam (Albanian definite form: Mesopotami; Greek: Μεσοπόταμος - Mesopotamos) is a village and a former commune in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Finiq.[2] The population at the 2011 census was 2,786,[3]

Besides the village Mesopotam from which it takes its name and which functions as well as an administrative center, the administrative unit consists of 14 other villages: Ardhasovë, Bistricë, Brajlat, Dhrovjan, Fitore, Kardhikaq, Kostar, Kranë, Krongj, Livinë, Muzinë, Pecë, Sirakat, and Velahovë.

Etymology

[edit]

The name comes from Greek, meaning "between rivers".[4]

Population

[edit]

The People's Republic of Albania (1945-1991) established cultural rights in special minority zones for ethnic Greeks in all 14 villages of Mesopotam. These rights were preserved after the fall of socialism in Albania.[5][6] According to a fieldwork of 1995 the majority of the villages, including Mesopotam itself, are inhabited solely by the Greek community, while Muzinë and Pecë, by the Albanian Orthodox. Bistricë has a mixed population and Kardhikaq is a mixed village inhabited by Greeks and Aromanians.[7]

Attractions

[edit]

The Mesopotam village is known for its 13th century Orthodox Church dedicated to St. Nicholas, declared "Protected Monument" from the government.

The "Blue Eye" water spring nearby is a well-known touristic destination.

Notable people

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kodi Postar, Sarandë" [Postal Code, Sarandë] (PDF). Posta Shqiptare. 2017.
  2. ^ "Law nr. 115/2014" (PDF) (in Albanian). p. 6376. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  3. ^ 2011 census results Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Mesopotamia Definition & Meaning".
  5. ^ Kouzas, Ioannis (2013). "The Greek-Albanian Relations (1990-2010)" (in Greek). Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης (ΔΠΘ). Σχολή Νομική. Τμήμα Νομικής. Τομέας Διεθνών Σπουδών. pp. 93–95. doi:10.12681/eadd/33128. Retrieved 18 February 2021. Από τις αλβανικές αρχές επίσημα αναγνωρίζονται ως ελληνικά τα παρακάτω χωριά... Επαρχία Μεσοποτάμου: 1. Δρόβιανη..... 14. Κρανιά
  6. ^ Koutsou, Elsa (2020). "Schools of the Greek Minority of Albania". University of Ioannina. pp. 39–42. doi:10.26268/heal.uoi.10135. Retrieved 18 February 2021. Η αντιμετώπιση της ελληνικής εκπαίδευσης κατά το καθεστώς της κομμουνιστικής διακυβέρνησης, υπό τον Ενβέρ Χότζα, χαρακτηρίζεται από τον προσδιορισμό των «μειονοτικών ζωνών», ... Η «μειονοτικής ζώνης» και τα χωριά που συμπεριλαμβάνει ανά Περιφέρεια.. Επαρχία Μεσοποτάμου: Μουζίνα
  7. ^ Kallivretakis, Leonidas (1995). "Η ελληνική κοινότητα της Αλβανίας υπό το πρίσμα της ιστορικής γεωγραφίας και δημογραφίας [The Greek Community of Albania in terms of historical geography and demography." In Nikolakopoulos, Ilias, Kouloubis Theodoros A. & Thanos M. Veremis (eds). Ο Ελληνισμός της Αλβανίας [The Greeks of Albania]. University of Athens. p. 52.; p. 51. "ΑΧ Αλβανοί Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί, ΤΣ Τσάμηδες"; p.52. "SOPIK ΣΟΠΙΚΙ 889 ΑΧ, PANDALEJMON ΠΑΝΤΕΛΕΗΜΩΝ 395 ΤΣ".