TIRANA. - Capital of the Albanian State, founded about 1600 by the Turks, situated E. of Durazzo and NE. of Elbassan, on the course of the Ishmi (Drin) river.
The city lies at the centre of an important network of radial roads, both natural and artificial, linking it with Durazzo, Scutari, Valona, and all the other important centres of Albania; by air it is connected with Brindisi, Salonico, and Scutari. At 120 m. above sea level, T. has a notably mild climate, especially when compared with that of the other Albanian centres. Its inhabitants (31,286 in the chief town), Muslims (60%), Orthodox (20%), and Catholics (10%), number 59,160 (in the prefecture), according to the 1941 census. The programmes of public works intended to renew T. were carried out especially after the end of the Second World War, when Albania regained its formal independence. V. ALBANI.