Albania ended the second quarter of 2026 with a positive natural population balance, although the number of births continues to decline. According to preliminary data from INSTAT, 5,083 births and 4,865 deaths were recorded between April and June, resulting in a natural increase of just 218 people.
Compared with the same period in 2025, births fell by 3%, while deaths decreased by 3.7%. Despite the positive natural balance, the continued decline in births remains a worrying demographic indicator, reflecting the aging population and the shrinking demographic base.
Tirana Leads, Korçë Records the Most Negative Balance
By county, only five recorded positive natural growth, while in seven counties the number of deaths exceeded the number of births.
Tirana continued to have the strongest positive balance, with 1,033 more births than deaths. At the opposite end, Korçë recorded 265 more deaths than births.
The capital also recorded the highest number of births, with 2,310 babies born during the second quarter, while Gjirokastër registered just 66 births.
However, Tirana also experienced the sharpest decline in births among Albania’s counties, with 12% fewer births than during the same period in 2025. The largest increase was recorded in Dibër, at 14.6%.
Deaths Decline in Most Counties
The number of deaths decreased year-on-year in nine counties, while three recorded increases.
Tirana registered the highest number of deaths, with 1,277 cases, while Kukës recorded the lowest, with 97. Durrës experienced the largest increase in deaths, at 10.4%, while Kukës recorded the sharpest decline, at 22.4%.
Although Albania’s natural population growth has returned to positive territory, the second-quarter figures underline the country’s continuing demographic challenge. Births remain on a downward trajectory, while population aging and emigration are increasingly reshaping Albania’s demographic structure.