Mat ( sq-definite, Mati,

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

: ''Mathis'') is a municipality in Dibër County, northern

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

. It was created in 2015 by the merge of the former municipalities Baz, Burrel, Derjan, Komsi,

Lis LIS or LiS may refer to: Computing * LIS (programming language) * Lis (linear algebra library), library of iterative solvers for linear systems * Laboratory information system, databases oriented towards medical laboratories * Land information sys ...

, Macukull, Rukaj and Ulëz. The seat of the municipality is the town Burrel. The total population is 27,600 (2011 census), in a total area of 493.81 km².

Etymology

The Albanian name ''mat'' originally meant "elevated location", "mountain place". Today's meaning in Albanian, "river bank, river shore", is a consequence of a secondary change through the common use of both the terms ''mal'', "mountain" and ''breg'', "shore", giving the meaning of "elevation". The river

Mat A mat is a hard or soft floor covering that generally is placed on a floor or other flat surface. Mats serve a range of purposes including: * serving to clean items passed over it, such as a doormat, which removes dirt from the soles of shoe ...

was recorded by Roman writer Vibius Sequester (4th or 5th century AD) as ''Mathis'', following a hellenized graphic mode of the term ''mat''. It appeared in written records also as ''Mathia'' in 1380. Historical linguistic considerations suggest that Mat and the surrounding regions, including

Mirdita Mirdita is a region of northern Albania whose territory is synonymous with the historic Albanian tribe of the same name. Etymology The name Mirdita derives from a legendary ancestor named Mir Diti from whom the tribe claims descent. Other a ...

, have been among the oldest settlements of the

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

after their ethnogenesis, which is considered to have been completed between the 2nd and the 5th–6th centuries AD.

Overview

The municipality is located on the middle part of the Mat river's course. It encompasses the northern part of the former Mat District; the southern part is now part of

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. The territory is largely composed of mountains and hills, which has only been opened up by National Road 6, which links the town of Milot with Peshkopi. The area is bounded by mountain ranges to the east and west. The Mat river is dammed in two locations in the area, forming Lake Ulzë and the smaller Lake Shkopet. The municipality also contains a part of the Zall Gjoçaj National Park. A notable figure of Mat is King Zog of

, born in Burgajet, a village in northern Mat.

Sources

Citations

Bibliography

* * Municipalities in Dibër County Administrative units of Mat (municipality) {{Dibër-geo-stub

Etymology

Overview

See also

Sources

Citations

Bibliography