Mat ( sq-definite, Mati, Latin: ''Mathis'') is a municipality in Dibër County, northern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the present municipalities Baz, Burrel,

Derjan Derjan is a village and a former municipality in the Dibër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Mat. The population at the 2011 census was 1,102. It includes the following settl ...

Komsi Komsi is a village and a former municipality in the Dibër County, northern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. I ...

, Lis, Macukull,

Rukaj Rukaj is a village and a former municipality in the Dibër County, northern Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It ...

and

Ulëz Ulëz is a city and administrative unit in the municipality of Mat, Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is l ...

. 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 Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

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 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 ...

, have been among the oldest settlements of the

Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...

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 Mat District () was one of the 36 districts of Albania, which were dissolved in July 2000 and replaced by 12 newly created counties. It had a population of 61,906 in 2001, and an area of . It was named after the river Mat, which flows through ...

; the southern part is now part of Klos. The territory is largely composed of mountains and hills, which has only been opened up by National Road 6, which links the coastal 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 Shkopeti. The municipality also contains the Zall Gjoçaj National Park. King Zog of Albania's grandfather was from Mat.

Sources

Citations

Bibliography

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