Mesopotam ( sq-definite, Mesopotami; el, 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. The population at the 2011 census was 2,786,
[2011 census results]
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
Kostar ( el, Κωστάρι; Romanization of Greek, romanized: ''Kostári'') is a village in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality of Delvinë. it is inhabited by Greeks in Albania, ...
,
Kranë,
Krongj
Krongj ( sq, Krongji, el, Κρόγγι; romanized: ''Króggi'') is a small village in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality of Finiq. It is inhabited solely by Greeks
The Gree ...
,
Livinë
Livinë ( sq-definite, Livina; el, Λιβήνα; Romanization of Greek, romanized: ''Livína'') is a small village in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality of Finiq. It is inhabite ...
,
Muzinë,
Pecë,
Sirakat, and
Velahovë.
Etymology
The name comes from
Greek, meaning "between rivers".
Population
The
People's Republic of Albania
The People's Socialist Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika Popullore Socialiste e Shqipërisë, links=no) was the Marxist–Leninist one party state that existed in Albania from 1946 to 1992 (the official name of the country was the People's R ...
(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.
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.
[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".
Attractions
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
*
Constantine Mesopotamites Constantine Mesopotamites ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Μεσοποταμίτης) was a senior Byzantine official, and ''de facto'' chief minister under the emperors Isaac II Angelos and Alexios III Angelos from 1193 until his fall in summer 1 ...
, Byzantine official.
See also
*
Tourism in Albania
*
Bistricë river
*
Phoenice
*
List of Religious Cultural Monuments of Albania
References
Administrative units of Finiq
Former municipalities in Vlorë County
Greek communities in Albania
Villages in Vlorë County
{{Vlorë-geo-stub