Sarandë
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sarandë / Saranda |
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| Country |  Albania |
| County | Vlorë County |
| District | Sarandë District |
| Government | |
| - Mayor | Edmond Gjoka (PD) |
| Population (2008) | |
| - Total | 32.000[1] |
| Time zone | Central European Time (UTC+1) |
Sarandë (Albanian: Sarandë or Saranda, Greek: Άγιοι Σαράντα, Agii Saranda) is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. Situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean, at . The city of Saranda has a population of about 32,000 inhabitants (2008 est.). Near Sarandë are the remains of the ancient city of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Opposite of Sarandë (about 2 nautical miles away) is another tourist attraction, the Greek island of Corfu, and there are daily ferries between them.
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[edit] History
Prior to Byzantine rule, the city was called by its ancient Greek name, Onchesmos or Anchiasmos[1][2] (Greek: Όγχησμος) which was a vital part of Epirus,[3] and inhabited by the Greek[4] tribe of Chaonians.[5] The city was an important port, connecting the Chaonian capital of Phoenice to the sea.[6] Its current name is derived from the Greek phrase "Agioi Saranda" (Greek, Άγιοι Σαράντα), meaning "Forty Saints," after the Forty Martyrs of Sebastea, traditionally commemorated by the Orthodox Church on 10 March. The city was temporarily called "Porto Edda" in honor of Edda Mussolini, the eldest daughter of Benito Mussolini, during World War II when Albania was annexed to Italy.
[edit] Economy
The sea panorama, the variety of flora, as well as the soft Mediterranean climate, are among the things that make Saranda the preferred recreational center, and an important tourist attraction. The number of couples who arrange to spend their honeymoon in Sarandë is impressive. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising that Saranda is known as the honeymooners' city. Over the last two decades, Saranda has become the preferred tourist destination. Tourism is the major economic resource, while other resources include services, fishery and construction. The unemployment rate according to the population census of 2001 was 16.58%. It is suggested that family tourism, and seasonal work during the summer period, dramatically mitigate the unemployment rate.
[edit] Demographics
Today, Saranda's population is mostly ethnic Albanians with a minority of Greeks and Vlachs[7]. The population of Saranda increased from 15,700 inhabitants in 1989 to 27,553 in 2001. However, due to uncontrolled movements, especially after 1997, this figure is considered to be even higher. According to the municipal sources approximately 32,000 inhabitants are currently living in the city.
[edit] Notable Inhabitants
- Naim Frashëri, national poet of Albania lived in the city for few years.[8]
[edit] Gallery
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[edit] References
- ^ Epirus Vetus: The Archaeology of a Late Antique Province by William Bowden ,ISBN-10: 0715631160,2003,page 14,"Anchiasmos (Onchesmos)"
- ^ Saranda - Ancient Onchesmos: A Short History and Guide by Richard Hodges,2007
- ^ Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World - page 815 by Richard J. A. Talbert, Roger S. Bagnall - 2000,"R harbor, cape or town in Epirus between Onchesmos"
- ^ Hammond, NGL (1994). Philip of Macedon. London, UK: Duckworth. "Epirus was a land of milk and animal products...The social unit was a small tribe, consisting of several nomadic or semi-nomadic groups, and these tribes, of which more than seventy names are known, coalesced into large tribal coalitions, three in number: Thesprotians, Molossians and Chaonians...We know from the discovery of inscriptions that these tribes were speaking the Greek language (in a West-Greek dialect)"
- ^ Strabo. The Geography, Book VII, Chapter 7.5,"these mountains one comes to Onchesmus,427 another harbor, opposite which lie the western extremities of Corcyraea"
- ^ Oracles, Curses, and Risk Among the Ancient Greeks by Esther Eidinow,2007,ISBN-10: 0199277788,Back Matter: ". Onchesmos was the principal port of Phoinike, the capital of Chaonia, ..."
- ^ "coastal town of Saranda, home to a large minority population,","The concentration of ethnic Greeks in and around centres of Hellenism such as Saranda and Gjirokastra",http://www.da.mod.uk/colleges/csrc/document-listings/balkan/G97 Defense Academy of the United Kingdom
- ^ "He worked as a civil servant in Berat and from 1874 to 1877 as a customs director in Saranda", "Dictionary of Albanian Literature", Robert Elsie, ISBN:031325186X, page 45.
[edit] See also
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