Tropojë

Tropojë (definite Albanian form: Tropoja) is a municipality in Kukës County, northern Albania, near the border with Kosovo. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Bajram Curri, Bujan, Bytyç, Fierzë, Lekbibaj, Llugaj, Margegaj and Tropojë, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Bajram Curri. This is where the people from the movie Taken are from. The total population is 20,517 (2011 census), in a total area of 1057.30 km². The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 4,117. The non-navigable Valbonë River flows through the municipality.

History

Archaeological evidence found in the area, such as castles or tumuli show that the area was populated since the ancient time. The region lies in the geographical span of the Dardanii tribes.
Tropojë (today's Bajram Curri) was founded by the Berisha tribe and was the center of the commercial trade from the east (Kosovo Vilayet) to the west (Scutari Vilayet) in order to get imported products from the Adriatic Sea. One of the principal trade commodities was salt, which was exchanged for agricultural products. Having this geographical importance, Tropojë was the center of the former highlands of the famous and old city of Gjakova. Tropojë e Vjetër is also the name of a pass, which goes through the mountains, where the people from all over this region go during the summer to relax, and to have access in the green fields with their cattle. In modern times, these highlands attract tourists, especially those from Europe and Israel.