View source for Kukës

{{Short description|City in Albania}}
{{Infobox settlement (Albanian)
| type             = m
| name             = Kukës 
| other_name       = Kukësi
| skyline          = <!-- images and maps  -----------> {{multiple image
| border           = infobox
| perrow           = 1/2/2/2/2
| total_width      = 250
| image1           = Qyteti Kukes ne vere.JPG|thumb|Kukës in the summer
| image2           = Pallati i Kultures "Hasan Prishtina".jpg
| image3           = Rruga e xhamise.JPG
| image4           = Kulla e kosovareve dhe muzeu i qytetit.jpg
| image5           = Pamje e Ures se Drinit , Kukes.JPG
| footer           = From the top, View over Kukës, Palace of Culture, Kukës street scene, Ethnographic Museum, Drini Bridge}}
| caption          = 
| emblem           = Stema e Bashkisë Kukës.svg
| flag             = Flag of Kukës.gif
| county           = Kukës
| mayor            = Albert Halilaj 
| party            = [[Socialist Party of Albania|PS]]
| settled          = 
| area_munic       = 957
| area_unit        = 8.2
| population_munic = 36125
| population_unit  = 15643
| population_as_of = 2023<ref name="census2023">{{cite web |url=https://www.instat.gov.al/media/14334/cens-2023-kukesi.pdf |title=Population and Housing Census, Kukës 2023 |page=107 |access-date=8 November 2024 |publisher=[[Institute of Statistics (Albania)|INSTAT]] }}</ref>
| demonym          = {{langx|sq|Kuksian (m), Kuksiane (f)}}
| coordinates      = {{coord|42|5|N|20|25|E|type:adm1st_region:AL_dim:100000|display=inline}}
| elevation        = 350
| postal_code      = 8501, 8502, 8503
| area_code        = (0)24 
| website          = {{URL|https://kukesi.gov.al/}}
}}

'''Kukës''' ({{IPA|sq|ˈkukəs}}; {{lang-sq-definite|Kukësi}}) is a city in [[Albania]]. The city is the capital of the surrounding municipality of Kukës and county of [[Kukës County|Kukës]], one of 12 constituent [[Counties of Albania|counties]] of the republic. It spans {{convert|8.2|km²|sqmi|abbr=on}} and had a total population of 15,643 people as of 2023.<ref name="census2023" /><ref name="GeographyKukës"/>{{historical populations|1950|1060|1960|3018|1969|7300|1979|9500|1989|16555|2001|17157|2011|16719|2023|15643|align=right|cols=1|source=<ref>{{cite web |title=Cities of Albania|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/albania-cities.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Albania: All places/communes|url=http://pop-stat.mashke.org/albania-census1989.htm}}</ref><ref name="census2023" />}} 

[[Geologically]], the surrounding area is dominated by mountainous and high terrain. The city sprawls across the [[Lumë (region)|Luma Plain]] within the [[Albanian Alps]] between the banks of [[Lake Fierza]] and the hills of the northernmost [[Korab|Korab Mountains]] and westernmost [[Šar Mountains|Sharr Mountains]]. At the confluence of the [[Black Drin|Black]] and [[White Drin]], the [[Drin (river)|Drin River]] originates close to the city's territory.

== History ==
=== Early development ===
Kukës traces its history back over a thousand years. The region that nowadays corresponds to the city territory was inhabited by several ancient [[Illyrian tribe]]s (most predominantly [[Dardani]] tribe), as most of Albania. Numerous tombs from the [[Illyrians]] have been identified at Këneta and [[Kolsh, Kukës|Kolsh]] nearby the city. The city was part of [[Kingdom of Dardania]] during antiquity. The residential estate served as a stopping point on a branch road leading to the [[Via Egnatia]], which connected [[Durrës|Dyrrachium]] on the [[Adriatic Sea]] in the west with [[Constantinople]] on the [[Sea of Marmara|Marmara Sea]] in the east. 

[[File:Ura e Nermjeme ne Kukes te Vjeter.jpg|thumb|left|Photo of the Old Nermjeme Bridge in 1905]]

[[Illyrians|Illyrian]] tombs were found at Këneta and [[Kolsh, Kukës|Kolsh]] nearby Kukës.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Boardman, Edwards|first1=John ,I. E. S.|title=The Cambridge Ancient History|date=1982|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=235|isbn=9780521224963|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXljf8JqmkoC&q=kukes+illyrian+tombs&pg=PA235|access-date=10 January 2016}}</ref> It was a small Roman settlement, a stopping point on a branch road leading to the [[Via Egnatia]], and a minor Ottoman market centre and trading post on the road to southern Kosovo. It was there (Qafa e Kolosjanit) where Albanian resistance stood up against retreating Serbian army in 1912.
=== Modern development ===
[[File:Kofi Anann ne kukes gjate Krizes Kosoves 1999.JPG|thumb|left|Former UN Secretary General [[Kofi Annan]] during the 1999 [[Kosovo War]] crisis in Kukës]]
The old Kukës was located at the confluence of the [[White Drin]] and [[Black Drin]]. In 1976 the town was submerged beneath the [[Fierza Reservoir]], which is held back by a [[dam]].
The new town (''Kukësi i Ri'' - "New Kukës") was built in the 1970s in the plateau nearby which is 320m over the sea level. Kukësi i Ri is surrounded by the artificial lake of Fierza and it looks like a peninsula from the above.
It is linked with the other parts of the country by three bridges. On the east it faces the snow-covered mountain of Gjallica, 2468&nbsp;m above sea level.
In [[Contemporary history|modern time]]s and due to the close proximity to Kosovo, the city achieved worldwide recognition during the [[Kosovo War]] as thousands of [[Kosovo Albanians|Kosovo-Albanian]] refugees crossed the border and found security in the city. Kukës attracted international attention during the [[Kosovo War]] when 450,000 Kosovo Albanian [[refugee]]s crossed the frontier and were housed in camps in and around Kukës.

=== Contemporary ===
The city was nominated for the 2000 [[Nobel Peace Prize]] in regard to hospitality and for embracing thousands of refugees during the [[Kosovo War]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Kukësi, kryeqendra shqiptare më 16 prill|url=http://gazeta-shqip.com/lajme/2014/04/16/kukesi-kryeqendra-shqiptare-16-prill-2/|website=gazeta-shqip.com|access-date=16 April 2014|page=1|language=sq}}</ref> It was the first time a town was nominated for the prize.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collett |first=Richard |date=8 December 2023 |title=Kukës: The first city ever nominated for a Nobel Prize |url=https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20231206-kuks-the-first-city-ever-nominated-for-a-nobel-prize |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=[[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]]}}</ref> In 2017, the city applied for the 2018 [[European Green Capital Award]] to become [[Europe]]'s Green Capital.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/news/20161116.html|title=European Green Capital|website=ec.europa.eu|language=en|access-date=27 August 2017}}</ref>
There is a [[mosque]] and a closed alpine-style [[hotel]], part of an attempt to establish a [[tourist industry]] there. The [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] maintained a villa there.

== Environment ==
Kukës is situated in the northeast of the country. It lies mostly between [[latitude]]s 42° and 5° N, and [[longitude]]s 20° and 25° E. The city lies on the Luma Plain and the southern shores of [[Lake Fierza]].<ref name="GeographyKukës">{{cite web|author1=Bashkia Kukës|title=PLANI I ZHVILLIMIT I BASHKISE KUKES|url=http://www.rasp.org.al/assets/pzhkukes.pdf|website=rasp.org.al|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014034014/http://www.rasp.org.al/assets/pzhkukes.pdf|archive-date=14 October 2017|location=Kukës|language=sq}}</ref> It lies approximately {{convert|3|km|mi}} in the southeast of the former location of the city, which was relocated as part of a [[Fierza Hydroelectric Power Station|hydroelectric]] scheme.<ref name="GeographyKukës"/>

=== Climate ===
Like all East Albanians who are in the plain the zone is [[Humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''Cfa''), similar to the north of [[Italy]], due to its interior location but near the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]]. Despite its southern location, its distance to the east compensates for this difference.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.climate-data.org/europe/albania/kukes/kukes-46032/|title=Kukës climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Kukës weather averages - Climate-Data.org|website=en.climate-data.org|access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Peterson|first=Adam|title=English: Köppen climate types of Albania|date=2 November 2016|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albania_K%C3%B6ppen.svg|access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref> The city experiences mostly [[continental climate]].<ref name="GeographyKukës"/><ref>{{cite web|author1=Bashkia Kukës|title=Programi i Zonës Funksionale Kukës|url=http://www.km.dldp.al/wp-multimedia/fap/covera/Shqip/PZF%20Kukes.pdf|website=km.dldp.al|location=Kukës|pages=11–12|language=sq}}</ref> This means that the winters are cold and snowy and the summers are predominantly hot. The city's temperature varies a large deal across the seasons with a mild spring in April and May, hot summer months from June to August, frequently rainy and windy autumn months in September and October and very cold winter months, often with snow and frost, from December to March. The mean monthly [[temperature]] ranges between {{convert|-25|°C|°F|lk=on}}{{Dubious|date=May 2019}} in winter and {{convert|25|°C|°F|lk=off}} in summer.<ref name="GeographyKukës"/> The mean annual [[precipitation]] ranges between {{convert|900|mm|in|abbr=off}} and {{convert|3000|mm|in|abbr=off}} depending on [[longitude]] and [[latitude]].<ref name="GeographyKukës"/>{{Weather box
| width        = 100% <!-- 77% if there is a template or image next to it -->
| collapsed    = <!-- y, if you have normal updates -->
| open         = 
| metric first = y <!-- always, except UK or US cities -->
| single line  = y
| location     = Kukës, elevation: {{convert|44|m|abbr=on|disp=or}}, 1961-1990 normals and extremes{{efn|Monthly data only for temperatures}}
<!--in the order as it appears in the table, not all of the following data may be available, especially records and days of precipitation -->
|year mean C =12.3
| Jan high C  =3.8
| Feb high C  =7.2
| Mar high C  =12.1
| Apr high C  =17.4
| May high C  =22.5
| Jun high C  =25.9
| Jul high C  =28.8
| Aug high C  =28.8
| Sep high C  =24.6
| Oct high C  =18.1
| Nov high C  =11.3
| Dec high C  =5.6
| Jan low C  =-2.9
| Feb low C  =-1.2
| Mar low C  =1.8
| Apr low C  =6.2
| May low C  =10.8
| Jun low C  =14.0
| Jul low C  =15.6
| Aug low C  =15.2
| Sep low C  =11.9
| Oct low C  =7.0
| Nov low C  =3.1
| Dec low C  =-0.8
| Jan record high C =20.8
| Feb record high C =23.1
| Mar record high C =28.6
| Apr record high C =30.6
| May record high C =35.0
| Jun record high C =39.2
| Jul record high C =42.5
| Aug record high C =38.7
| Sep record high C =35.4
| Oct record high C =30.6
| Nov record high C =25.4
| Dec record high C =22.0
| Jan record low C  =-22.0
| Feb record low C  =-14.5
| Mar record low C  =-13.0
| Apr record low C  =-2.8
| May record low C  =0.5
| Jun record low C  =4.0
| Jul record low C  =6.9
| Aug record low C  =6.4
| Sep record low C  =0.0
| Oct record low C  =-3.0
| Nov record low C  =-16.0
| Dec record low C  =-16.3
| precipitation colour  = green
| Jan precipitation mm  = na
|year precipitation mm = 909.8
| Jan humidity    = na 
| year humidity   = 66.0
| Jan sun  = na
| year sun = 1973.1
| unit rain days = 1.0 mm
| Jan rain days  = na
| year rain days = 95.0
| Jan snow days  = na
| year snow days = 17.0
| source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name = noaa>{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_VI/AB/13610.TXT
| server = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]
| title = Kukës (13610) - WMO Weather Station
| access-date = 28 August 2019
}}</ref>
}}

==Politics==
The Kukës municipality was formed in 1923 by the merger of the former municipalities [[Arrën]], [[Bicaj]], [[Bushtricë]], [[Grykë-Çajë]], [[Kalis, Albania|Kalis]], [[Kolsh, Kukës|Kolsh]], Kukës, [[Malzi]], [[Shishtavec (administrative unit)|Shishtavec]], [[Shtiqën]], [[Surroj]], [[Tërthore]], [[Topojan]], [[Ujëmisht]] and [[Zapod]], that became municipal units.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vendime.al/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/137-2014.pdf |title=Law nr. 115/2014 |language=sq |page=6373|access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> The municipality spans {{convert|934.80|km²||abbr=on}} and had a total population of 36,125 people as of 2023.<ref name="LAU">{{cite web |url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/501971/EU-28-LAU-2019-NUTS-2016.xlsx |title=Correspondence table LAU – NUTS 2016, EU-28 and EFTA / available Candidate Countries |access-date=25 September 2019 |publisher=[[Eurostat]]|format=XLS }}</ref><ref name="census2023" />

== Economy == 
After the fall of communism, due to the newly implemented freedom of movement among all Albanians, a significant number of Kukës's population relocated internally or emigrated abroad for better economic opportunities.

The region is well known for their developed agriculture. Kukës has a carpet factory whose products are for domestic and trade use. There is also a copper processing factory as the raw material.

Kukës is a good centre for fishing and walking in the surrounding mountains.

The [[Albania-Kosovo Highway|A1]] highway passes through Kukës.

==Sister cities==
* {{flagicon|Kosovo}}  '''[[Prizren]]''', [[Kosovo]]
* {{flagicon|USA}} '''[[Lyndhurst, New Jersey|Lyndhurst]]''', [[United States]]
* {{flagicon|North Macedonia}} '''[[Tetovo]]''', [[North Macedonia]]

==See also==
* [[List of mayors of Kukës]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Navboxes
| title = <span style="vertical-align: 1px;">[[File:Coat_of_arms_of_Albania.svg|20x20px]]</span> <span style="color:#00006e;">Topics related to Kukës </span>
| titlestyle = color:black; background-color:white;
|list1=
{{Municipalities of Albania}}
{{Kukës County}}
{{Kukës div}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kukes}}
[[Category:Kukës| ]]
[[Category:Kukës County| ]]
[[Category:Municipalities in Kukës County]]
[[Category:Administrative units of Kukës]]
[[Category:Towns in Albania]]
[[Category:Gegëri]]