Impact of urbanisation on the transformation of rural areas

Rapid urbanisation has intensified demographic decline, economic restructuring, and uneven infrastructural change in Albania’s rural areas, creating the need to assess how these processes differ across rural community types. The study combined statistical analysis of demographic and socio-economic indicators for 2000–2025, a survey of 200 rural residents in six municipalities, and comparative analysis of periurbanised and remote localities. The findings indicate marked rural depopulation, population ageing, youth out-migration, contraction of agricultural employment, and strong territorial disparities in service access and infrastructure development. Periurbanised areas showed greater adaptive capacity and connectivity, whereas remote communities experienced deeper decline and weaker access to education, health care, and digital networks.