The Classification of Rural Settlements in Gjirokastra Region

The network of residential areas in the region of Gjirokastra has changed depending of a complex factors. This has affected to the utilization rate of the region's rural territories. Considering the economic orientation of rural settlements by relief factor, we look that in settlements that lie in the landscape field, dominates this main branch of the economy: agriculture, livestock, processing of agricultural and livestock products and trade. In settlements that lie in low relief and high montane prevail livestock and orchards, while in the mountainous terrain of petty farming prevails (in villages of municipalities Picar, Cepo, Pogon and Frashër). To achieve this classification serves the real estate registry, which contains books of plots, with surfaces by categories (arable land, orchard, vineyards, forests, pastures, unproductive land). Until 1990, social-economic factor determining in order to limit the application of the regulatory policies of rural settlements. The old system aimed the limiting of the occupation of agricultural land and increasing population density in the rural area. After 1990 have not been implemented proper policies for the development of rural areas. Gjirokastra region rural areas have outstanding value to the organization as space and landscape, as well as the architecture and internal organization of housing and other buildings, infrastructure etc. Cohabitation over the Albanian population and Greek, especially in the rural area, there are approximate customs and traditions, communication and behavior, building style furnishing of flats, etc., creating an original model of the rural community, which can serve as gjeohapësire nucleus of a regional cross-border dimensions, where citizens of both countries (Albania and Greece) working for sustainable rural development.