<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<doi_batch version="5.4.0" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns="http://www.crossref.org/schema/5.4.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.crossref.org/schema/5.4.0 https://www.crossref.org/schemas/crossref5.4.0.xsd" xmlns:jats="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/JATS1" xmlns:fr="http://www.crossref.org/fundref.xsd" xmlns:ai="http://www.crossref.org/AccessIndicators.xsd" xmlns:rel="http://www.crossref.org/relations.xsd" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML">
  <head>
    <doi_batch_id>NONE</doi_batch_id>
    <timestamp>20260422062530529</timestamp>
    <depositor>
      <depositor_name>wseas/wseas</depositor_name>
      <email_address>content-registration-form+ja@crossref.org</email_address>
    </depositor>
    <registrant>content-registration-form</registrant>
  </head>
  <body>
    <journal>
      <journal_metadata>
        <full_title>WSEAS TRANSACTIONS ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT</full_title>
        <issn media_type="print">1790-5079</issn>
        <issn media_type="electronic">2224-3496</issn>
      </journal_metadata>
      <journal_article>
        <titles>
          <title>Urbanization and Economic Growth in Albania: An Empirical Study</title>
        </titles>
        <contributors>
          <person_name sequence="first" contributor_role="author">
            <given_name>Matilda</given_name>
            <surname>Veliu</surname>
            <affiliations>
              <institution>
                <institution_name>Faculty of Economy, University of Tirana, ALBANIA </institution_name>
              </institution>
            </affiliations>
            <ORCID>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3820-4909</ORCID>
          </person_name>
        </contributors>
        <jats:abstract xml:lang="en">
          <jats:p>The article aims to investigate the relationship between urbanization and economic growth in Albania, with a special focus on the elements of the labor market. The hypothesis is examined through the data panel from 2012 to 2022 acquired by the official institutions, such as Instat and Statista. The results of the regression model do not reveal any impact of urbanization on the economic growth of the country. The employment of the agricultural sector is an important factor. Pearson correlation between urbanization and economic growth estimated at 0.342 indicates a weak to moderate positive relationship. According to the results of the model and the problems that the active labor force in the country faces, the potential to be developed rapidly seems not yet present. In the future, the mutual influence of the two variables is poised between the Tirana and Durrës regions, leveraging the potential through investments in infrastructure.</jats:p>
        </jats:abstract>
        <publication_date media_type="print">
          <month>04</month>
          <day>22</day>
          <year>2026</year>
        </publication_date>
        <publication_date media_type="online">
          <month>04</month>
          <day>22</day>
          <year>2026</year>
        </publication_date>
        <pages>
          <first_page>341</first_page>
        </pages>
        <publisher_item>
          <item_number item_number_type="article_number">28</item_number>
        </publisher_item>
        <ai:program name="AccessIndicators">
          <ai:license_ref>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en_US</ai:license_ref>
        </ai:program>
        <doi_data>
          <doi>10.37394/232015.2026.22.28</doi>
          <resource>https://wseas.com/journals/ead/2026/a565107-3377.pdf</resource>
        </doi_data>
        <citation_list>
          <citation key="ref0">
            <unstructured_citation>Stecklov, G., Carletto, C., Azzarri, C., Davis, B. (2008). Gender and International Migration from Albania. Agency, Education and Networks, World Bank, Policy Research Working Paper No. 4507, pp. 20-22.</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref1">
            <unstructured_citation>(Instituti Shqiptar i Statistikave) Institute of Albanian Statistics (Instat). Available: https://www.instat.gov.al/media/7969/zhvillimi_i _anket%C3%ABs_komb%C3%ABtare_t%C3% AB_migracionit_n%C3%AB_familje_alb.pdf (Accessed Date: February 3, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref2">
            <unstructured_citation>Elgin, C., Oyvat, C. (2013). Lurking in the Cities: Urbanization and Informal Economy. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Vol. 27, pp.36- 47doi:10.1016/j.strueco.2013.06.003.</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref3">
            <unstructured_citation>Kingsley Davis. (1975). Asia’s Cities: Problems and Options. Population and Development Review, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Sep, 1975), pp. 71-86.</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref4">
            <unstructured_citation>Siebel, Walter. (2018). Urbanity. Academy for Territorial Development in the Leibniz Association. Available: Compendium of Urban and Regional Development.pdf (Accessed date: February 5, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref5">
            <unstructured_citation>Sarker, S. (2024). Exploring Economic Dynamics and Urbanization in the Context of Environmental Impact: A Study on Capital Flows, Investment Trends, and Urban Growth. Annals of “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, ISSN (online): 2344- 441X, Available: https://eia.feaa.ugal.ro/images/eia/2024_3/Sarker. pdf (Accessed Date: March 7, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref6">
            <unstructured_citation>Daniel, Y.F. Lo (2013). Urbanization and Economic Growth-Testing for Causality. 16th Annual Pacific Rim Real Estate Conference, January 24-27, 2010, Wellington, New Zealand, Building and Real Estate Workshop Paper, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Available: https://www.prres.org/uploads/746/1792/Lo_Urb anization_Economic_Growth_Testing_Causality. pdf (Accessed Date: March 10, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref7">
            <unstructured_citation>Dungaj, Sara. (2022). High-Skilled Migration Main Causes, and Its Potential Long-term Economic Implications: Evidence from Albania. Thesis, Central European University. Available: doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.24959.89767</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref8">
            <unstructured_citation>Fields, Gary. S. (1975). Rural-Urban Migration, Urban Employment, Underemployment, and Job Search Activity in LDCs. Yale University, Economic Growth Center (EGC), Center Discussion Paper, No. 168, Journal of Development Economics, Vol. 2, Issue 2, pp.165- 187.Link (Accessed Date: March 7, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref9">
            <unstructured_citation>Gahni, E., Kanbur, R. (2013). Urbanization and (In) Formalization. Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-7801 USA, Policy Research Working Paper 6374, pp.15- 18.doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-6374</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref10">
            <unstructured_citation>Liu, Y., Yang, M, and Cui, J. (2024). Urbanization, economic agglomeration, and economic growth. CellPress, Heliyon, Vol. 10, Issue 1 (2024), e23772, pp.8-10. Available: doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23772</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref11">
            <unstructured_citation>Krugman, P. (2000). Increasing Returns and Economic Geography. The Journal of Political Economy. Vol. 99 (3). Available: Increasing Returns and Economic Geography.pdf (Accessed Date: March 20, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref12">
            <unstructured_citation>Quigley, J.M. (2008). Urbanization, Agglomeration, and Economic Development. World Bank Seminar on Growth and Development, Washington, D.C, published by the Commission on Growth and Development, 2009, ISBN: 978 0—8213-7573-0, Chapter 4, doi.org/10.1596/28042</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref13">
            <unstructured_citation>Adekunle, A. O. (2024). Analyzing how urbanization impacts economic growth in Nigeria. Journal of Management and Accounting, Vol. 7, No.2, October 2024,doi:10.52166/jmacc.v7i2.7693</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref14">
            <unstructured_citation>Lubonja, O., Shehu, E. (2022). Impact of Urbanization and Economic Growth in Albania. Journal of Educational and Social Research, Richtmann Publishing, 2022, Vol. 12, No.6, November 2022, DOI: Available: https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2022-0163 (Accessed Date: March 7, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref15">
            <unstructured_citation>Zi, Y. L. (2017). Urbanization and Economic Growth in China: An empirical research based on the VAR model. International Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 9, No. 3 (2017), ISSN: 1916-971X, published by Canadian Center of Science and Education. Available: Urbanization and Economic Growth in China.pfd Accesed Date 24 Sep 2025</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref16">
            <unstructured_citation>Jacobs, S., David, O., Van Wyk, S.A. (2023). The Impact of Urbanization on Economic Growth in Gauteng Province, South Africa. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 2023, 13(2), pp. 1-11, ISSN: 2146-4138, Available: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijefi.13899 (Accessed Date: March 5, 2025)</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref17">
            <unstructured_citation>Bond, W.E., Reizman, G.R., Wang, P. (2016). Urbanization and Economic Development: A Tale of Two Barriers, CESifo Working Paper Series No. 5742. Available: dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2745169 (Accessed Date: March 22, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref18">
            <unstructured_citation>Bettencourt, M.L., Samaniego, H., Youn, H. (2014). Professional diversity and the productivity of cities. Scientific Reports, Vol 4:5393, pp. 2-5, doi: 10.1038/srep05393.</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref19">
            <unstructured_citation>Kaleshi, E. (2021). Effects of Migration and Human Capital Formation in Albania. European Journal of Social Science, Education and Research, Vol. 8, Issue 1, pp. 98-100, ISSN: 2312- 8429. doi.org/10.26417/864jjj42q</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref20">
            <unstructured_citation>Uchida, H., Nelson, A. (2010). Agglomeration index: Towards a new measure of urban concentration. Published by the United Nations University, UNU-Wider, World Institute for Development Economics Research, WIDER Working Paper, No. 2010/29, ISBN: 978-92- 9230-264-1. (Accessed Date: March 5, 2025)</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref21">
            <unstructured_citation>King, R., Gërdeshi, I. (2023). Albanian Students Abroad: A Potential Brain Drain?. Central and Eastern European Migration Review, Vol. 12, No. 2, 2023, pp. 73-97.Link (Accessed Date: March 22, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref22">
            <unstructured_citation>Statista. (2025). Available: https://www.statista.com (Accessed Date: February 1, 2025).</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
          <citation key="ref23">
            <unstructured_citation>Hair, J.F., Hult, G.T.M., Ringle, C.M., and Sarstedt, M. (2022). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLSSEM). (3 ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Sage Publishing, ISBN: 978-3-030-80519-7</unstructured_citation>
          </citation>
        </citation_list>
      </journal_article>
    </journal>
  </body>
</doi_batch>