Albania as a distinct nation has very ancient roots, with human settlements in its territory dating back to the Paleolithic period (100,000 to 40,000 years BC). It is considered one of the regions with the oldest population traces in the Balkans and Europe. The Albanians are descended from the Illyrians, an ancient Indo-European people who lived in central Europe and migrated south by the beginning of the Bronze Age, about 2000 BCE. As a recognized independent country, Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912.
Key historical points:
- Early human settlements date back to the Paleolithic era, over 100,000 years ago.
- The Illyrian tribes, ancestors of the Albanians, inhabited the region around 2000 BCE.
- The area was under Roman and later Byzantine rule.
- Albania declared independence in 1912, marking its formal emergence as a modern nation-state.
Thus, Albania is both an ancient land with human presence dating back over 100,000 years and also a modern nation-state about 111 years old as of 2025.
