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Albania is a secular and religiously diverse country with no official religion and thus, freedom of religion, belief and conscience are guaranteed under the country's constitution. [2] Islam is the most common religion in Albania , followed by Christianity , though religiosity is low and there are many irreligious Albanians.
From the early days of interwar Albania and due to Albania's heterogeneous religious makeup, Albania's political leadership defined Albania as without an official religion. [46] Muslim Albanians at that time formed around 70% of the total population of 800,000 and Albania was the only Muslim country in Europe. [ 46 ]
Skanderbeg (1405 –1468) Albanians began converting to Islam when they became part of the Ottoman Empire in the late 14th century. [1] Albania differs from other regions in the Balkans such as Bulgaria and Bosnia in that until the 1500s, Islam remained confined to members of the co-opted aristocracy and sparse military outpost settlements of Yuruks.
Albania is nevertheless ranked among the least religious countries in the world. [350] Religion constitute an important role in the lives of only 39% of the country's population. [351] In another report, 56% considered themselves religious, 30% considered themselves non-religious, while 9% defined themselves as convinced atheists. 80% believed ...
The Government declares its secularism. There is no official religion and all religions are equal; [4] however, the predominant religious communities (Sunni Muslim, Bektashi, Orthodox, and Catholic) enjoy a greater degree of official recognition (e.g., national holidays) and social status based on their historical presence in the country ...
Albania is historically linked with both the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy. Albanians were among the first peoples of the region to receive missionaries and convert to Christianity. With the split of the Church in 1054, Orthodoxy become the religion for the Albanians inhabiting the areas under the Byzantine rule.
Today, Gallup Global Reports 2010 shows that religion plays a role in the lives of only 39% of Albanians, and ranks Albania the thirteenth least religious country in the world. [335] For part of its history, Albania has also had a Jewish community. Members of the Jewish community were saved by a group of Albanians during the Nazi occupation. [336]
Beginning in 1946 under communist rule in Albania, religion was first curtailed, [5] and then public religious practice was outlawed in 1967 with the adoption of state atheism by Enver Hoxha [6] although some private practice survived, and remained so until restrictions were first eased in 1985 and then removed in 1990 [7] under his successor ...