"During the last three decades, Albania has maintained steady economic growth which has significantly improved the poverty rate and living standards. However, demographic change has influenced differences in regional development, pres suring the government to draw up new socio-economic policies to prevent greater inequality between the regions. Internal migration from urban zones to the country's centre has significantly affected its development, transforming the Durrës and Tiranë area into an economic powerhouse while, at the same time, other regions face socio-economic challenges. Our continuing study from which this article presents some very early analysis aims to explore sustainable regional development in Albania using a comparative analysis of the regions of ‘Durana' and Kukës. It concludes that Albania's regional development has positively affect ed the urbanisation process but, in a negative way, rural depopulation. Both have influenced the structural deficiencies of ‘shrinking' regions such as Kukës. Further research should define policies which establish a path towards sustainable devel opment in Albania in the future."

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