One in three residents in Albania owns a car, still among the lowest in Europe

2025-07-31 07:57:00, Ekonomi CNA

Albania remains among the countries with the lowest motorization rate in Europe. According to data published by Eurostat for 2024, there are 328 cars per 1,000 inhabitants in Albania, which means that only one in three inhabitants owns a vehicle.

Despite the increase in the indicator due to the downward revision of the population and the increase in the number of vehicles in 2024, this rate is significantly lower compared to most of the continent. (In 2023, Eurostat reports the figure of 202 vehicles per 1000 inhabitants for Albania, or 0.2 vehicles per inhabitant, but which is calculated based on the old population of about 2.7 million inhabitants, while with the new Census the population decreased to about 2.4 million inhabitants).

In the Balkan region, Albania ranks higher than only a few countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina (321), North Macedonia (303), and Turkey, which has the lowest level in Europe with only 189 cars per 1,000 inhabitants.

Meanwhile, Kosovo has a higher rate than Albania, around 349 cars per 1,000 inhabitants (according to 2023 data), while Montenegro stands significantly higher with 417. Serbia and Georgia also have higher rates, 377 and 388 cars per thousand inhabitants, respectively.

In Central and Eastern Europe, countries such as Romania (444) and Hungary (447) have levels comparable to the regional average, but still significantly higher than Albania.

On the other side of the table, Western and Nordic countries dominate with much higher motorization rates. Italy leads with 701 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Luxembourg, Finland and Cyprus, which also exceed the 650 cars per thousand inhabitants quota. Countries such as Germany, France, Austria and Spain also have rates ranging between 550 and 650.

The European Union average for 2024 stands at around 576 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, almost twice the Albanian level. This indicator indicates not only economic opportunities, but also the lifestyle, the level of urbanization and the development of road infrastructure in the country.

While Albania has seen an increase in the number of vehicles in recent years, compared to European standards, the level of motorization continues to remain among the lowest on the continent, which highlights the large economic and development differences between countries.

Other data from the Directorate of Road Transport and INSTAT indicate that the highest number of vehicles is in Tirana and Durrës, with around 500 cars per thousand inhabitants, or one car for two inhabitants.

By June 2024, 914 thousand vehicles were registered in the country (of which 738 thousand were cars), according to the DPSHTRR.

In the last two years, the number of vehicles registered in the country has increased significantly due to massive imports from South Korea, which sells vehicles at economical prices. According to the DPSHTRR, in 2024, 18.8 thousand vehicles originating from South Korea were registered for the first time, making it the largest importing country, with 19% of the total./ Monitor