Vlor?/title><meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="../../wikistatic.css"></head> <body bgcolor='#FFFFFF'> <div id=topbar><table width='98%' border=0><tr><td><a href="http://www.wacklepedia.com/" title="Wacklepedia">Wacklepedia Home Page</a> | <a href="Vlor? title="Vlor?></a></b> | <a href="../../abc.html">Index</a></td> <td align=right nowrap></td></tr></table></div> <br> <div id=article2><div align="right"><table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse" align="right"><tr> </tr></table></div><h1>Vlor?/h1><div style="float:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em;text-align:center;"><br><em>Vlora (Photo by <A HREF="http://2ie.mpl.ird.fr/mm/albania" class="external">Marc Morell</A>)</em><br></div><p> <strong>Vlor?/strong> (<A HREF="../../a/al/albanian_language.html" title="Albanian language">Albanian</A>: <em>Vlor?/em> or <em>Vlora</em>) is the second largest port <A HREF="../../c/ci/city.html" title="City">city</A> of <A HREF="../../a/al/albania_1.html" title="Albania">Albania</A>, after <A HREF="../../d/du/durres.html" title="Durr?">Durr?</A>, with a population of about 85,000 (<A HREF="../../2/20/2003.html" title="2003">2003</A> estimate). It is located in southwestern Albania, facing the <A HREF="../../a/ad/adriatic_sea_1.html" title="Adriatic Sea">Adriatic Sea</A>, in the District of Vlor?and Prefecture of Vlor?at 40.48°N, 19.49°E.<p> Vlor?has also been known by the names <em>Aulon</em> and <em>Valona</em>.<p> It is one of the oldest cities of Albania with traces of civilaztion dating back to the <A HREF="../../6/6t/6th_century_bc.html" title="6th century BC">6th century BC</A>. <p> <A HREF="../../i/is/ismail_qemali.html" title="Ismail Qemali">Ismail Qemali</A> declared Albanian independence from the <A HREF="../../o/ot/ottoman_empire.html" title="Ottoman Empire">Ottoman Empire</A> in Vlor?on <A HREF="../../n/no/november_28.html" title="November 28">November 28th</A>, <A HREF="../../1/19/1912.html" title="1912">1912</A>. At this time Vlor?became the capital of Albania. The city was invaded by <A HREF="../../i/it/italy_1.html" title="Italy">Italy</A> in <A HREF="../../1/19/1914.html" title="1914">1914</A> and in <A HREF="../../1/19/1939.html" title="1939">1939</A>.<p> Today Vlor?is a <A HREF="../../t/to/tourism.html" title="Tourism">touristic</A> center with many hotels, recreational centers, and vast beaches.<p> <A NAME="See also"><H2>See also</H2> <ul><li><A HREF="../../h/hi/history_of_albania.html" title="History of Albania">History of Albania</A> </li><li><A HREF="../../l/li/list_of_cities_in_albania.html" title="List of cities in Albania">List of cities in Albania</A> </li><li><A HREF="../../t/to/tourism_in_albania.html" title="Tourism in Albania">Tourism in Albania</A><p> </li></ul><A NAME="External links"><H2>External links</H2> <ul><li> <A HREF="http://www.shqiperia.com/foto/vlora-lg.php" class="external">Photos</A><p> </li></ul></div><br><div id=footer><table border=0><tr><td> </td></tr></table></div><br><script type="text/javascript" src="../../googlead.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> <br><script language="javascript" src="../../footer.js"></script><script src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script type="text/javascript">_uacct = "UA-57414-7";urchinTracker();</script></body>  </html>