Wikipedia
Memaliaj is a town and a municipality in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. It was formed at the 2015 local government reform by the merger of the former municipalities Buz, Krahës, Luftinjë, Memaliaj, Memaliaj Fshat and Qesarat, that became municipal units. The seat of the municipality is the town Memaliaj. The total population is 10,657 (2011 census), in a total area of 372.07 km. The population of the former municipality at the 2011 census was 2,647.
A small industrial town was established here in 1946 to support the mining activity in the area. In 1990 the production of coal was around 500,000 tons per year. After the fall of communism and introduction of a free market economy the mine closed as the town fell into economic stagnation.