Bilisht () is a town and a former municipality in Korçë County, south-eastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision and the seat of the municipality Devoll. It was the seat of the former Devoll District. The population at the 2011 census was 6,250. The town is 9 km from the border with Greece at Kapshticë. The closest Greek village across the border is Krystallopigi in the Florina regional unit. Bilisht is at 890 meters above sea level and has a continental climate with cool summers and cold winters. It serves as an economic centre for the local agriculture, mining, food and textile industries. The football club is Bilisht Sporti.
Geography
The town of Bilisht is the most southeastern city of Albania. It is located to the east of the Devoll Valley, about 880-970m above sea level in a hilly relief that stretches from the Devoll River bed to Kokogllava hill over the city and covers an area of 1.4km2. With average altitude 925 m above sea level Bilisht is the second highest city in Albania after Ersekë (1020m above sea level).
The city has a very favorable geographic position as it passes through the motorway link connecting Albania with Greece via the Kapshticë customs that is 7 km east of it. In the north the town is bordered by Bitinckë (3 km east of it), east bounded by the hills of Kokogllava (1140m above sea level), Stranra (1280m above sea level), Sellcë (an early residence near Bilisht) and Vërnik, (5 km east), south is bordered by Vishoçicë (3 km south), while west is bordered by Devoll River and villages like Poloskë (4 km), Kuç (3 km), Baban (5.5 km ) and Hoçisht (6.5 km). Bilisht has a population of about 12,000 and is the capital of the Municipality of Devoll.
The tyrbe (tomb) of the Muslim Sufi saint Qazim Baba is located in Bilisht.
Climate
The climate in Bilisht is Mediterranean transient, but with remarkable continental influence. The high sea level (930m), as well as the distance from the sea, makes the summer in Bilisht to be warm and fresh, with a cold and snowy winter, as well as with the fall of fresh autumn.
The average annual temperature is 9.9 degrees. The hottest month of the year is July with an average of 19.5 degrees C, where the highest and lowest temperatures range from 14 degrees in the night and 26.6 degrees during the day. The coldest month is January with an average of 0.2 degrees, with average temperatures ranging from -3.6 degrees at night and 4.1 degrees during the day. The maximum temperature was reached in July 1988 (39 degrees) while the minimum was reached in January 2012 (-20 degrees). The annual temperature range is 19.3 degrees.
The precipitation in Bilisht is lower than in other cities of Albania as a result of the strong continental and mountain ranges that surround this area. The average annual rainfall is 780mm. The largest amount of rainfall is reached in the spring and fall months: November (100mm) and October (89mm). Most of the precipitation is in May where on average there are 15 days of rainfall and 16 days of dryness. The driest months are August (39mm) and July (40mm). The highest number of dry days is August, where on average there are 23 dry days and 8 days of rainfall In the second half of autumn snowfall begins which falls until April. During the winter the largest amount of snowfall falls, mainly in January (4 days on average) and February (5 days on average). Usually snow precipitation may be present even in the spring months.
The frosts in Bilisht are present during the 8 months of the year, the month with the highest number of frosts is January (19 days), while the month with fewer days with frost is May (0.1 days) and October (1.3 days)
The wind at Bilisht is mainly blowing from the west and the north, the month with the highest wind speed is February with March (9 km / h), while the lowest speed is August at 6 km / h. The largest windmill is March, where the average wind speed averages 5 km / h over the course of 15 days, while the less windy month is October, where the wind averaged 5 km / h in 7 days.
Sunny days and sunset: The most sunny month is August, where on average there are 13 sunny days and 17 days partly cloudy or wintry, while the waning month is May where on average 25 days are cloudy or partly cloudy and 6 days with Sun.
History
A fortified location dating from the early Iron Age exists nearby Bilisht.