Velešta Explained

Velešta
Native Name:	Велешта Veleshtë
Settlement Type:	Village
Pushpin Map:	North Macedonia
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location within North Macedonia
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Type1:	Region
Subdivision Name1:	Southwestern
Subdivision Type2:	Municipality
Subdivision Name2:	Struga
Elevation M:	691
Population As Of:	2021
Population Total:	3,378
Timezone:	CET
Utc Offset:	+1
Timezone Dst:	CEST
Utc Offset Dst:	+2
Postal Code Type:	Postal code
Area Code:	+38946
Website:	.
Blank Name:	Car plates
Blank Info:	SU

Velešta (Macedonian: Велешта, Albanian: Veleshtë) is a village in the municipality of Struga, North Macedonia.^[1]

Geography

The village is located in the Drimkol area, in the central part of the territory of the Municipality of Struga, on the left side of the river Black Drin. The village is flat, at an altitude of 716 meters, but there are some houses which are located higher. Part of the village is located on the regional road Struga-Debar, and from the city of Struga itself is 8 km away.^[2]

The village is located in the northwestern parts of Struga Field, at the foot of Mount Jablanica.

History

Local traditions among Velešta residents hold that the earliest people to settle in the village originated from Debar with the Istrefaj (Istrefllarë) and Vinca (Vojncallarë) families being the first to do so.^[3]

In 1900, Vasil Kanchov gathered and compiled statistics on demographics in the area and reported that the village of Veleshta (Велеща) was inhabited by about 1100 Albanian Muslims.^[4]

Economy

The village covers an area of 9.3 km². It is dominated by arable land on an area of 829.3 hectares, pastures account for 19 hectares, and forests only 1.7 hectares.

The village basically has an agricultural function.

It also has an unfortunate reputation as a sex trafficking hub.^{[5] [6]} The authorities have carried out numerous anti-trafficking raids in the village over the past two decades.^{[7] [8]}

Demographics

The Gheg dialect of the Albanian language is spoken in Velešta.^[9]

As of the 2021 census, Velešta had 3,378 residents with the following ethnic composition:^[10]

• Albanians 3,254
• Persons for whom data are taken from administrative sources 115
• Macedonians 7
• Others 2

According to the 2002 census, the village had a total of 5834 inhabitants. Ethnic groups in the village include:^[11]

• Albanians 5758
• Macedonians 1
• Romani 1
• Others 74

Sports

Local football club KF Veleshta plays in the Macedonian Third League (Southwest Division).

Notes and References

1. Web site: Velesta Struga, Macedonia - Velesta Struga | Velesta map. makedonija.name. 2016-03-21.
2. Панов, Митко (1998). Енциклопедија на селата во Република Македонија (PDF). Скопје: Патрија. стр. 50.
3. Tuda. Shpresa. Të dhëna për zakonet e vdekjes dhe vajtimet në Strugë dhe rrethinë . Gjurmime Albanologjike: Folklor Dhe Etnologji. 5-7. 1977. 160. "Pleqtë thonë se veleshtarët e kanë prejardhjen nga Dibra dhe se fiset e para janë: Istrefajt (Istrefllarët), Vinca (Vojncallarët etj. ".
4. [Vasil Kanchov]
5. Web site: 2004-02-03 . One night in Velesta . https://web.archive.org/web/20201202222137/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3071961 . dead . December 2, 2020 . 2024-06-12 . NBC News . en.
6. Web site: 2004-02-03 . Infiltrating Europe's shameful trade in human beings . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112023001/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna3071965 . dead . November 12, 2020 . 2024-06-12 . NBC News . en.
7. Web site: Macedonia: Sex Slave Racket Clampdown . 2024-06-12 . iwpr.net . en.
8. Web site: MadGiven . 2013-09-09 . Discovery of 20 Young Women Forced to Work Illegally in Macedonia Highlights Human Trafficking Threat in S. Europe . 2024-06-12 . HUMAN RIGHTS SOCIETY . en.
9. Tuda. Rahmi. Rreth disa termave filozofikë në vajtimet e fshatrave Veleshtë dhe Shum të Strugës. Gjurmime Albanologjike: Folklor Dhe Etnologji. 18. 1988. 211. "Veleshtë (ku flitet gegërishtja)".
10. https://makstat.stat.gov.mk/PXWeb/pxweb/en/MakStat/MakStat__Popisi__Popis2021__NaselenieVkupno__PodatociNaselenie/T1503P21.px/table/tableViewLayout2/?rxid=cc8e0490-07b6-4002-adf4-9b4891b66655 Total resident population of the Republic of North Macedonia by ethnic affiliation, by settlement, Census 2021
11. Macedonian Census (2002), Book 5 - Total population according to the Ethnic Affiliation, Mother Tongue and Religion, The State Statistical Office, Skopje, 2002, p. 81.