The new territorial division defined the city of Shkoder as the centre of the new municipality, and it is founded by the Illyrian tribe of Labeates. In the course of centuries, Shkoder was known as Scodra, Scutarum, Skadar, Skenderije or Iskenderije and was an important urban settlement since the second half of the 4th century B.C.
Located in a wide area at the north-western Albania, the city of Shkoder is today a political and administrative centre as well as an economic and cultural one of northern Albania. Shkoder’s university, libraries, archives, churches, mosques and museums, offer a diverse facet of today's Albania which leads to development and at the same time connection to local traditions.
Through its diverse ecosystem (Shkodra Lake and Buna, Drin and Kir rivers) near the Adriatic Sea and the nearest transit point to the north of the Balkan Peninsula and the European Union (land and rail) market, the Municipality of Shkoder manifests all the prerequisites of an important trade and transit area as well as an important economic and industrial centre of Albania.
The Municipality of Shkoder lies in the northwestern part of Albania within a territory of 873 km², which is bordered with Montenegro and Kosovo. The Municipality of Shkoder consists of 11 local administrative units (Shkodra, Ana e Malit, Bërdica, Dajçi, Guri i Zi, Postriba, Pulti, Rrethinat, Shala, Shoshi and Velipoja). The city of Shkoder, with an area of 16.46 km², is located in the northwestern part of Albania. The Lake of Shkoder is situated at northwest with a total surface area of 368 km² and is the largest lake in the Balkans.