# List of heads of state of Albania

This is a list of heads of state of Albania who have served since the Declaration of Independence of 1912.
Since the collapse of the communist regime in 1991, the head of state of Albania is the president of the republic (Albanian: Presidenti i Republikës). The president is indirectly elected to a five-year term and is limited to a maximum of two terms, as specified by the Constitution. As in most parliamentary systems, the president is now by-and-large a ceremonial office, with the prime minister de facto heading the executive branch.

## Heads of state
### Independent Albania (1912–1914)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| 1 | | Ismail Qemali (1844–1919) | 28 November 1912 | 22 January 1914 | 1 year, 55 days | Chairman of the Provisional Government | Independent |
| 2 | | Fejzi Alizoti (1874–1945) | 22 January 1914 | 7 March 1914 | 44 days | Chairman of the Central Administration | Independent |

### Republic of Central Albania (1913–1914)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| — | | Esad Toptani (1863–1920) | 12 October 1913 | 12 February 1914 | 123 days | Chairman of the Opposition Council of the Elders of Central Albania | Independent |

### Principality of Albania (1914–1925)

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| 3 | Wilhelm I (1876–1945) | 7 March 1914 | 3 September 1914 | 180 days | Prince of Albania | House of Wied-Neuwied |
| — | Mustafa Ndroqi (????–????) | 23 September 1914 | 4 October 1914 | 11 days | Chairman of the First General Council | Independent |
| 4 | Esad Toptani (1863–1920) | 5 October 1914 | 24 February 1916 | 1 year, 142 days | Chairman of the Provisional Government | Independent |
| Austro-Hungarian Command (23 January 1916 – 30 October 1918) ||||||||
| 5 | Turhan Përmeti (1839–1927) | 28 December 1918 | 28 January 1920 | 1 year, 31 days | Chairman of the Provisional Government | Independent |
| — | Sulejman Delvina (1884–1933) | 28 January 1920 | 30 January 1920 | 2 days | Chairman of the Provisional Government | Independent |
| High Council of Regency (30 January 1920 – 31 January 1925) ||||||||
| 6 | Fan Noli (1882–1965) | 2 July 1924 | 24 December 1924 | 175 days | Head of state in place of the High Council | People's Party |

### Albanian Republic (1925–1928)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Election | Affiliation |
| 7 | | Ahmet Zogu (1895–1961) | 31 January 1925 | 1 September 1928 | 3 years, 213 days | President of Albania | 1925 | Conservative Party |

### Albanian Kingdom (1928–1939)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Reign | Reign | Reign | Title | Affiliation |
| (7) | | Zog I (1895–1961) | 1 September 1928 | 7 April 1939 | 10 years, 218 days | King of the Albanians | House of Zogu |

### Italian protectorate of Albania (1939–1943)

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| ― | Xhafer Ypi (1880–1940) | 9 April 1939 | 12 April 1939 | 3 days | Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee | Fascist Party |
| ― | Shefqet Vërlaci (1877–1946) | 12 April 1939 | 16 April 1939 | 4 days | Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee | Fascist Party |
| 9 | Victor Emmanuel III (1869–1947) | 16 April 1939 | 8 September 1943 | 4 years, 145 days | King of the Albanians | House of Savoy |

### German occupation of Albania (1943–1944)

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| 10 | | Ibrahim Biçaku (1905–1977) | 14 September 1943 | 20 October 1943 | 36 days | Chairman of the Provisional Executive Committee | Balli Kombëtar |
| 11 | | Mehdi Frashëri (1872–1963) | 20 October 1943 | 25 October 1944 | 1 year, 5 days | Chairman of the Provisional Administration Committee | Balli Kombëtar |

### People's Socialist Republic of Albania (1944–1991)
#### De-jure head of state

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| 12 | Omer Nishani (1887–1954) | 26 May 1944 | 1 August 1953 | 9 years, 67 days | Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania | Communist Party renamed in 1948 to Party of Labour |
| 13 | Haxhi Lleshi (1913–1998) | 1 August 1953 | 22 November 1982 | 29 years, 113 days | Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania | Party of Labour |
| 14 | Ramiz Alia (1925–2011) | 22 November 1982 | 3 April 1992 | 9 years, 133 days | Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania | Party of Labour |

#### De facto leader

| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Affiliation |
| ― | | Enver Hoxha (1908–1985) | 20 October 1944 | 11 April 1985 † | 40 years, 173 days | First Secretary of the Communist Party / Party of Labour of Albania | Communist Party renamed in 1948 to Party of Labour |
| ― | | Ramiz Alia (1925–2011) | 13 April 1985 | 13 June 1991 | 6 years, 21 days | First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania | Party of Labour |

### Republic of Albania (1991–present)

| No. | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Title | Election | Affiliation |
| (14) | Ramiz Alia (1925–2011) | 30 April 1991 | 3 April 1992 | 339 days | President of Albania | 1991 | Party of Labour |
| ― | Kastriot Islami (born 1952) | 3 April 1992 | 6 April 1992 | 3 days | Speaker of the Parliament | ― | Socialist Party |
| ― | Pjetër Arbnori (1935–2006) | 6 April 1992 | 9 April 1992 | 3 days | Speaker of the Parliament | ― | Democratic Party |
| 15 | Sali Berisha (born 1944) | 9 April 1992 | 24 July 1997 | 5 years, 106 days | President of Albania | 1992 | Democratic Party |
| ― | Skënder Gjinushi (born 1949) | 24 July 1997 | 24 July 1997 | 0 days | Speaker of the Parliament | ― | Socialist Party |
| 16 | Rexhep Meidani (born 1944) | 24 July 1997 | 24 July 2002 | 5 years | President of Albania | 1997 | Socialist Party |
| 9 | Alfred Moisiu (born 1929) | 24 July 2002 | 24 July 2007 | 5 years | President of Albania | 2002 | Independent |
| 17 | Bamir Topi (born 1957) | 24 July 2007 | 24 July 2012 | 5 years | President of Albania | 2007 | Democratic Party |
| 18 | Bujar Nishani (1966–2022) | 24 July 2012 | 24 July 2017 | 5 years | President of Albania | 2012 | Democratic Party |
| 19 | Ilir Meta (born 1969) | 24 July 2017 | 24 July 2022 | 5 years | President of Albania | 2017 | Socialist Movement for Integration |
| 20 | Bajram Begaj (born 1967) | 24 July 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 206 days | President of Albania | 2022 | Independent |