Pandi Geço
Encyclopedia
Pandi Geço was an Albanian
geographer
. He was best known for his unique regionalization of Albania
into four physical-geographic regions, a regionalization proposed for the first time by him and still used today. He was also the author of the first Albanian academic textbook
s of geography
.
, Albania
in 1913, the only son of Niko Geço and Katerina Ballauri. He received his primary education in his hometown, Korçë, where he continued his secondary and tertiary education in French language
at the Albanian National Lyceum
. In 1935 he completed his studies in the Lyceum and went to study geography in Paris
, France
. He graduated from the University of Sorbonne in 1940 and that same year returned to his hometown in Albania, where was appointed pedagogue at the same Lyceum at which he had studied.
and from 1948 until 1951 he worked in the first post-war Albanian scientific institution, the Institute of Studies , later called the Institute of Sciences .
In 1951 he moved into the academic didactic system as professor of geography at the High Pedagogical Institute of Tirana
. From 1956–1959 he was a member of the Department of Geodesy in the Faculty of Civic Engineering.
Between the years 1959–1965 Geço was chief of the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Tirana
and gave lectures until 1974, the year he retired from teaching.
He also conducted scientific research and published several articles concerning the regionalization of Albania, climatology
, demographics
, urban geography
, and economic geography
. Of particular importance is his study Contemplations on the geographical regionalization of Albania , where, for the first time, Pandi proposed a unique geographical regionalization
of Albania, based on the concepts of integral geography. He divided Albania into four physical-geographic regions: Northern Mountain Range
, Central Mountain Range
, Western Lowlands
and Southern Mountain Range. This regionalization system is still used today.
Geço held the title Professor
and published several geographic academic textbooks, analyzing in detail the demographic evolution of the Albanian urban and rural settlements, particularly the capital Tirana. He was also involved in cultural exchanges with French scientific teams in Albania due to his high academic profile and proficiency in French.
After a long career in the field of geography, Geço died in November 1994 in Tirana, at the age of 81.
and French, as well as academic textbooks of geography:
, the Albanian Association of Geographers led by Prof. Arqile Bërxholi bears the name "Pandi Geço" .
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
geographer
Geographer
A geographer is a scholar whose area of study is geography, the study of Earth's natural environment and human society.Although geographers are historically known as people who make maps, map making is actually the field of study of cartography, a subset of geography...
. He was best known for his unique regionalization of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
into four physical-geographic regions, a regionalization proposed for the first time by him and still used today. He was also the author of the first Albanian academic textbook
Textbook
A textbook or coursebook is a manual of instruction in any branch of study. Textbooks are produced according to the demands of educational institutions...
s of geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
.
Early life and higher education
Pandi Geço was born in KorçëKorçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
in 1913, the only son of Niko Geço and Katerina Ballauri. He received his primary education in his hometown, Korçë, where he continued his secondary and tertiary education in French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
at the Albanian National Lyceum
Albanian National Lyceum
The Albanian National Lyceum was a high school in the city of Korçë, Albania, fully financed by the Albanian government, but that emphasized the French culture and the European values. The school fully functioned in the years 1917-1939...
. In 1935 he completed his studies in the Lyceum and went to study geography in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He graduated from the University of Sorbonne in 1940 and that same year returned to his hometown in Albania, where was appointed pedagogue at the same Lyceum at which he had studied.
Career
Eventually he moved to TiranaTirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
and from 1948 until 1951 he worked in the first post-war Albanian scientific institution, the Institute of Studies , later called the Institute of Sciences .
In 1951 he moved into the academic didactic system as professor of geography at the High Pedagogical Institute of Tirana
Polytechnic University of Tirana
The Polytechnic University of Tirana is a public university located in Tirana, the capital of Albania. It offers degrees in engineering and related fields.- History :...
. From 1956–1959 he was a member of the Department of Geodesy in the Faculty of Civic Engineering.
Between the years 1959–1965 Geço was chief of the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Tirana
Polytechnic University of Tirana
The Polytechnic University of Tirana is a public university located in Tirana, the capital of Albania. It offers degrees in engineering and related fields.- History :...
and gave lectures until 1974, the year he retired from teaching.
He also conducted scientific research and published several articles concerning the regionalization of Albania, climatology
Climatology
Climatology is the study of climate, scientifically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of time, and is a branch of the atmospheric sciences...
, demographics
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
, urban geography
Urban geography
Urban geography is the study of areas which have a high concentration of buildings and infrastructure. These are areas where the majority of economic activities are in the secondary sector and tertiary sectors...
, and economic geography
Economic geography
Economic geography is the study of the location, distribution and spatial organization of economic activities across the world. The subject matter investigated is strongly influenced by the researcher's methodological approach. Neoclassical location theorists, following in the tradition of Alfred...
. Of particular importance is his study Contemplations on the geographical regionalization of Albania , where, for the first time, Pandi proposed a unique geographical regionalization
Regional geography
Regional geography is the study of world regions. Attention is paid to unique characteristics of a particular region such as natural elements, human elements, and regionalization which covers the techniques of delineating space into regions....
of Albania, based on the concepts of integral geography. He divided Albania into four physical-geographic regions: Northern Mountain Range
Northern Mountain Range
The Northern Mountain Range , is the geographical region of northern Albania defined by high mountains and few valleys among them. It is one of the four geographical areas of Albania, the other being the Southern Mountain Range, the Western Lowlands , and the Central Mountain Range, Albania ....
, Central Mountain Range
Central Mountain Range
The Central Mountain Range, also known as the Chungyang Range , is the principal range of mountains in Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south.Due to this separation, connecting between the west and east is not so convenient...
, Western Lowlands
Western Lowlands
The Western Lowlands is the geographical region of western Albania defined by plains and low lands. It is one of the four geographical areas of Albania, the other being the Southern Mountain Range, Northern Mountain Ranges , and the Central Mountain Range, Albania .The largest plain in the...
and Southern Mountain Range. This regionalization system is still used today.
Geço held the title Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and published several geographic academic textbooks, analyzing in detail the demographic evolution of the Albanian urban and rural settlements, particularly the capital Tirana. He was also involved in cultural exchanges with French scientific teams in Albania due to his high academic profile and proficiency in French.
After a long career in the field of geography, Geço died in November 1994 in Tirana, at the age of 81.
Notable works
Pandi Geço published several works in both AlbanianAlbanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
and French, as well as academic textbooks of geography:
- Shqipëria - pamje fiziko-ekonomike (Albania: a physical-economic survey), 1959
- Gjeografia fizike e Shqipërisë (Physical geography of Albania), 1963 It was eventually translated and published in 1961 in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by the same title. - Mendime për rajonizimin gjeografik të Shqipërisë ( Contemplations on the geographical regionalization of Albania ), 1964
- Gjeografia ekonomike e Shqipërisë (Economic geography of Albania), 1970
- Fjalor i termave të gjeografisë: shqip-rusisht-frëngjisht (Dictionary of the terms of geography: Albanian-Russian-French), coauthor with F. Leka and L. Dodbiba, 1975
- In "Studime Historike":
- Tendenca e zhvillimit të forcave prodhuese në RPSH, e parë ne planin historiko-gjeografik (Development tendency of the productive forces in the People's Republic of Albania, seen from the historical-geographic plan), 1972
- Disa aspekte të evolucionit të qytetit shqiptar gjatë shek. XX (Some aspects on the evolution of Albanian town during the 20th century), 1975/4
- Disa aspekte të evolucionit të popullsisë fshatare të RPSSH (Some aspects on the evolution of countryside population of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania), 1977/4
- In "Ethnographie albanaise":
- L'accroissement de la population urbaine dans la République Populaire d'Albanie et sa nouvelle répartition géographique (The growth of urban population in the People's Republic of Albania and its new geographic distribution), 1976
- In "Studime Gjeografike":
- Një vështrim i shkurtër fiziko-gjeografik mbi Ultësirën e Shkodrës (Short physical-geographic survey on Shkodra Lowland), 1985
Legacy
Geço is credited for writing the first Albanian geographic textbooks for universities, while his unique regionalization of Albania is still used today. In honour of his scientific contribution to the Albanian geographyGeography of Albania
Albania has a total area of . It shares a border with Montenegro to the northwest, a border with Kosovo to the northeast, a border with Macedonia to the north and east, and a border with Greece to the south and southeast. Its coastline is long...
, the Albanian Association of Geographers led by Prof. Arqile Bërxholi bears the name "Pandi Geço" .