How did the borders established after Albania's independence affect Albanian territory and population?

When the great powers convened in London in 1912 to establish the borders of an independent Albania, they largely ignored demographic realities under pressure from neighboring states. This decision had profound consequences for the new nation:1

• Territorial Loss: Approximately one-half of Albanian lands were left outside the new state's borders. Specifically, the vast region of Kosovo was ceded to Serbia, and the greater part of Çamëria in the south was given to Greece.1
• Economic Impact: The territories excluded from the new state included the most productive regions for food grains and livestock, leading many observers at the time to doubt the viability of the newly formed country.1
• Population Displacement: About half of the Albanian population remained outside the borders. Conversely, a small community of approximately 35,000 ethnic Greeks was included within Albania, which became a source of ongoing tension in regional relations.1

These borders remained a point of significant instability, fueling long-standing disputes and contributing to future conflicts in the region.1