Qukës is a former municipality in the Elbasan County, eastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Prrenjas. The population at the 2011 census was 8,211.2011 census results The municipal unit consists of the villages Berzheshte, Dritaj, Fanje, Gurre, Karkavec, Menik, Pishkash, Pishkash Veri, Qukës-Shkumbin, Qukës-Skenderbej and Skroske.Population data on Elbasan County website In the later Ottoman era about a quarter of the city of Qukes itself was Bektashi.Çarçani, Leonard (2007). Besimet Fetare në Prefekturën e Elbasanit. Page 9: "Nahija e Qukësit do të kishte 7915 myslimanë shqiptarë në 26 fshatra Bektashianët përbënin ¼ e popullsisë së qytetit" Via Egnatia passes through Qukës, which was a very important trade route in the Balkans during the conquest of the Roman Empire.
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