In biology, a skeleton is a rigid framework that provides
protection and structure in many types of animal, particularly
those of the phylum Chordata and of the superphylum Ecdysozoa.
Exoskeletons are external, as is typical of many invertebrates;
they enclose the soft tissues and organs of the body.
Exoskeletons may undergo periodic moulting as the animal grows.
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts
of Albania. It has a population of 156,000 (2004 estimate)
containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It
is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër.
Together with the Përmet District and the Tepelenë District, it
forms the Gjirokastër County.