World Facts Index
 Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty
democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to
deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure,
powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made
progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991,
but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and
fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid
schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a
decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth,
and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly
transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Although Albania's economy
continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large
informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has
played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe,
and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and
Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.
Geography of Albania
|
Location:
|
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro |
|
Coordinates:
|
41 00 N, 20 00 E |
|
Map references:
|
Europe |
|
Area:
|
total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
slightly smaller than Maryland |
|
Land boundaries:
|
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km,
Serbia and Montenegro 287 km |
|
Coastline:
|
362 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
|
Climate:
|
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters;
hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter |
|
Terrain:
|
mostly mountains and hills; small plains
along coast |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite,
chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower |
|
Natural hazards:
|
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur
along southwestern coast; floods; drought |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
deforestation; soil erosion; water
pollution from industrial and domestic effluents |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic location along Strait of Otranto
(links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
|
More Geography
Population of Albania
|
Population:
|
2,986,952 (July 2010 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years: 23.1% (male 440,528/female 400,816)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 1,251,001/female 1,190,841)
65 years and over: 9.8% (male 165,557/female 190,710) |
|
Median age:
|
total: 29.2 years
male: 28.6 years
female: 29.8 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
0.529% |
|
Infant mortality:
|
total: 20.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.54 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 77.6 years
male: 74.95 years
female: 80.53 years |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.03 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach,
Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and Macedonian or Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official
Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) |
|
Religions:
|
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman
Catholic 10%
note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on
religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious
practice |
|
Languages:
|
Albanian (official - Tosk is the official
dialect), Greek |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.3%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
Albania
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise |
|
Government type:
|
emerging democracy |
|
Capital:
|
Tirana |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku
i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i
Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i
Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores |
|
Independence:
|
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) |
|
National holiday:
|
Independence Day, 28 November (1912) |
|
Constitution:
|
a constitution was adopted by popular
referendum on 28 November 1998 |
|
Legal system:
|
has a civil law system; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court
for its citizens |
|
Suffrage:
|
18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir
TOPI
head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the
president, and approved by parliament
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term);
prime minister appointed by the president |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140
seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year
terms) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court
(chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals
and district courts |
Economy
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult
transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken
measures to curb violent crime and reduce the large gray economy. The economy
is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly
from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering
trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is
held back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and
the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages and
antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business
environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign
investment. The planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore
and improved transmission and distribution facilities eventually will help
relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve
the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained
economic growth. On the positive side, growth was strong in 2003-06 and
inflation is low and stable.
|
GDP:
|
$20.87 billion |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
7% (2003 est.), 5.5% (2005 est.), 6% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP per capita:
|
$4,500 (2003 est.), $4,900 (2005 est.), $5,800
(2007 est.) |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 21.2%
industry: 20.5%
services: 58.3% (2007 est.) |
|
Inflation rate:
|
3.3% (2003), 2.4% (2005 est.), 2.5% (2006), 2.9%
(2007 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant
workers) (2006 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture: 58%
industry: 15%
services: 27% (September 2006 est.) |
|
Unemployment:
|
13.8% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to
preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2006 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $2.608 billion
expenditures: $3.1 billion; including capital expenditures of $710 million (2007
est.) |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
other: 0% |
|
Industries:
|
food processing, textiles and clothing;
lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower |
|
Agriculture:
|
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits,
sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products |
|
Exports:
|
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and
metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco |
|
Export partners:
|
Italy 60.7%, Greece 9.1%, China 6.5%, Serbia and
Montenegro 5.3% (2007) |
|
Imports:
|
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs,
textiles, chemicals |
|
Import partners:
|
Italy 33.1%, Greece 18.3%, Turkey 8.7%, Germany
5.7% (2007) |
|
Currency:
|
lek (ALL) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2010 worldfacts.us |