Map of Albania | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment widespread corruption a dilapidated infrastructure powerful organized crime networks with links to government officials and disruptive political opponents. Albania has made incremental progress in its democratic development since first holding multiiparty elections in 1991 but deficiencies remain - particularly in regard to the rule of law. Despite some lingering problems international observers have 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. Although Albania's economy continues to grow the country is still one of the poorest in Europe hampered by a large informal economy large public debt and an inadequate energy and tranportation 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.


top of page


Location: Southeastern Europe bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N 20 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 28,748 km²
Land: 27,398 km²
Water: 1,350 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries
Total: 720 km
Border countries: (3) Greece 282 km; , 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
Extremes highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas coal bauxite chromite copper iron ore nickel salt timber hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 21.09%
Permanent crops: 4.42%
Other: 74.49% (2001)

Irrigated land: 3,400 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Geography
Note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)


top of page


Population: 3,563,112 (July 2005 est.)
Growth rate: 0.52% (2005 est.)
Below poverty line: 25% (2004 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Albanian
Adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups
Note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Languages: Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect) Greek Vlach Romani Slavic dialects

Religions
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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 25.6% (male 476,989/female 434,298)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,199,964/female 1,144,886)
65 years and over: 8.6% (male 141,559/female 165,416) (2005 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 28.52 years
Male: 27.95 years
Female: 29.1 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate: 15.08 births/1000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate: 5.12 deaths/1000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2005 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.1 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.1 male/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male/female
Total population: 1.04 male/female (2005 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 21.52 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 21.96 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 21.03 deaths/1000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.24 years
Male: 74.6 years
Female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 9 and over can read and write
Total population: 86.5%
Male: 93.3%
Female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Albania
Conventional short form: Albania
Local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
Local short form: Shqiperia
Former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day 28 November (1912)

Constitution: 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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)
Head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)
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; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held July 2009)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PD 55, PS 40, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 22

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

Political parties and leaders: Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]

International organization participation: ACCT BSEC CE CEI EAPC EBRD FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICFTU ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO (correspondent) ITU MIGA OIC OPCW OSCE PFP UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNOMIG UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Agim NESHO
In the us chancery: 2,100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 223-4,942
In the us fax: [1] (202) 628-7,342
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES
From the us embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
From the us mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9,510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20,189-9,510
From the us telephone: [355] (4) 247,285
From the us fax: [355] (4) 374,957 and [355] (4) 232,222

Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Poor and backward by European standards Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture which accounts for about one-half of GDP is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment to clarify property rights and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure 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 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 and 2004 the nation has important oil and gas reserves and inflation is not a problem.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $17.46 billion (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 46.2%
Industry: 25.4%
Services: 28.4% (2004 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat corn potatoes vegetables fruits sugar beets grapes; meat dairy products

Industries: food processing textiles and clothing; lumber oil cement chemicals mining basic metals hydropower

Industrial production growth rate: 3.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)
By occupation: agriculture 57% non-agricultural private sector 20% public sector 23% (2004 est.)