Map of Albania | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

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
Country comparison total: 691 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; North Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 km

Land boundaries
Total: 691 km
Border countries: (4) Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; North Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 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
Highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 708 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 42.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 28.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 28.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,820 km² (2020)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 30.2 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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)


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Population
Distribution: a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country
Total: 3,107,100
Male: 1,531,063
Female: 1,576,037 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.16% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 22% (2020 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Albanian(s)
Adjective: Albanian

Ethnic groups: Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)
Note: data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation

Languages: Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
Major-language samples: Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)
Note: 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: 18% (male 292,296/female 267,052)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388)
65 years and over: 15.1% (2024 est.) (male 215,252/female 253,597)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 48.2
Youth dependency ratio: 24.1
Elderly dependency ratio: 24.1
Potential support ratio: 4.2 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 36.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 34.8 years
Female: 37.8 years

Population growth rate: 0.16% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 12.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Urbanization
Urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity due to lack of resources for sound environmental management
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 16.28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 4.54 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 2.55 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.6 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 77.3 years
Female: 82.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.55 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 46% (2017/18)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 97.3% of population
Unimproved rural: 3.6% of population
Unimproved total: 3% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 2.7% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99.8% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 99.9% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.2% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.5% of population
Unimproved total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 21.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 22.4% (2020 est.)
Male: 38.8% (2020 est.)
Female: 6% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.5% (2017/18)

Education expenditures: 3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.4%
Male: 98.7%
Female: 98.2% (2021)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 15 years (2020)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 28.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 29.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 27% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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
Etymology: the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name 'Shqiperia' is derived from the Albanian word 'Shqiponje' ('Eagle') and is popularly interpreted to mean 'Land of the Eagles'

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Tirana (Tirane)
Geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Etymology: the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan Fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city

Administrative divisions: 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore

Dependent areas

Independence: 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998
Amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020

Legal system: civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the 'Code of Leke' is still present

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)
Head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 (next election to be held in 2,027); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly
Election results: 2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted; 2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
Elections results: percent of vote by party/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3; composition - men 90, women 50, percentage 35.7%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD), Democratic Party or PD, Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU (part of the Alliance for Change), Social Democratic Party or PSD, Freedom Party of Albania or PL (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI), Socialist Party or PS

International organization participation: BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Note: Albania is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)
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
In the us email address and website: embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024)
From the us embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana
From the us mailing address: 9,510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20,521-9,510
From the us telephone: [355] 4 2,247-285
From the us fax: [355] 4 2,232-222
From the us email address and website: ACSTirana@state.gov; [link]

Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as 'Shqiptare,' which translates as 'sons of the eagle'

National symbols: black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black

National anthem
Name: 'Hymni i Flamurit' (Hymn to the Flag)
Lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU
Note: adopted 1912

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: upper-middle -income Balkan economy; EU accession candidate; growth bolstered by tourism, services, construction, and private consumption; fiscal consolidation through revenue collection to address public debt; challenges include weak governance, corruption, climate adaptation, vulnerability to energy sector shocks, and emigration of workers

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $49.592 billion (2023 est.); $47.943 billion (2022 est.); $45.723 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.44% (2023 est.); 4.86% (2022 est.); 8.91% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $18,100 (2023 est.); $17,300 (2022 est.); $16,300 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 75.5% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24.4% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.5% (2021 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 39.6% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -44.9% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 18.3% (2023 est.)
Industry: 21.2% (2023 est.)
Services: 48% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: milk, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, wheat, grapes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries: food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Industrial production growth rate: 4.03% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.388 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 11.58% (2023 est.); 11.59% (2022 est.); 12.47% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 28.2% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 29.1% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 27% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 22% (2020 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $5.319 billion (2021 est.)
Expenditures: $4.4 billion (2021 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 18.2% (of GDP) (2021 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 82.38% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.18% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.73% (2022 est.); 2.04% (2021 est.); 1.62% (2020 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: -$202.323 million (2023 est.); -$1.117 billion (2022 est.); -$1.37 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $9.178 billion (2023 est.); $7.057 billion (2022 est.); $5.612 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Spain 7%, Germany 5%, China 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: garments, footwear, iron alloys, electricity, crude petroleum (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $10.373 billion (2023 est.); $9.016 billion (2022 est.); $8.004 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Italy 25%, Turkey 14%, Greece 12%, China 10%, Germany 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: refined petroleum, garments, electricity, cars, raw iron bars (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.455 billion (2023 est.); $5.266 billion (2022 est.); $5.635 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $4.624 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 2.635 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 6.5 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 2.123 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 3.044 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.423 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 99.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 379,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 389,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 31,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 42,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 522 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 26,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 50.623 million m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 50.623 million m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 5.692 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.856 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 608,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 3.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 94,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 30.306 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 177,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2.782 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.7% of GDP (2023); 1.2% of GDP (2022); 1.2% of GDP (2021); 1.3% of GDP (2020)

Military and security forces: Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces (AAF)): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces; Ministry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2024)
Note: the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 (up to 32 in some cases) for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2024)
Note: as of 2024, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Space program

Terrorist groups: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 5
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 303,137 (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: ZA

Airports: 3 (2024)

Heliports: 9 (2024)

Pipelines: 498 km gas (a majority of the network is in disrepair and parts of it are missing), 249 km oil (2015)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 3,581 km (2022)

Waterways: 41 km (2011) (on the Bojana River)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 47,247 (Ukraine) (as of 30 January 2024)
Stateless persons: 1,948 (2022)
Note: 47,306 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2024)

Illicit drugs: a source country for cannabis and an active transshipment point for Albanian narco-trafficking organizations moving illicit drugs into European markets