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

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Background: After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

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

Land boundaries
Total: 691 km
Border countries (4): (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

Land use
Agricultural land: 38.1% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 21.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 13.4% (2023 est.)
Forest: 34.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 27.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,907 km² (2022)

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)


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

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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 sample(s): ; Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian); The World Factbook, 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: 47.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 24.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 23.5 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 4.3 (2024 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

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

Air pollutants

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 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

Drinking water source
Urban: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 4.9% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.5% (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 10.3% (2024 est.); 10.2% (2023 est.); 10.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

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

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

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

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

Suffrage

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
Election/appointment process: 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; prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly
Most recent election date: held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022
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
Expected date of next election: 2,027

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Albanian Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Chamber name: Parliament (Kuvendi)
Number of seats: 140 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 5/11/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: Socialist Party of Albania (PS) (83); Democratic Party - Alliance for a Greater Albania (PD-ASHM) (50); Other (7)
Percentage of women in chamber: 35%
Expected date of next election: May 2,029

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Hymni i Flamurit' (Hymn to the Flag)
Lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU
History: adopted 1912; only the first two stanzas of the original poem are used, with the second stanza as a chorus

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (2024 est.); 3.9% (2023 est.); 4.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4% (2024 est.); 3.9% (2023 est.); 4.8% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 70.2% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 12% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 24% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -1.1% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 38.7% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -43.8% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 15.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 22.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 48.9% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: -0.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 1.37 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 10.3% (2024 est.); 10.2% (2023 est.); 10.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 10.3% (2024 est.); 10.2% (2023 est.); 10.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $6.636 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $6.966 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 17.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate 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

Exports: $9.848 billion (2024 est.); $9.099 billion (2023 est.); $7.057 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, footwear, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $11.697 billion (2024 est.); $10.374 billion (2023 est.); $9.016 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, iron bars (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 2.857 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 7.49 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 2.2 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.922 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.238 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 3.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 473,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 255,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 345,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 180,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 522 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 21,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 150 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 3.392 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 566,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 2.734 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 93,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 27.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 173,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2.61 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 83% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 632,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2023 est.)


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Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.7% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 9 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 424 km (2017); 2021-All the trains in the country suspended

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 69 (2023)
By type: general cargo 46, oil tanker 1, other 22

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs