Albania declared its independence
from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939.
Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself
first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the
early 1990s, 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; however, there have
been claims of electoral fraud in every one of Albania's post-communist
elections. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its
allies won a decisive victory on pledges to reduce crime and corruption,
promote economic growth, and decrease the size of government. The
election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was
considered an important step forward. Albania joined NATO in April 2009
and is a potential candidate for EU accession. 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.
Geography ::Albania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the
Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro
and Kosovo to the north
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748
sq km
land:
27,398 sq km
water:
1,350 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than
Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 717
km
border countries:
Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172
km, Kosovo 112 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12
nm
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
Current Weather
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) 2,764 m
destructive earthquakes;
tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil
erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air
Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location along
Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean
Sea)
65 years and over:
10% (male 170,273/female 195,620) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 30.2
years
male:
29.6 years
female:
31 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.559% (2010 est.)
Birth rate:
15.39 births/1,000
population (2010 est.)
Death rate:
5.66 deaths/1,000
population (July 2010 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.15 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 47%
of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1
male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.87 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 17.96
deaths/1,000 live births
male:
18.39 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
17.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.13
years
country comparison to the world: 51
male:
75.45 years
female:
81.07 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2 children born/woman
(2010 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective:
Albanian
Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%,
other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, 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
approved by parliament on
21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998;
promulgated 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 (since 24 July 2007)
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 Assembly for a five-year
term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8
and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister
appointed by the president
unicameral Assembly or
Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members elected by direct popular vote and 40 by
proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in
2013)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD
68, PS 64, LSI 4, other 4
note:Parliament in November 2008 approved an electoral
reform package that transformed the electoral system from a majority
system to a regional proportional system; the code also established an
electoral threshold limiting smaller party representation
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 [Nard
NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic
Alliance Party or AD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali
BERISHA]; G99 Political Movement [Erion VELIAJ]; Liberal Union Party or
BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur
ROSHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Republican Party or
PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [Paskal
MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist
Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi
RAMA]; Socialist Party 1991 [Petro KOCI]; Union for Human Rights Party
or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Citizens Advocacy Office
[Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH
[Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur
ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade
Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]
chief of mission: Ambassador
Aleksander SALLABANDA
chancery:
2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 223-4942
FAX:
[1] (202) 628-7342
consulate(s) general:
New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador
John L. WITHERS, II
embassy:
Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address:
US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles,
VA 20189-9510
telephone:
[355] (4) 2247285
FAX:
[355] (4) 2232222
Flag description:
red with a black
two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of
15th-century hero George Castriota SKANDERBERG, who led a successful
uprising against the Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence
for some Albanian regions (1443-1478)
Economy ::Albania
Economy - overview:
Albania, a formerly closed,
centrally-planned state, is making the difficult transition to a more
modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth averaged around 6%
between 2004-08, but declined to about 4% in 2009. Inflation is low and
stable. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime, and
recently adopted a fiscal reform package aimed at reducing the large
gray economy and attracting foreign investment. The economy is bolstered
by annual remittances from abroad representing about 15% of GDP, mostly
from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the
towering trade deficit. The agricultural sector, which accounts for over
half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited
primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming because of
lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of
small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages because of a
reliance on hydropower, and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure
contribute to Albania's poor business environment and lack of success in
attracting new foreign investment needed to expand the country's export
base. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore has helped
diversify generation capacity, and plans to upgrade transmission lines
between Albania and Montenegro and Kosovo would help relieve the energy
shortages. Also, with help from EU funds, the government is taking steps
to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing
barrier to sustained economic growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$22.9 billion (2009 est.)
$22.08
billion (2008 est.)
$20.81
billion (2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
Albania
has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of
official GDP
GDP (official exchange rate):
$11.86 billion (2009
est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
3.7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
6.1%
(2008 est.)
6%
(2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,300 (2009 est.)
$6,100
(2008 est.)
$5,800
(2007 est.)
note:data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 21.5%
industry:
19.5%
services:
59% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
1.103 million (2009 est.)
Labor force -
by occupation:
agriculture: 58%
industry:
15%
services:
27% (September 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate:
12.8% (2009 est.)
12.8%
(2008 est.)
note:these are official rates, but actual rates may
exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming
Population
below poverty line:
25% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
textiles and footwear;
asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits,
tobacco
Exports - partners:
Italy 55.9%, Greece
11.6%, China 7.2% (2008)
Imports:
$4.264 billion (2009
est.)
$4.908
billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment,
foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners:
Italy 32.1%, Greece
13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.5%, Russia 4.2% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.37 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
$2.364
billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.55 billion (2004)
Exchange rates:
leke (ALL) per US dollar -
93.928 (2009), 79.546 (2008), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649
(2005)
Communications
::Albania
Telephones - main lines in use:
316,400 (2008)
Telephones -
mobile cellular:
3.141 million (2008)
Telephone system:
general assessment: despite
new investment in fixed lines teledensity remains low with roughly 10
fixed lines per 100 people; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread
and generally effective; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular
teledensity is approaching 100 per 100 persons
domestic:
offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity,
mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003,
two companies were providing mobile services at a greater teledensity
than some of Albania's neighbors; Internet broadband services initiated
in 2005; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread
outside the capital
international:
country code - 355; submarine cable provides
connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a
combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides
additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey;
international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary,
by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
(2008)
registered in other countries:
2 (Panama 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Durres, Sarande,
Shengjin, Vlore
Military ::Albania
Military branches:
Joint Force Command (includes Land,
Naval, and Aviation Brigade Commands), Joint Support Command (includes
Logistic Command), Training and Doctrine Command (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
19 years of age (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 947,446
females age 16-49:
910,145 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 802,097
females age 16-49:
768,953 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 35,249
female:
31,855 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
::Albania
Disputes - international:
the Albanian Government calls for
the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring
countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some
ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater
Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; the
mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed
countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Illicit drugs:
increasingly active
transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis
transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from
South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and expanding
cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations
active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering
associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and
illegal aliens
