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Albania








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Albania Index

  • Albania-Tourism
  • Albania-Council of Ministers and People's Councils
  • Albania -COUNTRY PROFILE
  • Albania
  • Albania-ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  • Albania-Women in the Work Force
  • Albania-ECONOMY
  • Albania-Imposition of the Stalinist System
  • Albania-Education under Communist Rule
  • Albania-Construction
  • Albania-Currency and Monetary Policy
  • Albania-THE ANCIENT ILLYRIANS
  • Albania-Domestic Repression under Hoxha and Alia
  • Albania-Structure and Marketing of Agricultural Output
  • Albania-Chapter 1 - Historical Setting
  • Albania-Union of Albanian Women
  • Albania-The Rise of Albanian Nationalism
  • Albania-The Precommunist Albanian Economy
  • Albania-Foreign Trade Balance and Balance of Payments
  • Albania-Political Control
  • Albania-TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  • Albania-Drainage
  • Albania-Food Processing
  • Albania-Albania after World War II
  • Albania-Albanians in Kosovo
  • Albania-The Communist Takeover of Albania
  • Albania-World War II
  • Albania-Albanians under Ottoman Rule
  • Albania-The Cultural and Ideological Revolution
  • Albania-RETAIL TRADE, SERVICES, AND TOURISM
  • Albania-Mechanization
  • Albania-Human Rights
  • Albania-Foreign Assistance
  • Albania-Before 1944 RELIGION
  • Albania-Air Transportation
  • Albania-THE GOVERNMENT APPARATUS
  • Albania-Government Revenues and Expenditures
  • Albania-Albania and the Soviet Union
  • Albania-REFORM POLITICS
  • Albania-Consolidation of Power and Initial Reforms
  • Albania-Trade Partners
  • Albania-Medical Care and Nutrition HEALTH AND WELFARE
  • Albania-Italian Penetration
  • Albania-The Ottoman Conquest of Albania
  • Albania-FOREIGN POLICY
  • Albania-Water Transportation
  • Albania-Postwar Development
  • Albania-WORK FORCE AND STANDARD OF LIVING
  • Albania-THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS AND THE MIDDLE AGES
  • Albania-The Break with China and Self-Reliance
  • Albania-Forests
  • Albania-Ownership and Private Property
  • Albania-World War I and Its Effects on Albania
  • Albania-Conscript Training
  • Albania-Trade Unions
  • Albania-Albania's Reemergence after World War I
  • Albania-Further Moves Toward Democracy
  • Albania-WORLD WAR II AND THE RISE OF COMMUNISM, 1941-44
  • Albania-Retail Trade and Services
  • Albania-Albania and China
  • Albania-Finance and Banking
  • Albania-POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
  • Albania-The Land
  • Albania-Languages and Dialects
  • Albania-INTERWAR ALBANIA, 1918-41
  • Albania-MASS ORGANIZATIONS
  • Albania-Dependence on the Soviet Union, 1948-60
  • Albania-Manufacturing
  • Albania-Land Distribution and Agricultural Organization
  • Albania-Population THE ALBANIAN PEOPLE
  • Albania-TRANSPORTATION AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  • Albania-INDUSTRY
  • Albania-Enterprises and Firms
  • Albania-Fisheries
  • Albania-Government and Politics
  • Albania-People's Army
  • Albania-Topography
  • Albania-Local Albanian Leaders in the Early Nineteenth Century
  • Albania-Settlement Patterns
  • Albania-DEFENSE ORGANIZATION
  • Albania-Paramilitary Training
  • Albania-Military Schools
  • Albania-People's Assembly
  • Albania-Energy and Natural Resources
  • Albania-The Coalition Government of 1991
  • Albania-Union of Albanian Working Youth
  • Albania-ECONOMIC SYSTEM
  • Albania-DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARMED FORCES
  • Albania-Chapter 4 - Government and Politics
  • Albania-Black Market
  • Albania-Social and Economic Conditions after World War I
  • Albania-Italian Occupation
  • Albania-Democratic Front
  • Albania-Road Transportation
  • Albania-Albanian-Yugoslav Tensions
  • Albania-Light Industry
  • Albania-Frontier Guards
  • Albania-Fertilizers, Pesticides, and Seeds
  • Albania-THE ALBANIAN LANDS UNDER OTTOMAN DOMINATION, 1385-1876
  • Albania-Governmental Bodies and Control
  • Albania-Traditional Social Patterns and Values SOCIAL SYSTEM
  • Albania-Railroads
  • Albania-NATIONAL SECURITY
  • Albania-Population and Work Force
  • Albania-Military Manpower
  • Albania
  • Albania-Greeks and Other Minorities
  • Albania-Directorate of State Security
  • Albania-United Trade Unions of Albania
  • Albania-INTERNAL SECURITY
  • Albania-SOCIETY
  • Albania-Naval Forces
  • Albania-Environmental Problems
  • Albania
  • Albania-Courts
  • Albania-INTRODUCTION
  • Albania
  • Albania-Alia Takes Over
  • Albania
  • Albania-Shifting Alliances
  • Albania-Climate
  • Albania
  • Albania-ALBANIA
  • Albania-Dependence on Yugoslavia, 1945-48
  • Albania-Social Insurance
  • Albania-ECONOMIC POLICY AND PERFORMANCE
  • Albania-Social Structure under Communist Rule
  • Albania-PreCommunist Era EDUCATION
  • Albania
  • Albania-Foreign Trade Organization
  • Albania-Military Budget and the Economy
  • Albania-GEOGRAPHY
  • Albania-Alia's Pragmatism
  • Albania-Auxiliary Police
  • Albania-Multiparty System
  • Albania-AGRICULTURE
  • Albania-Savings
  • Albania
  • Albania-Housing
  • Albania-EVOLUTION OF NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY
  • Albania
  • Albania-Ground Forces
  • Albania
  • Albania-FOREWARD
  • Albania-Telecommunications
  • Albania-Livestock and Pasturelands
  • Albania-ORIGINS OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
  • Albania-MASS MEDIA
  • Albania
  • Albania-Standard of Living
  • Albania-COMMUNIST ALBANIA
  • Albania
  • Albania-The Communist and Nationalist Resistance
  • Albania-Dependence on China, 1961-78
  • Albania-Chapter 2 - The Society and its Environment
  • Albania
  • Albania-Hoxha's Antireligious Campaign
  • Albania
  • Albania-Prices and Wages
  • Albania-NATIONAL AWAKENING AND THE BIRTH OF ALBANIA, 1876-1918
  • Albania-Penal Code
  • Albania-Domestic Consumption
  • Albania-Chapter 5 - National Security
  • Albania-People's Police
  • Albania
  • Albania-Chapter 3 - The Economy
  • Albania-Zog's Kingdom
  • Albania-FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS
  • Albania-Security Forces
  • Albania-Activities of Foreign Companies in Albania
  • Albania-The Revival of Religion
  • Albania
  • Albania-PROSPECTS FOR REFORM
  • Albania-ALBANIA'S COMMUNIST PARTY
  • Albania-The Hoxha Regime
  • BackgroundAlbania 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.
    LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
    Area(sq km)total: 28,748 sq km
    land: 27,398 sq km
    water: 1,350 sq km
    Geographic coordinates41 00 N, 20 00 E
    Land boundaries(km)total: 717 km
    border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km

    Coastline(km)362 km

    Climatemild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

    Elevation extremes(m)lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
    highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
    Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
    Land use(%)arable land: 20.1%
    permanent crops: 4.21%
    other: 75.69% (2005)

    Irrigated land(sq km)3,530 sq km (2003)
    Total renewable water resources(cu km)41.7 cu km (2001)
    Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
    per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)
    Natural hazardsdestructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
    Environment - current issuesdeforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
    Environment - international agreementsparty 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 - notestrategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
    Population3,639,453 (July 2009 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) (2009 est.)
    Median age(years)total: 29.9 years
    male: 29.3 years
    female: 30.6 years (2009 est.)
    Population growth rate(%)0.546% (2009 est.)
    Birth rate(births/1,000 population)15.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
    Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)5.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

    Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population)-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
    Urbanization(%)urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
    rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
    Sex ratio(male(s)/female)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 (2009 est.)
    Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births)total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

    Life expectancy at birth(years)total population: 77.96 years
    male: 75.28 years
    female: 80.89 years (2009 est.)

    Total fertility rate(children born/woman)2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.)
    Nationalitynoun: 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
    Languages(%)Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

    Country nameconventional 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 typeemerging democracy
    Capitalname: 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
    Administrative divisions12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
    Constitutionapproved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998

    Legal systemhas a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens

    Suffrage18 years of age; universal
    Executive branchchief 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
    election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes

    Legislative branchunicameral 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 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 branchConstitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) and multiple appeals and district courts

    Political pressure groups and leadersCitizens 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]
    International organization participationBSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
    Flag descriptionred 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 - overviewLagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years and 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. 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)$21.86 billion (2008 est.)
    $20.61 billion (2007 est.)
    $19.44 billion (2006 est.)
    note: data are in 2008 US dollars
    Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of official GDP
    GDP (official exchange rate)$12.96 billion (2008 est.)
    GDP - real growth rate(%)6.1% (2008 est.)
    6% (2007 est.)
    5.5% (2006 est.)
    GDP - per capita (PPP)$6,000 (2008 est.)
    $5,700 (2007 est.)
    $5,400 (2006 est.)
    note: data are in 2008 US dollars
    GDP - composition by sector(%)agriculture: 20.5%
    industry: 19.8%
    services: 59.7% (2008 est.)
    Labor force1.103 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2007 est.)

    Labor force - by occupation(%)agriculture: 58%
    industry: 15%
    services: 27% (September 2006 est.)
    Unemployment rate(%)12.5% (2008 est.)
    13.2% (2007 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(%)lowest 10%: 3.2%
    highest 10%: 25.9% (2005)
    Distribution of family income - Gini index26.7 (2005)
    Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP)23.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
    Budgetrevenues: $3.458 billion
    expenditures: $4.175 billion (2008 est.)
    Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%)3.4% (2008 est.)
    2.9% (2007 est.)

    Stock of money$3.028 billion (31 December 2008)
    $2.707 billion (31 December 2007)
    Stock of quasi money$6.251 billion (31 December 2008)
    $6.433 billion (31 December 2007)
    Stock of domestic credit$8.176 billion (31 December 2008)
    $7.247 billion (31 December 2007)
    Market value of publicly traded shares$NA
    Economic aid - recipientODA: $318.7 million
    note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)

    Public debt(% of GDP)51.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
    51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
    Agriculture - productswheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
    Industriesfood processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

    Industrial production growth rate(%)3% (2008 est.)

    Current account balance-$1.906 billion (2008 est.)
    -$1.202 billion (2007 est.)
    Exports$1.345 billion (2008 est.)
    $1.076 billion (2007 est.)

    Exports - commodities(%)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$4.898 billion (2008 est.)
    $3.999 billion (2007 est.)

    Imports - commodities(%)machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
    Imports - partners(%)Italy 32.2%, Greece 13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.5%, Russia 4.4% (2008)

    Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$2.364 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
    $2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
    Debt - external$1.55 billion (2004)

    Exchange ratesleke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004)

    Currency (code)lek (ALL)
    note: the plural of lek is leke

    Telephones - main lines in use316,400 (2008)
    Telephones - mobile cellular3.141 million (2008)
    Telephone systemgeneral assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
    domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density 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)
    Internet country code.al
    Internet users471,000 (2008)
    Airports5 (2009)
    Pipelines(km)gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008)
    Roadways(km)total: 18,000 km
    paved: 7,020 km
    unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

    Ports and terminalsDurres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
    Military branchesJoint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation Brigade Commands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic Command), Training and Doctrine Command (2009)
    Military service age and obligation(years of age)19 years of age (2004)
    Manpower available for military servicemales age 16-49: 944,592
    females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)
    Manpower fit for military servicemales age 16-49: 800,665
    females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)
    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annuallymale: 34,778
    female: 31,673 (2009 est.)
    Military expenditures(% of GDP)1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)
    Disputes - internationalthe 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

    Trafficking in personscurrent situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise
    tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)
    Electricity - production(kWh)2.888 billion kWh (2007 est.)
    Electricity - production by source(%)fossil fuel: 2.9%
    hydro: 97.1%
    nuclear: 0%
    other: 0% (2001)
    Electricity - consumption(kWh)3.603 billion kWh (2007 est.)
    Electricity - exports(kWh)0 kWh (2008 est.)
    Electricity - imports(kWh)2.475 billion kWh (2008 est.)
    Oil - production(bbl/day)5,985 bbl/day (2008 est.)
    Oil - consumption(bbl/day)34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
    Oil - exports(bbl/day)748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)
    Oil - imports(bbl/day)24,080 bbl/day (2007 est.)
    Oil - proved reserves(bbl)199.1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
    Natural gas - production(cu m)30 million cu m (2008 est.)
    Natural gas - consumption(cu m)30 million cu m (2008 est.)
    Natural gas - exports(cu m)0 cu m (2008)
    Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m)849.5 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
    HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%)NA
    HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA
    HIV/AIDS - deathsNA
    Literacy(%)definition: age 9 and over can read and write
    total population: 98.7%
    male: 99.2%
    female: 98.3% (2001 census)

    School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years)total: 11 years
    male: 11 years
    female: 11 years (2004)
    Education expenditures(% of GDP)2.9% of GDP (2002)
    BackgroundAlbania 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.
    LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
    Area(sq km)total: 28,748 sq km
    land: 27,398 sq km
    water: 1,350 sq km
    Geographic coordinates41 00 N, 20 00 E
    Land boundaries(km)total: 717 km
    border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km

    Coastline(km)362 km

    Climatemild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

    Elevation extremes(m)lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
    highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
    Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
    Land use(%)arable land: 20.1%
    permanent crops: 4.21%
    other: 75.69% (2005)

    Irrigated land(sq km)3,530 sq km (2003)
    Total renewable water resources(cu km)41.7 cu km (2001)
    Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
    per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)
    Natural hazardsdestructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
    Environment - current issuesdeforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
    Environment - international agreementsparty 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 - notestrategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
    Population3,639,453 (July 2009 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) (2009 est.)
    Median age(years)total: 29.9 years
    male: 29.3 years
    female: 30.6 years (2009 est.)
    Population growth rate(%)0.546% (2009 est.)
    Birth rate(births/1,000 population)15.29 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
    Death rate(deaths/1,000 population)5.55 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

    Net migration rate(migrant(s)/1,000 population)-4.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
    Urbanization(%)urban population: 47% of total population (2008)
    rate of urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
    Sex ratio(male(s)/female)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 (2009 est.)
    Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births)total: 18.62 deaths/1,000 live births
    male: 19.05 deaths/1,000 live births
    female: 18.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

    Life expectancy at birth(years)total population: 77.96 years
    male: 75.28 years
    female: 80.89 years (2009 est.)

    Total fertility rate(children born/woman)2.01 children born/woman (2009 est.)
    Nationalitynoun: 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
    Languages(%)Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

    Country nameconventional 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 typeemerging democracy
    Capitalname: 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
    Administrative divisions12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
    Constitutionapproved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998

    Legal systemhas a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens

    Suffrage18 years of age; universal
    Executive branchchief 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
    election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes

    Legislative branchunicameral 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 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 branchConstitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) and multiple appeals and district courts

    Political pressure groups and leadersCitizens 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]
    International organization participationBSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
    Flag descriptionred 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 - overviewLagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Macroeconomic growth has averaged around 5% over the last five years and 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. 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)$21.86 billion (2008 est.)
    $20.61 billion (2007 est.)
    $19.44 billion (2006 est.)
    note: data are in 2008 US dollars
    Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of official GDP
    GDP (official exchange rate)$12.96 billion (2008 est.)
    GDP - real growth rate(%)6.1% (2008 est.)
    6% (2007 est.)
    5.5% (2006 est.)
    GDP - per capita (PPP)$6,000 (2008 est.)
    $5,700 (2007 est.)
    $5,400 (2006 est.)
    note: data are in 2008 US dollars
    GDP - composition by sector(%)agriculture: 20.5%
    industry: 19.8%
    services: 59.7% (2008 est.)
    Labor force1.103 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2007 est.)

    Labor force - by occupation(%)agriculture: 58%
    industry: 15%
    services: 27% (September 2006 est.)
    Unemployment rate(%)12.5% (2008 est.)
    13.2% (2007 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(%)lowest 10%: 3.2%
    highest 10%: 25.9% (2005)
    Distribution of family income - Gini index26.7 (2005)
    Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP)23.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
    Budgetrevenues: $3.458 billion
    expenditures: $4.175 billion (2008 est.)
    Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%)3.4% (2008 est.)
    2.9% (2007 est.)

    Stock of money$3.028 billion (31 December 2008)
    $2.707 billion (31 December 2007)
    Stock of quasi money$6.251 billion (31 December 2008)
    $6.433 billion (31 December 2007)
    Stock of domestic credit$8.176 billion (31 December 2008)
    $7.247 billion (31 December 2007)
    Market value of publicly traded shares$NA
    Economic aid - recipientODA: $318.7 million
    note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)

    Public debt(% of GDP)51.9% of GDP (2008 est.)
    51.4% of GDP (2007 est.)
    Agriculture - productswheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
    Industriesfood processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

    Industrial production growth rate(%)3% (2008 est.)

    Current account balance-$1.906 billion (2008 est.)
    -$1.202 billion (2007 est.)
    Exports$1.345 billion (2008 est.)
    $1.076 billion (2007 est.)

    Exports - commodities(%)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$4.898 billion (2008 est.)
    $3.999 billion (2007 est.)

    Imports - commodities(%)machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
    Imports - partners(%)Italy 32.2%, Greece 13.1%, Turkey 7.2%, Germany 6.6%, China 4.5%, Russia 4.4% (2008)

    Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$2.364 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
    $2.162 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
    Debt - external$1.55 billion (2004)

    Exchange ratesleke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004)

    Currency (code)lek (ALL)
    note: the plural of lek is leke

    Telephones - main lines in use316,400 (2008)
    Telephones - mobile cellular3.141 million (2008)
    Telephone systemgeneral assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approaching 100 telephones per 100 persons
    domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003, two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density 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)
    Internet country code.al
    Internet users471,000 (2008)
    Airports5 (2009)
    Pipelines(km)gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2008)
    Roadways(km)total: 18,000 km
    paved: 7,020 km
    unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

    Ports and terminalsDurres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
    Military branchesJoint Force Command (includes Land, Naval, and Aviation Brigade Commands), Joint Support Command (includes Logistic Command), Training and Doctrine Command (2009)
    Military service age and obligation(years of age)19 years of age (2004)
    Manpower available for military servicemales age 16-49: 944,592
    females age 16-49: 908,527 (2008 est.)
    Manpower fit for military servicemales age 16-49: 800,665
    females age 16-49: 768,536 (2009 est.)
    Manpower reaching militarily significant age annuallymale: 34,778
    female: 31,673 (2009 est.)
    Military expenditures(% of GDP)1.49% of GDP (2005 est.)
    Disputes - internationalthe 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

    Trafficking in personscurrent situation: Albania is a source country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; it is no longer considered a major country of transit; Albanian victims are trafficked to Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Kosovo, with many trafficked onward to Western European countries; children were also trafficked to Greece for begging and other forms of child labor; approximately half of all Albanian trafficking victims are under age 18; internal sex trafficking of women and children is on the rise
    tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007, particularly in the area of victim protection; the government did not appropriately identify trafficking victims during 2007, and has not demonstrated that it is vigorously investigating or prosecuting complicit officials (2008)
    Electricity - production(kWh)2.888 billion kWh (2007 est.)
    Electricity - production by source(%)fossil fuel: 2.9%
    hydro: 97.1%
    nuclear: 0%
    other: 0% (2001)
    Electricity - consumption(kWh)3.603 billion kWh (2007 est.)
    Electricity - exports(kWh)0 kWh (2008 est.)
    Electricity - imports(kWh)2.475 billion kWh (2008 est.)
    Oil - production(bbl/day)5,985 bbl/day (2008 est.)
    Oil - consumption(bbl/day)34,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
    Oil - exports(bbl/day)748.9 bbl/day (2005 est.)
    Oil - imports(bbl/day)24,080 bbl/day (2007 est.)
    Oil - proved reserves(bbl)199.1 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
    Natural gas - production(cu m)30 million cu m (2008 est.)
    Natural gas - consumption(cu m)30 million cu m (2008 est.)
    Natural gas - exports(cu m)0 cu m (2008)
    Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m)849.5 million cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
    HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%)NA
    HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA
    HIV/AIDS - deathsNA
    Literacy(%)definition: age 9 and over can read and write
    total population: 98.7%
    male: 99.2%
    female: 98.3% (2001 census)

    School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)(years)total: 11 years
    male: 11 years
    female: 11 years (2004)
    Education expenditures(% of GDP)2.9% of GDP (2002)








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