Albania

Republic of AlbaniaRepublika e Shqiperise

nascent democracyIndependence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Albania as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalTirane

Area28,750 km2

LocationSoutheastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula between Serbia and Montenegro

Populationas each edition published it

3.33 million July 1993 est. · 3.27m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.21% 1993 est. · -1.06% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73 years 1993 est. · 79.9 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.85 children per woman 1993 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

31.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 52 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$760 1992 est. · $18,900 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-10% 1992 est. · 4% in 2025

Geography

Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula between Serbia and Montenegro | and Greece

14 fields

Land useshare of 28,750 km2

arable land 21%permanent crops 4%meadows and pastures 15%forest and woodland 38%other 22%irrigated 4,230 km2 (1989)

Area

28,750km2

land area: 27,400 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Coastline

362km

continental shelf: not specifiedterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

720km

total · Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)

Location

Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula between Serbia and Montenegro and Greece

Map references

Africa, Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

Kosovo question with Serbia and Montenegro; Northern Epirus question with Greece

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel

Environment

subject to destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along southwestern coast

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

3,333,839

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.21% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

23.24Death

5.45Net migration

-5.67

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73

70.01 · 76.21

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy72%

80% · 63%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 9 and over can read and write (1955)

Ethnic divisions(1989 est.)

Albanian 90%Greeks 8%other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)

Religions

Muslim 70%Greek Orthodox 20%Roman Catholic 10%note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Labor force

1.5million

(1987)by occupation: agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 40% (1986)

Infant mortality rate

31.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.85 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Albanian(s)
adjective:: Albanian

Languages

Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Government

Nascent democracy

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

62.29%

DP 62.29%ASP 25.57%SDP 4.33%RP 3.15%UHP 2.92%other 1.74%

Names

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

Digraph

Type

nascent democracy

Capital

Tirane

Administrative divisions

26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore

Independence

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Constitution

an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a new constitution was to be drafted for adoption in 1992, but is still in process

Legal system

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday

Liberation Day, 29 November (1944)

Political parties and leaders

there are at least 18 political parties;
most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP; formerly the Albania Workers Party), Fatos NANO, first secretary;
Democratic Party (DP), Eduard SELAMI, chairman;
Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO;
Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA (ran in 1992 election as Unity for Human Rights Party (UHP));
Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI;
Democratic Alliance Party (DAP), Spartak NGJELA, chairman

Suffrage

18 years of age, universal and compulsory

Elections

People's Assembly:: last held 22 March 1992;
results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP 2.92%, other 1.74%;
seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1, UHP 2

Executive branch

president, prime minister of the Council of Ministers, two deputy prime ministers of the Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers Aleksander Gabriel MEKSI (since 10 April 1992)

Member of

BSEC, CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Roland BIMO
chancery:: 1511 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
telephone:: (202) 223-4942
FAX:: (202) 223-4950

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador William E. RYERSON
embassy:: Rruga Labinoti 103, room 2921, Tirane
mailing address:: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624
telephone:: 355-42-32875, 33520
FAX:: 355-42-32222

Flag

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$760

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

-10%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -55% (1991 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

210%

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

40%

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.1 billionExpenditures

$1.4 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1991 est.)

Overview

The Albanian economy, already providing the lowest standard of living in Europe, contracted sharply in 1991, with most industries producing at only a fraction of past levels and an unemployment rate estimated at 40%. For over 40 years, the Stalinist-type economy operated on the principle of central planning and state ownership of the means of production.

Fitful economic reforms begun during 1991, including the liberalization of prices and trade, the privatization of shops and transport, and land reform, were crippled by widespread civil disorder. Following its overwhelming victory in the 22 March 1992 elections, the new Democratic government announced a program of shock therapy to stabilize the economy and establish a market economy.

In an effort to expand international ties, Tirane has reestablished diplomatic relations with the major republics of the former Soviet Union and the US and has joined the IMF and the World Bank. The Albanians have also passed legislation allowing foreign investment, but not foreign ownership of real estate.

Albania possesses considerable mineral resources and, until 1990, was largely self-sufficient in food; however, the breakup of cooperative farms in 1991 and general economic decline forced Albania to rely on foreign aid to maintain adequate supplies. In 1992 the government tightened budgetary contols leading to another drop in domestic output.

The agricultural sector is steadily gaining from the privatization process. Low domestic output is supplemented by remittances from the 200,000 Albanians working abroad.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.5 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$45 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: asphalt, metals and metallic ores, electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco
partners:: Italy, Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary

Imports

$120 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: machinery, consumer goods, grains
partners:: Italy, Macedonia, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece

External debt

$500 million (1992 est.)

Electricity

1,690,000 kW capacity; 5,000 million kWh produced, 1,520 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

food processing, textiles and clothing, lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Agriculture

arable land per capita among lowest in Europe;
over 60% of arable land now in private hands;
one-half of work force engaged in farming;
wide range of temperate-zone crops and livestock

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the Balkan route

Economic aid

recipient - $190 million humanitarian aid, $94 million in loans/guarantees/credits

Currency

1 lek (L) = 100 qintars

Exchange rates

leke (L) per US$1 - 97 (January 1993), 50 (January 1992), 25 (September 1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Networkskm

Highways

16,700 (1990)Railroads

543

Highways: ; 6,700 km highways, 10,000 km forest and agricultural cart roads · Railroads: ; 509 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track and 34 km narrow gauge, single track (1990); line connecting Titograd (Serbia and Montenegro) and Shkoder (Albania) completed August 1986

Railroads

543 km total;
509 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track and 34 km narrow gauge, single track (1990);
line connecting Titograd (Serbia and Montenegro) and Shkoder (Albania) completed August 1986