Albania

Republic of AlbaniaRepublika e Shqiperise

emerging democracyIndependence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Albania as the 2002 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 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.

CapitalTirana
Position41 00 N, 20 00 E
Area28,748 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
2002

Every edition of Albania

Populationas each edition published it
3.54 million July 2002 est. · 3.27m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.06% 2002 est. · 1.21% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 26.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
72.1 years 2002 est. · 73 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.27 children per woman 2002 est. · 3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
38.64 deaths per 1,000 live births 2002 est. · 52 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$4,500 2002 est. · $760 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5% 2002 est. · -10% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies which should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code.

Geography

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

18 fields

Land useshare of 28,748 sq km

arable land 21.09%permanent crops 4.45%other 74.46% (1998 est.)irrigated 3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Area
28,748sq km
water: 1,350 sq kmland: 27,398 sq kmslightly smaller than Maryland
Coastline
362km
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitationterritorial sea: 12 NM
Highest point
2,753m
Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab)lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
720km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 20 00 E

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, hydropower

Natural hazards

  • 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:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, 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)

People

18 fields
Population
3,544,841
(July 2002 est.)growth rate: 1.06% (2002 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2002 est.)

Birth
18.59Death
6.49Net migration
-1.46

Ethnic groups(1989 est.)

Albanian 95%Greek 3%other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and 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: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Literacy
93%
(1997 est.)definition: age 9 and over can read and writemale: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:
28.8% (male 528,678; female 493,531)
15-64 years:
64% (male 1,094,034; female 1,175,024)
65 years and over:
7.2% (male 111,524; female 142,050) (2002 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.79 male(s)/female
total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate

38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:
72.1 years
female:
75.14 years (2002 est.)
male:
69.27 years

Total fertility rate

2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Albanian(s)
adjective:
Albanian

Languages

Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Government

Emerging democracy; President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002); Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

41.5%
PS 41.5%PD and coalition allies 36.8%NDP 5.2%PSD 3.6%PBDNJ 2.6%PASH 2.6%PAD 2.5%last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)

People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor, 140 seats, elected 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001one dot, one seat

PS 73PD and coalition allies 46NDP 6PSD 4PBDNJ 3PASH 3PAD 3independents 2

Percent of vote

PS 41.5%PD and coalition allies 36.8%NDP 5.2%PSD 3.6%PBDNJ 2.6%PASH 2.6%PAD 2.5%

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Albania
conventional short form:
Albania
local short form:
Shqiperia
former:
People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form:
Republika e Shqiperise

Government type

emerging democracy

Capital

Tirana

Administrative divisions

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Independence

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution

a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state:
President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)
head of government:
Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president
elections:
  • president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term;
  • election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)

elections:
last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%, PAD 2.5%;
  • seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term)

Political parties and leaders

  • Agrarian Party or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI];
  • Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Shptim ROQI];
  • Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];
  • Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman];
  • Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI];
  • Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA];
  • Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA];
  • Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA];
  • Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA];
  • Liberal Union Party or PBL [Teodor LACO];
  • New Democratic Party or NDP [Genc POLLO];
  • OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES];
  • Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI];
  • Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI];
  • Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]

International organization participation

ACCT, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
FAX:
[1] (202) 628-7342
telephone:
[1] (202) 223-4942
chancery:
2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
embassy:
Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address:
U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Washington, DC 20521-9510
telephone:
[355] (4) 247285
FAX:
[355] (4) 232222

Flag description

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Economy

Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy.

32 fields
Real growth rate
5%
(2002 est.)industrial production growth: 9% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate
17%officially
(2001 est.); may be as high as 30% (2001)

GDP - composition by sector(2002 est.)

agriculture 49%industry 27%services 24% (2002 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

71%
Italy
32%
12%
Greece
26%
7%
Germany
6%
Turkey
6%
3%
Yugoslavia
Bulgaria
2%
Exports $340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)Imports $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)(2001)

Budget

Revenues
$697 millionExpenditures
$1.5 billion (2002 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $368 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 3%hydro 97%other 0% · nuclear 0%
Electricity production
4.738 billion (2000)Electricity consumption
5.378 billion (2000)Electricity exports
100 million (2000)Electricity imports
1.072 billion (2000)

Economy - overview

Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy.

Agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.)

Labor force

1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 50%, industry and services 50%

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products

Exports

$340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

  • textiles and footwear;
  • asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil;
  • vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Imports

$1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Debt - external

$784 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)

Currency

lek (ALL)

Exchange rates

leke per US dollar - 140.16 (November 2001), 143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997); note - leke is the plural of lek

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields
Mobile cellular
250,000
(2001)
Fixed lines
120,000
(2001) · country code .al

Telephone system

general assessment:
Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service
domestic:
  • obsolete wire system;
  • no longer provides a telephone for every village;
  • in 1992, following the fall of the Communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences
international:
inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios

1 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations

3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

700,000 (2001)

Internet users

12,000 (2001)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

2,438 to 3,047 m
3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

1,524 to 2,437 m
1under 914 m
4914 to 1,523 m
2over 3,047 m
1

Networkskm

Highways
18,000Railways
447Waterways
43
Highways: paved: 5,400 km · unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001 est.) · Waterways: note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)

Railways

total:
447 km
standard gauge:
447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001 est.)

Highways

total:
18,000 km
paved:
5,400 km
unpaved:
12,600 km (1998 est.)

Waterways

43 km note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)

Pipelines

crude oil 196 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1996)

Ports and harbors

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine

total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,423 GRT/20,837 DWT
ships by type:
cargo 7, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.)

Airports

11 (2001)

Heliports

1 (2002)

Military

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 888,086 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 727,406 (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia and Montenegro and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation;
  • many Albanians illegally transit neighboring states to emigrate to western Europe

Illicit drugs

  • increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe;
  • limited opium and growing cannabis production;
  • ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe;
  • vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

Central Intelligence Agency. “Albania.” The World Factbook 2002. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/albania/2002.

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