Albania
Republic of AlbaniaRepublika e Shqiperise
emerging democracyIndependence 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Albania as the 2008 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 136 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government.
The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. 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. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.
Geography
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
20 fieldsLand useshare of 28,748 sq km
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Climate
- mild temperate;
- cool, cloudy, wet winters;
- hot, clear, dry summers;
- interior is cooler and wetter
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
- per capita:
- 546 cu m/yr (2000)
Environment - current issues
- deforestation;
- soil erosion;
- water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- 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)
People
21 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2008 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2008 est.)
Male · female
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 (2008 est.)
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)
Government
Emerging democracy; President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007); Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)
18 fieldsAssembly or Kuvendi, 140 seats, elected 3 July 2005one dot, one seat
Country name
- 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
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
Administrative divisions
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Legal system
- has a civil law system;
- has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction;
- has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
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 People's 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; People's Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19
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];
- Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA];
- Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA];
- Movement for National Development or LZhK [Dashamir SHEHI];
- National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Artur ROSHI];
- New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO];
- Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI];
- 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];
- 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]
International organization participation
BSEC, 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, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA
- chancery:
- 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 223-4942
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 628-7342
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Dr. 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
Economy
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy.
49 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2007 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. 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 of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for more than one-fifth of GDP, is held back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land.
Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission line between Albania and Montenegro will help relieve the energy shortages.
Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side, macroeconomic growth was strong in 2003-07 and inflation is low and stable.
Unemployment rate
13.2% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products
wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Industries
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Exports - commodities
- textiles and footwear;
- asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil;
- vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exchange rates
leke (ALL) per US dollar - 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general 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 approximately 75 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 (2007)
Transportation
10 fieldsMerchant marine, 24 ships by typeone square, one ship
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Airports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Military
Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command) (2007)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command) (2007)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - 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
Trafficking in persons
- current 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)
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 growing 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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Albania.” The World Factbook 2008. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/albania/2008.