1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 28,750 sq km land: 27,400 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Maryland
Climate
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Coastline
362 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
Environment--current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography--note
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Irrigated land
3,410 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)
Land use
arable land: 21% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 38% other: 21% (1993 est.)
Location
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel
Terrain
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 33% (male 568,642; female 530,088) 15-64 years: 61% (male 957,561; female 1,105,870) 65 years and over: 6% (male 84,280; female 118,130) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
20.74 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
7.35 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Infant mortality rate
42.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 69 years male: 65.92 years female: 72.33 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: NA% female: NA% (1997 est.)
Nationality
noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Net migration rate
-2.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
3,364,571 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.05% (1999 est.)
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
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.5 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
36 districts (rrethe, singular--rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes, Lac, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik), Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
Capital
Tirana
Constitution
a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note--the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote
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
Data code
AL
Executive branch
chief of state: President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Pandeli MAJKO (since 2 October 1998) 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 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number--total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7
Flag description
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Government type
emerging democracy
Independence
28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
International organization participation
BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marisa R. LINO embassy: Rruga Elbasanit 103, Tirana mailing address: American Embassy, Tirana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-9510
Judicial branch
Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term Political parties and leaders: Albanian Socialist Party or PS
Legal system
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch
unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms) elections: last held 29 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party--PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3
National holiday
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Economy
Agriculture--products
wide range of temperate-zone crops and livestock
Budget
revenues: $624 million expenditures: $996 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
1 lek (L) = 100 qintars
Debt--external
$645 million (1996)
Economic aid--recipient
$630 million (1997 pledged)
Economy--overview
An extremely poor country by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12%. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997--which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's population--triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and an 8% drop in GDP. The new government installed in July 1997 has taken strong measures to restore public order and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy continues to be bolstered by remittances of some 20% of the labor force which works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania probably recovered most if not all of the 7% drop in GDP of 1997.
Electricity--consumption
5.27 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996) (1996)
Electricity--imports
150 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
5.12 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 4.3% hydro: 95.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
leke (L) per US$1--139.93 (January 1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996), 92.70 (1995), 94.62 (1994)
Exports
$212 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
asphalt, metals and metallic ores, electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports--partners
Italy, Greece, Germany, Belgium, US
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$5 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 56% industry: 21% services: 23% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,490 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
7% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$791 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery, consumer goods, grains
Imports--partners
Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Industrial production growth rate
6% (1995 est.)
Industries
food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
40% (1997 est.)
Labor force
1.692 million (1994 est.) (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture (nearly all private; but some state employed) 49.5%, private business sector 22.2%, state business sector 28.3% (including state-owned industry 7.8%); note--includes only those domestically employed
Population below poverty line
19.6% (1996 est.)
Unemployment rate
14% (October 1997) officially, but likely to be as high as 28%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios
577,000 (1991 est.)
Telephone system
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
Telephones
55,000
Television broadcast stations
13 (1997)
Televisions
300,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
9 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
Heliports
1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 8 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 28,394 GRT/41,429 DWT (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991) Ports and harbors: Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Railways
total: 447 km (none electrified) standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Waterways
43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$60 million (1998)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2% (1998)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 763,949 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 622,013 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
19 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 32,954 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic; Albanians in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs, and representation in government
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 cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe