2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.8% (male 464,954/female 423,003) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,214,942/female 1,158,562) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 148,028/female 172,166) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

11 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1

total

8

under 914 m

4 (2006)

Area

land

27,398 sq km

total

28,748 sq km

water

1,350 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Background

Between 1990 and 1992 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 Albania

Birth rate

15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.587 billion; including capital expenditures of $500 million (2006 est.)

revenues

$2.323 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

41 20 N, 19 50 E

name

Tirana (Tirane)

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

362 km

Constitution

adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Albania

conventional short form

Albania

former

People's Socialist Republic of Albania

local long form

Republika e Shqiperise

local short form

Shqiperia

Currency (code)

lek (ALL)

note

the plural of lek is leke

Currency code

ALL

Current account balance

$-679.9 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.55 billion (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marcie B. RIES

embassy

Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana

mailing address

US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510

telephone

[355] (4) 247285

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA

telephone

[1] (202) 223-4942

Disputes - 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; thousands of unemployed Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other developed countries

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.2 (2002)

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 reduce the large grey economy. 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 about one-quarter 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 planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and distribution facilities eventually 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

growth was strong in 2003-06 and inflation is low and stable.

Electricity - consumption

5.231 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

390 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

567 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production

5.434 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

2.9%

hydro

97.1%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

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)

Exchange rates

leke per US dollar - 98.5927 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament

chief of state

President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 June 2002)

election results

Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly

elections

president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)

vote by number - total votes 134

for 97, against 19, abstained 14, invalid votes 4

Exports

$763.2 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 628-7342

[355] (4) 232222

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Albania

Flag description

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center Economy Albania

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

23.3%

industry

18.8%

services

57.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.306 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$20.21 billion

note

Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50% of official GDP (2006 est.)

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) People Albania

Government type

emerging democracy

Heliports

1 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

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 expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$2.901 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners

Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%, Russia 4% (2005)

Independence

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Industrial production growth rate

3.1% (2004 est.)

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female

20.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

21.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% (2006 est.)

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

Internet country code

.al

Internet hosts

430 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

10 (2001)

Internet users

75,000 (2005) Transportation Albania

Investment (gross fixed)

24.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

3,530 sq km (2003)

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

Labor force

1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

58%

industry

19%

services

23% (2004 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km

total

720 km

Land use

arable land

20.1%

other

75.69% (2005)

permanent crops

4.21%

Languages

Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

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

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19

elections

last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009)

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.34 years (2006 est.)

male

74.78 years

total population

77.43 years

Literacy

definition

age 9 and over can read and write

female

79.5% (2003 est.) Government Albania

male

93.3%

total population

86.5%

Location

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

Manpower available for military service

females age 19-49

784,199 (2005 est.)

males age 19-49

809,524

Manpower fit for military service

females age 19-49

648,334 (2005 est.)

males age 19-49

668,526

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 19-49

34,587 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

37,407

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

29.5 years (2006 est.)

male

28.3 years

total

28.9 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned

1 (Turkey 1)

registered in other countries

1 (Georgia 1) (2006)

total

24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT

Military branches

General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$56.5 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.49% (FY02) Transnational Issues Albania

Military service age and obligation

19 years of age (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Nationality

adjective

Albanian

noun

Albanian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

30 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Net migration rate

-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

ODA

$366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

25,200 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports

21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - production

3,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Pipelines

gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)

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 SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; 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 [Erion VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Population

3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.52% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore Military Albania

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios

1 million (2001)

Railways

standard gauge

447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)

total

447 km

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.621 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

7,020 km

total

18,000 km

unpaved

10,980 km (2002)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.1 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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 Balkan neighbors

general assessment

despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective

international

country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)

Telephones - main lines in use

255,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.259 million (2004)

Television broadcast stations

65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)

Televisions

700,000 (2001)

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Total fertility rate

2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2005 est.)

Waterways

43 km (2006)