2018 Edition

Background

Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. 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 isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. Albania in April 2017 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.

Area

land

27,398 sq km

total

28,748 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

elevation extremes

0 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea

mean elevation

708 m

note

2764 highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab)

Environment Current Issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity due to lack of resources for sound environmental management

Environment International Agreements

party to

Air Pollution, 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

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

3,537 sq km (2014)

Land Boundaries

border countries (4)

Greece 212 km, Kosovo 112 km, Macedonia 181 km, Montenegro 186 km

total

691 km

Land Use

arable land: 52.42% (2014 est.) / permanent crops: 6.84% (2014 est.) / permanent pasture: 40.73% (2014 est.)

agricultural land

42.86% (2014 est.)

forest

28.19% (2014 est.)

other

28.95% (2014 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

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; floods; drought

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Age Structure

0-14 years

17.84% (male 287,750 /female 257,675)

15-24 years

16.84% (male 267,695 /female 247,230)

25-54 years

41.31% (male 604,250 /female 658,773)

55-64 years

11.77% (male 176,420 /female 183,391)

65 years and over

12.23% (male 174,752 /female 199,284) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

13.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

6.3% (2009)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

69.3% (2008/09)

Death Rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

elderly dependency ratio

18.1 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio

5.5 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

44 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio

26 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

improved: urban: 84.3% of population

rural: 81.8% of population

total: 83.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 15.7% of population

rural: 18.2% of population

total: 16.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education Expenditures

3.5% of GDP (2015)

Ethnic Groups

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

note

  data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation

Health Expenditures

8.2% of GDP (2014)

Hiv Aids Adult Prevalence Rate

<.1 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids Deaths

<100 (2017 est.)

Hiv Aids People Living With Hiv Aids

1,400 (2017 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

female

10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male

12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

total

11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Life Expectancy At Birth

female

81.6 years (2018 est.)

male

76 years (2018 est.)

total population

78.6 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)

female

96.9% (2015 est.)

male

98.4% (2015 est.)

total population

97.6% (2015 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

476,000 TIRANA (capital) (2018)

Maternal Mortality Rate

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median Age

female

34.7 years (2018 est.)

male

32 years

total

33.4 years

Mother S Mean Age At First Birth

24.5 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Albanian

noun

Albanian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

21.7% (2016)

Physicians Density

1.29 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

3,057,220 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.3% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)

note

all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Sanitation Facility Access

improved: urban: 95.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 90.2% of population (2015 est.)

total: 93.2% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban: 4.5% of population (2015 est.)

rural: 9.8% of population (2015 est.)

total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

female

16 years (2015)

male

15 years (2015)

total

16 years (2015)

Sex Ratio

0-14 years

1.12 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

15-24 years

1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

25-54 years

0.91 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

55-64 years

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

65 years and over

0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth

1.09 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.52 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

female

40.8% (2015 est.)

male

39.3% (2015 est.)

total

39.8% (2015 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.69% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

60.3% of total population (2018)

Administrative Divisions

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore

Capital

daylight saving time

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

geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 19 49 E

name

Tirana (Tirane)

note

etymology: the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2016 (2017)

history

several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 (2017)

Country Name

conventional long form

Republic of Albania

conventional short form

Albania

etymology

the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"

former

People's Socialist Republic of Albania

local long form

Republika e Shqiperise

local short form

Shqiperia

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

chief of mission

Ambassador Donald LU (since 13 January 2015)

embassy

Rruga e Elbasanit, 103, Tirana

FAX

[355] (4) 2232-222

mailing address

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

telephone

[355] (4) 2247-285

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

chancery

2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 628-7342

telephone

[1] (202) 223-4942

Executive Branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President of the Republic Ilir META (since 24 July 2017)

election results

Ilir META elected president; Assembly vote - 87 - 2 in fourth round

elections/appointments

president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 19, 20, 27, and 28 April 2017 (next election to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Senida MESI (since 13 September 2017)

Flag Description

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"

Government Type

parliamentary republic

Independence

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial Branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of 17 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges, including the chairman, appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; chairman elected by the People's Assembly for a single 3-year term

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

Legal System

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" prevails

Legislative Branch

description

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - PS 48.3%, PD 28.9%, LSI 14.3%, PDIU 4.8%, PSD 1%, other 2.7%; seats by party - PS 74, PD 43, LSI 19, PDIU 3, PSD 1; composition - men 108, women 32, percent of women 22.9%

elections

last held on 25 June 2017 (next to be held in 2021)

National Anthem

lyrics/music

Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU

name

"Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)

note

adopted 1912

National Holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day

National Symbol S

black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black

Political Parties And Leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI)Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, olives and olive oil, grapes; meat, dairy products; sheep and goats

Budget

expenditures

3.874 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

3.614 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

1.25% (31 December 2017)

1.25% (31 December 2016)

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

8.22% (31 December 2017 est.)

9.78% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current Account Balance

-$908 million (2017 est.)

-$899 million (2016 est.)

Debt External

$9.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$8.421 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

29 (2012 est.)

30 (2008 est.)

Economy Overview

Albania, a formerly closed, centrally-planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown. Since 2014, Albania’s economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017. However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy. In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce deeply entrenched corruption.Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth.Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania’s three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017. The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit. The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016.

Exchange Rates

leke (ALL) per US dollar -

121.9 (2017 est.)

124.14 (2016 est.)

124.14 (2015 est.)

125.96 (2014 est.)

105.48 (2013 est.)

Exports

$900.7 million (2017 est.)

$789.1 million (2016 est.)

Exports Commodities

apparel and clothing, footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; cement and construction materials, vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports Partners

Italy 53.4%, Kosovo 7.7%, Spain 5.6%, Greece 4.2% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Gdp Composition By End Use

exports of goods and services

31.5% (2017 est.)

government consumption

11.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

78.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-46.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

0.2% (2017 est.)

Gdp Composition By Sector Of Origin

agriculture

21.7% (2017 est.)

industry

24.2% (2017 est.)

services

54.1% (2017 est.)

Gdp Official Exchange Rate

$13.07 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

Gdp Per Capita Ppp

$12,500 (2017 est.)

$12,100 (2016 est.)

$11,600 (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp Purchasing Power Parity

$36.01 billion (2017 est.)

$34.67 billion (2016 est.)

$33.55 billion (2015 est.)

note

data are in 2017 dollars; unreported output may be as large as 50% of official GDP

Gdp Real Growth Rate

3.8% (2017 est.)

3.4% (2016 est.)

2.2% (2015 est.)

Gross National Saving

15.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

16.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

16.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

highest 10%

19.6% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

19.6% (2015 est.)

Imports

$4.103 billion (2017 est.)

$3.67 billion (2016 est.)

Imports Commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports Partners

Italy 28.5%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 8%, Greece 8%, China 7.9%, Serbia 4% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

6.8% (2017 est.)

Industries

food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2% (2017 est.)

1.3% (2016 est.)

Labor Force

1.198 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

agriculture

41.4%

industry

18.3%

services

40.3% (2017 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

note

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

14.3% (2012 est.)

Public Debt

71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

73.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

$3.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.109 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Broad Money

$4.155 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.397 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment At Home

$6.12 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$5.452 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock Of Domestic Credit

$8.122 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.065 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock Of Narrow Money

$4.155 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$3.397 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes And Other Revenues

27.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

13.8% (2017 est.)

15.2% (2016 est.)

note

these official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

4.5 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

16,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

168.3 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

electrification - total population

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

5.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

1.869 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

95% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

1.827 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

2.109 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

7.138 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

821.2 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

29,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

3,250 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

26,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

5,638 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

10 (2017 est.)

total

293,623 (2017 est.)

Broadcast Media

Albania has more than 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally; Albanian TV broadcasts are also available to Albanian-speaking populations in neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; Albania's TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; the government has pledged to provide analog-to-digital converters to low-income families affected by this decision; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2017)

Internet Country Code

.al

Internet Users

percent of population

66.4% (July 2016 est.)

total

2,016,516 (July 2016 est.)

Telephone System

domestic

fixed-line 8 per 100, teledensity continues to decline due to heavy use of mobile-cellular telephone services; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective, 115 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2017)

general assessment

consistant with the region; offsetting the deficit of fixed-line capacity, mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; four companies presently providing mobile services and mobile teledensity; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005, and the penetration rate rose to over 65% by 2016; Internet cafes are popular in major urban areas; 1.3 million use mobile broadband services (3G/4G) (2017)

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 (2016)

Telephones Fixed Lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

247,010 (2017 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

115 (2017 est.)

total subscriptions

3,497,950 (2017 est.)

Airports

4 (2016)

Airports With Paved Runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

3 (2017)

total

4 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2012)

total

1 (2012)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

ZA (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant Marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 49, other 7 (2017)

total

57 (2017)

National Air Transport System

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

151,632 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

1 (2015)

number of registered air carriers

1 (2015)

Pipelines

498 km gas (a majority of the network is in disrepair and parts of it are missing), 249 km oil (2015)

Ports And Terminals

major seaport(s)

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Railways

standard gauge

677 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)

total

677 km (447 km of major railway lines and 230 km of secondary lines) (2015)

Roadways

paved

7,020 km (2002)

total

18,000 km (2002)

unpaved

10,980 km (2002)

Waterways

41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011)

Military Branches

Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command, Air Forces Command (2013)

Military Expenditures

1.22% of GDP (2017)

1.23% of GDP (2016)

1.16% of GDP (2015)

1.35% of GDP (2014)

1.41% of GDP (2013)

Military Service Age And Obligation

19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization (2012)

Disputes International

none

Illicit Drugs

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; significant source country for 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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

stateless persons

4,460 (2017)