2022 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

highest point

Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

708 m

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

1,820 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

691 km

Land use

agricultural land

42.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)

forest

28.8% (2018 est.)

other

28.2% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq kmnote - largest lake in the Balkans

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

17.6% (male 284,636/female 256,474)

15-24 years

15.39% (male 246,931/female 226,318)

25-54 years

42.04% (male 622,100/female 670,307)

55-64 years

11.94% (male 178,419/female 188,783)

65 years and over

13.03% (male 186,335/female 214,276) (2020 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

12.69 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.2% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

1.4%

women married by age 18

11.8%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.5% (2017/18)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

46% (2017/18)

Current health expenditure

5.2% of GDP (2018)

Death rate

7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

24.1

potential support ratio

4.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

48.2

youth dependency ratio

24.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 96.4% of population

improved: total

total: 97% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.3% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 3.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.7% of population

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

note

note: data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

(2021 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)

male

11.85 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.82 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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.)

major-language sample(s)

Libri i fakteve boterore, burim i pa zevendesueshem  per informacione elementare. (Albanian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.33 years (2022 est.)

male

76.8 years

total population

79.47 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.8% (2018)

male

98.5%

total population

98.1%

Major urban areas - population

520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

15 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

35.7 years (2020 est.)

male

32.9 years

total

34.3 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.6 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Albanian

noun

Albanian(s)

Net migration rate

-3.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.7% (2016)

Physicians density

1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

3,095,344 (2022 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.22% (2022 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

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: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2020)

male

13 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.1 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.11 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.92 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.66 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6% (2020 est.)

male

38.8% (2020 est.)

total

22.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.54 children born/woman (2022 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.9% (2019 est.)

male

27.8%

total

27%

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

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

geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 19 49 E

name

Tirana (Tirane)

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 2020

history

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

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 Yuri KIM (since 27 January 2020)

email address and website

ACSTirana@state.govhttps://al.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana

FAX

[355] 4 2232-222

mailing address

9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC  20521-9510

telephone

[355] 4 2247-285

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Floreta LULI-FABER (since 18 May 2015)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

embassy.washington@mfa.gov.alhttp://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en

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 Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)

election results

2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

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 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 (next election to be held in 2027); 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 Arben AHMETAJ (since 18 September 2021)

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

note

note: Albania is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term

subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)

Legal system

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

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/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3; composition - men 93, women 47, percent of women 33.6%

elections

last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU

name

"Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)

note

note: adopted 1912

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokastër (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

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

Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)Democratic Party or PD [Enkelejd ALIBEAJ, interim leader]Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (part of the Alliance for Change)Social Democratic Party or PSD [Tom DOSHI]Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, wheat, grapes, cucumbers, onions, apples

Budget

expenditures

3.874 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

3.614 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B1 (2007)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2016)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$899 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$908 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$9.547 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$9.311 billion (2019 est.)

Economic 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

Currency

leke (ALL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

105.48 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

125.96 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

108.57 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

111.36 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

102.43 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$4.78 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$4.82 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$3.47 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

leather footwear and parts, crude petroleum, iron alloys, clothing, electricity, perfumes (2019)

Exports - partners

Italy 45%, Spain 8%, Germany 6%, Greece 5%, France 4%, China 4% (2019)

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)

$15.273 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2008

30 (2008 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

33.2 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

19.6% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

4.1%

Imports

Imports 2018

$6.85 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2019

$6.93 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$5.67 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, tanned hides, packaged medical supplies, footwear parts (2019)

Imports - partners

Italy 28%, Greece 12%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 5% (2019)

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)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.9% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

1.4% (2019 est.)

Labor force

1.104 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

41.4%

industry

18.3%

services

40.3% (2017 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.3% (2012 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

73.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$38.19 billion (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$39.02 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$37.73 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3.8% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

4.07% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.24% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$13,300 (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$13,700 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$13,300 (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$3.109 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$3.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

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

Unemployment rate 2018

6.32% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

5.83% (2019 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

25.9% (2019 est.)

male

27.8%

total

27%

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

235,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

78,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.482 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

3.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

119,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

110,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

9,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

522 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6,527,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

963 million kWh (2020 est.)

imports

3.239 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.531 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.054 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

99.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

38.442 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

42.05 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

42.05 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves

5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

10,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

26,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

16,100 bbl/day (2021 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

18 (2020 est.)

total

508,937 (2020 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.al

Internet users

percent of population

72% (2020 est.)

total

2,043,251 (2020 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line approximately 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, 91 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2020)

general assessment

Albania’s small telecom market has experienced some significant changes in recent years;  upgrades were made to the fixed-line infrastructure to support broadband services; fixed-line telephony use and penetration in Albania is declining steadily as subscribers migrate to mobile solutions; the mobile sector is well provided with LTE networks, while operators have invested in 5G; some of these efforts have been made in conjunction with neighboring Kosovo, with the intention of a seamless 5G corridor along the highway connecting the two countries; the country has long sought accession to the European Union (EU) which has benefited its telecoms sector through closer scrutiny of its regulatory regime and through the injection of funding to help modernize infrastructure (2021)

international

country code - 355; submarine cables for the Adria 1 and Italy-Albania provide connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; 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 (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

223,469 (2020 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

91 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

2,618,880 (2020 est.)

Airports

total

3 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1 (2021)

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

total

3

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ZA

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 47, oil tanker 1, other 22 (2021)

total

70

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

303,137 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

5

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

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 (2015) 1.435-m gauge

total

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

Roadways

total

3,945 km (2018)

Waterways

41 km (2011) (on the Bojana River)

Military - note

Albania became a member of NATO in 2009; as of 2022, Greece and Italy were providing NATO's air policing mission for Albania

Military and security forces

Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH)): Land Forces, Navy Forces (includes Coast Guard), Air ForcesMinistry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2022)

note

note: the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,000 total active duty personnel (5,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2022)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Albanian military was previously equipped with mostly Soviet-era weapons that were sold or destroyed; its inventory now includes a mix of mostly donated and second-hand European and US equipment; since 2010, it has received limited amounts of equipment from France, Germany, and the US (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

1.3% of GDP (2018) (approximately $330 million)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.5% of GDP (2019) (approximately $360 million)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

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; conscription abolished 2010 (2021)

note

note: as of 2020, women comprised about 14% of the military's full-time personnel, including 20% of the officers

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

active transshipment point for Albanian narco-trafficking organizations moving illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin from Turkey and countries in South America and Asia throughout Europe; significant source country for cannabis production

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: 41,804 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2022)

stateless persons

1,528 (mid-year 2021)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

4.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.55 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

17.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

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

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, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

42.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)

forest

28.8% (2018 est.)

other

28.2% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq kmnote - largest lake in the Balkans

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.18% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

30.2 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

905 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

231.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

283 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,142,964 tons (2015 est.)