2024 Edition Primary

Background

After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy.  Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014. 

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; North 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

18% (male 292,296/female 267,052)

15-64 years

66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388)

65 years and over

15.1% (2024 est.) (male 215,252/female 253,597)

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

12.3 births/1,000 population (2024 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

6.7% of GDP (2018)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

67.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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

Gross reproduction rate

0.75 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant mortality rate

female

9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

11.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

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, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.8 years

male

77.3 years

total population

79.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.2% (2021)

male

98.7%

total population

98.4%

Major urban areas - population

520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

37.8 years

male

34.8 years

total

36.3 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.6 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Albanian

noun

Albanian(s)

Net migration rate

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.7% (2016)

Physician density

1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

1,576,037 (2024 est.)

male

1,531,063

total

3,107,100

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.16% (2024 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

1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6% (2020 est.)

male

38.8% (2020 est.)

total

22.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.55 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), 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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024)

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 Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)

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 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)

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, 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 open party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members 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 90, women 50, percentage 35.7%

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

Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)Democratic Party or PD Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU (part of the Alliance for Change)Social Democratic Party or PSDFreedom Party of Albania or PL (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI)Socialist Party or PS 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, wheat, grapes, olives, cucumbers/gherkins, onions (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$4.4 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$5.319 billion (2021 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B1 (2021)

note

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

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$1.37 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$1.117 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$202.323 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$4.624 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper-middle -income Balkan economy; EU accession candidate; growth bolstered by tourism, services, construction, and private consumption; fiscal consolidation through revenue collection to address public debt; challenges include weak governance, corruption, climate adaptation, vulnerability to energy sector shocks, and emigration of workers

Exchange rates

Currency

leke (ALL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

109.851 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

108.65 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

103.52 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

113.042 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

100.645 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$5.612 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$7.057 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$9.178 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

garments, footwear, iron alloys, electricity, crude petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Spain 7%, Germany 5%, China 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

39.6% (2023 est.)

government consumption

11.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

75.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-44.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.4% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.5% (2021 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

18.3% (2023 est.)

industry

21.2% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

48% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$22.978 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

29.4 (2020 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

22.8% (2020 est.)

lowest 10%

3.4% (2020 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$8.004 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$9.016 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$10.373 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, garments, electricity, cars, raw iron bars (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Italy 25%, Turkey 14%, Greece 12%, China 10%, Germany 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

4.03% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.62% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.04% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.73% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

1.388 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

22% (2020 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2021

82.38% of GDP (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$45.723 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$47.943 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$49.592 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

8.91% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.86% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.44% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$16,300 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$17,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,100 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

9.58% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

9.23% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

8.57% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$5.635 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$5.266 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$6.455 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.2% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

12.47% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

11.59% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

11.58% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

27% (2023 est.)

male

29.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

28.2% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

608,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

94,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.153 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

3.856 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

389,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

31,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

42,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

379,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

522 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6.5 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

2.123 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

3.044 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

2.635 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.423 billion kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

hydroelectricity

99.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

30.306 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

50.623 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

50.623 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

26,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

total petroleum production

14,000 bbl/day (2023 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

79% (2021 est.)

total

2.291 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line approximately 7 per 100, teledensity continues to decline due to heavy use of mobile-cellular telephone services; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective, 92 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

177,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2.782 million (2022 est.)

Airports

3 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ZA

Heliports

9 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 46, oil tanker 1, other 22

total

69 (2023)

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

key ports

Durres, Shengjin, Vlores

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

2

Railways

note

2021-All the trains in the country suspended

total

424 km (2017)

Roadways

total

3,581 km (2022)

Waterways

41 km (2011) (on the Bojana River)

Military - note

the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF) are responsible for defending the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territory, assisting with internal security, providing disaster and humanitarian relief, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; the it is a small, lightly armed force that has been undergoing a modernization effort to improve its ability to fulfill NATO missions, including training and equipment purchases; the AAF has contributed small numbers of forces to several NATO missions since Albania joined NATO in 2009, including peacekeeping/stability missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Iraq, and multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria and Latvia; it has also contributed to EU and UN missions (2024)

Military and security forces

Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces (AAF)): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air ForcesMinistry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2024)

note

note: the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, 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 (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

since joining NATO, the military has been in the process of modernizing by retiring its inventory of Soviet-era weapons and replacing them with Western equipment, including donated and secondhand deliveries (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.3% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-27 (up to 32 in some cases) for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2024)

note

note: as of 2024, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Illicit drugs

a source country for cannabis and an active transshipment point for Albanian narco-trafficking organizations moving illicit drugs into European markets

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: 47,306 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-February 2024)

refugees (country of origin)

47,247 (Ukraine) (as of 30 January 2024)

stateless persons

1,948 (2022)

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 the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

4.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.55 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

16.28 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.18% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

30.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

230 million cubic meters (2020 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.)