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Background Note: Albania
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Republic of Albania
Geography
Area: 28,748 sq. km. (slightly larger than Maryland).
Major cities: Capital--Tirana (600,000, 2005 est.). Others--Durres
(200,000, 2005 est.), Shkoder (81,000, 2005 est.), Vlore
(72,000, 2005 est.).
Terrain: Situated in the southwestern region of the Balkan
Peninsula, Albania is predominantly mountainous but flat along
its coastline with the Adriatic Sea.
Climate: Mild temperate--cool, wet winters; dry, hot summers.
People
Population (June 2004 Institute of Statistics est.):
3,129,000.
Growth rate (2001 est.): -0.88%.
Ethnic groups (2004 Foreign Ministry and Institute of Statistics
est.): Albanian 98.6%, Greeks 1.17%, others 0.23% (Vlachs, Roma,
Serbs, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Egyptians, and Bulgarians).
Religions: Muslim (Sunni and Bektashi) 70%, Albanian Orthodox
20%, and Roman Catholic 10%.
Official language: Albanian.
Health (2001 est.): Life expectancy--males 69.01 years; females
74.87 years. Infant mortality rate--39.99 deaths per 1,000 live
births.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: Adopted by popular referendum November 28, 1998.
Independence: November 28, 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire).
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state), Prime Minister
(head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet).
Legislative--Unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor--140
seats (100 members elected by direct popular vote; 40 by
proportional vote; all serve 4-year terms).
Judicial--Constitutional Court, Court of Cassation, multiple
district and appeals courts.
Suffrage: Universal at age 18.
Main political parties; Albanian Republican Party (PR); Albanian
Socialist Party (PS); Democratic Party of Albania (PD); New
Democrat Party (New DP); Socialist Movement for Integration
(LSI); Liberal Democratic Union Party (PBL); Movement of
Legality Party (PLL); Social Democratic Party (PSD); Unity for
Human Rights Party (PBDNJ).
Economy
Real GDP growth (2005): 5.5%.
Inflation rate (2005): 2.4%.
Unemployment rate (2005): 14.2%.
Natural resources: Oil, gas, coal, iron, copper and chrome ores.
GEOGRAPHY
Albania shares a border with Greece to the south/southeast,
Macedonia to the east, and Serbia and Montenegro (including
Kosovo) to the north and northeast. Eastern Albania lies along
the Adriatic and Ionian Sea coastlines. Albania's primary
seaport is Durres, which handles 90% of its maritime cargo.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Over 90% of Albania's people are ethnic Albanian, and
Albanian is the official language. Religions include Muslim
(Sunni and Bektashi), Albanian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic.
Scholars believe the Albanian people are
descended from a non-Slavic, non-Turkic group of tribes known as
Illyrians, who arrived in the Balkans around 2000 BC. Modern
Albanians still distinguish between Ghegs (northern tribes) and
Tosks (southern tribes). After falling under Roman authority in
165 BC, Albania was controlled nearly continuously by a
succession of foreign powers until the mid-20th century, with
only brief periods of self-rule. |