The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
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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 xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.
Geography
Albania
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 717 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain:
mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)
Irrigated land:
3,530 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
41.7 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%) per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: 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
Geography - note:
strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
People
Albania
Population:
3,619,778 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 23.6% (male 447,126/female 406,757) 15–64 years: 66.9% (male 1,239,819/female 1,180,720) 65 years and over: 9.5% (male 160,241/female 185,115) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.5 years male: 28.9 years female: 30.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.538% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
15.22 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
−4.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 19.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 19.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 18.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 77.78 years male: 75.12 years female: 80.71 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.02 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Ethnic groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Religions:
Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
Languages:
Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,
Romani, Slavic dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years male: 11 years female: 11 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
2.9% of GDP (2002)
Government