NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Albania
Republika e Shqiperise
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies which should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro |
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Geographic coordinates:
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41 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe |
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Area:
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total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km land: 27,398 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km |
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Coastline:
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362 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.45% other: 74.46% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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3,400 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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3,544,841 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 28.8% (male 528,678; female 493,531)
15-64 years: 64% (male 1,094,034; female 1,175,024) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 111,524; female 142,050) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.06% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.1 years
female: 75.14 years (2002 est.) male: 69.27 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than 0.01% (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 100 (2000 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 100 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) |
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Religions:
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Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice |
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Languages:
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Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 93% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |