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NAVIGATION
Republic of Albania
Republika e Shqiperise
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania local short form: Shqiperia former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania local long form: Republika e Shqiperise |
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Government type:
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emerging democracy |
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Capital:
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Tirana |
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Administrative divisions:
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12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores |
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Independence:
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28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 28 November (1912) |
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Constitution:
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a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote |
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Legal system:
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has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Agrarian Party or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Shptim ROQI]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Teodor LACO]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Genc POLLO]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Washington, DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 232222 |
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Flag description:
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red with a black two-headed eagle in the center |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy. Agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 49%
industry: 27% services: 24% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% |
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Unemployment rate:
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17% officially (2001 est.); may be as high as 30% (2001) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $697 million
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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9% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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4.738 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 3%
hydro: 97% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5.378 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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100 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.072 billion kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products |
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Exports:
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$340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 71%, Greece 12%, Germany 7%, Yugoslavia 3% (2001) |
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Imports:
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$1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy 32%, Greece 26%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 2% (2001) |
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Debt - external:
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$784 million (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.) |
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Currency:
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lek (ALL) |
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Currency code:
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ALL |
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Exchange rates:
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leke per US dollar - 140.16 (November 2001), 143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997); note - leke is the plural of lek |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |