SITE
NAVIGATION
HOMEFLAG FINDERMAP FINDERSOURCESADD YOURSELF TO THE ATLAS!
COUNTRIES A-DCOUNTRIES E-KCOUNTRIES L-RCOUNTRIES S-Z
Google 
  My World Atlas   Web
COUNTRY
NAVIGATION
INTRODUCTIONGEOGRAPHYPEOPLEGOVERNMENTECONOMYCOMMUNICATIONSTRANSPORTATIONMILITARYTRANSNATIONAL ISSUESFLAGMAPLINKSLETTERS AND PICTURES
flag

Republic of Albania

Republika e Shqiperise

former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania


 
We rated with ICRA
 
SafeSurf Rated All Ages

cybersitter

 

 
Click Here to view visitor stats
 

 
NBC Heroes Fan Forum
 

 

 

 
Contact Us
 
Privacy Statement
 
© 1996-2006
Bob Starkgraf

INTRODUCTION

Background:
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.
TOP OF PAGE
 

GEOGRAPHY

Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
Coastline:
362 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM
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) 2,753 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.45%
other: 74.46% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
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, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, 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)
TOP OF PAGE
 

PEOPLE

Population:
3,544,841 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
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.)
Population growth rate:
1.06% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
18.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
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.)
Infant mortality rate:
38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.1 years
female: 75.14 years (2002 est.)
male: 69.27 years
Total fertility rate:
2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 100 (2000 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian
Ethnic groups:
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)
Religions:
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
Languages:
Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Literacy:
definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 93% (1997 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%
TOP OF PAGE