Albania – country information
| Country name | Albania |
| Official name | Republic of Albania |
| Capital | Tirana |
| Continent | Europe |
| Area | 28,748 km2 |
| Population | 2,821,977 (2011) |
| Foundation of a state | 28/11/1912 |
| The highest mountains | Korabi 2,751 m |
| Longest rivers | Drina 282 km |
| The largest lakes | Skadar 370 km 2 (in the country 148 km 2) |
| State system | a pluralist republic with a unicameral parliament |
| The biggest cities | Tirana (capital) 275,000, Durrës 92,000, Elbasan 88,000 |
| Official language | Albanian |
| Ethnicity/National Composition | Albanians 98.0%, Greeks 1.8%, others 0.2% |
| Religious affiliation | no religion 70%, Muslims 21%, Christians 8% |
| Currency | 1 lek (Lk) = 100 qindars |
| gross domestic product (GDP) | US$7,997 (2012) |
| Average life expectancy of the population | 77.43 years (2006) |
| Structure of GDP | agriculture and fishing 28%, mining and industry 33%, construction 5%, services 34% |
Albania – neighboring states
| State | Capital | Area | Population |
| Montenegro | Podgorica | 13,812 km2 | 620,029 |
| Kosovo | Pristina | 10,887 km2 | 1,815,606 |
| Macedonia | Skopje | 25,713 km2 | 2,062,294 |
| Greece | Athens | 131,957 km2 | 10,815,197 |
| Serbia | Belgrade | 77,474 km2 | 7,181,505 |
Albania is a small country in the south of the Adriatic coast of the Balkan Peninsula.
Natural conditions
Albania’s mountainous terrain contributed to its isolation within Europe. The Dinaric system culminates in the border mountains of Prokletije and the Korab massif. The Pindos mountain range extends from Greece to the south. The coastal plain is especially marshy in the north. The rivers Drina, Shkumbin, Seman and Vjosa with their tributaries divide the earth’s surface into a series of narrow mountain ranges with deep valleys. The climate is of the Mediterranean type, much harsher in mountainous areas.
People and history
According to LOVERISTS, the origin of the Albanians is derived from the Indo-European Illyrians. Northern and southern dialects can be distinguished in the country, and there is also a minority of Greeks.
In the 1st century BC, Albania was conquered by the Romans, followed by raids by the Greek Byzantines, Bulgarians, Normans and Serbs, until the country came under the vassalage of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century. The independence won from Turkey as late as 1912 lasted until the Italian invasion in 1939. After the national liberation war, a new Albania was created in 1946 under the leadership of the Communist Party headed by General Enver Hoxha, who isolated the country from the Soviet bloc and oriented it towards China.
The Albanian communist regime was the last in Europe to fall due to dramatic events (mass exodus of Albanians to Italy). In 1991, the first free elections were held and, under pressure, new elections were held in 1992, in which the communists were already defeated. Economic growth is restored with foreign aid.
Economy
Albania is the most backward country in Europe. Agriculture employs nearly half of the workforce, but there is huge unemployment in a country of mostly young people. Wheat, corn, sugar, vegetables, wine, tobacco and olives are cultivated. Sheep, goats and cattle are raised; fishing is important. Abundant mineral resources provide chromium, ferro-nickel and copper ore, oil, coal and asphalt. Weak industry consists of refineries, small smelters and chemical plants, textile and food plants. The predominantly rural country has a disastrous infrastructure that limits economic development. Tourism has an excellent perspective.