|
|
|
| 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 2000 to be acceptable and a step
toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies
remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary
elections. |
| Location: |
Southeastern
Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,
between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
41 00 N, 20
00 E |
| 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:
720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 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%
permanent crops: 5%
permanent pastures: 15%
forests and woodland: 38%
other: 21% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
3,410 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
destructive
earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;
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) |
| Population: |
3,510,484
(July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 29.53% (male 536,495; female 500,026)
15-64 years: 63.48% (male 1,073,351; female
1,155,115)
65 years and over: 6.99% (male 107,476;
female 138,021) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.88% (2001
est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
19.01
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
6.5
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
39.99
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 71.83 years
male: 69.01 years
female: 74.87 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.32 children
born/woman (2001 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%,
Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and
Bulgarians) (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% |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of
Albania |
| Government
type: |
emerging
democracy |
| Administrative
divisions: |
36 districts
(rrethe, singular - rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki);
Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi),
Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume),
Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes,
Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik),
Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen),
Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar
(Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana),
Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore
note: administrative divisions have the
same names as their administrative centers (exceptions
have the administrative center name following in
parentheses) |
| Independence: |
28 November
1912 (from Ottoman Empire) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence
Day, 28 November (1912) |
| Constitution: |
a new
constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28
November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party
boycotted the vote |
| Legal
system: |
has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal and compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President of the Republic Rexhep
MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Ilir
META (since 29 October 1999)
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 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime
minister appointed by the president
election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected
president; People's Assembly vote by number - total
votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7 |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most
members are elected by direct popular vote and some by
proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 29 June 1997 (next
held 24 June 2001, 2nd round 8 July 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party
- PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK
2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD
0.84%; seats by party - PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4,
PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1,
independents 3 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court
(chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a
four-year term) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Albanian
National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI];
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 [Neritan
CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of
Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Liberal Union Party
[Teodor LACO]; note - Teodor LACO of the Liberal Union
Party was leader of the Social Democratic Union of
Albania or PBSD; Movement of Legality Party or PLL [Nderim
KUPI]; 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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT
(associate), BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Joseph LIMPRECHT
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103,
Tirana
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100(A), APO AE
09624
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 232222 |
| Flag
description: |
red with a
black two-headed eagle in the center |
| Economy
- overview: |
Poor by
European standards, Albania is making the difficult
transition to a more open-market economy. The economy
rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression
accompanying the end of the previous centrally planned
system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of
government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in
the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of
inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit
which exceeded 12% of GDP. The collapse of financial
pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted
deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's
population - triggered severe social unrest which led to
more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of
property, and a 7% drop in GDP. The government has taken
measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic
activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by
remittances from some 20% of the labor force that works
abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances
supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade
deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992,
substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998,
Albania recovered the 7% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed
ahead by 8% in 1999 and by 7.5% in 2000. International
aid helped defray the high costs of receiving and
returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict.
Privatization scored some successes in 2000, but other
reforms lagged. |
| GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $10.5 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
7.5% (2000
est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $3,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
55%
industry: 24%
services: 21% (2000) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
19.6% (1996
est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1% (2000
est.) |
| Labor
force: |
1.692 million
(including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000
domestically unemployed) (1994 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture
50%, industry and services 50% |
| Unemployment
rate: |
16% (2000
est.) officially; may be as high as 25% |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$393 million
expenditures: $676 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
| Industries: |
food
processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
9% (2000
est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
5.332 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 3.81%
hydro: 96.19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
5.379 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
100 million
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
600 million
kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, corn,
potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat,
dairy products |
| Exports: |
$310 million
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
textiles and
footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil;
vegetables, fruits, tobacco |
| Exports
- partners: |
Italy 67%,
Greece 15%, Germany 5%, Austria 2%, The Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia 2% (2000) |
| Imports: |
$1 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
Italy 37%,
Greece 28%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 3% (2000) |
| Debt
- external: |
$1 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$NA; aid for
energy from China, Germany, Norway (2000) |
| Exchange
rates: |
leke per US
dollar - 146.08 (December 2000),143.71 (2000) 137.69
(1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996);
note - leke is the plural of lek |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
87,000 (1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
3,100 (1999) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: Albania has the poorest telephone
service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100
inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has
telephone service
domestic: obsolete wire system; no longer
provides a telephone for every village; in 1992,
following the fall of the communist government, peasants
cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to
build fences
international: inadequate; international
traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana
exchange to Italy and Greece |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 16, FM 3,
shortwave 2 (1999) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
9 (plus 264
repeaters) (1995) |
| Televisions: |
405,000
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.al |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
7 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
2,500 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001) |
| Highways: |
total:
18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.) |
| Waterways: |
43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake
Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 145
km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,797 GRT/26,324
DWT
ships by type: cargo 9 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy,
Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops,
Border Guards |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of
age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 870,768 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 712,763 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
35,792 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$42 million
(FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.5% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
the Albanian
Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic
Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them
to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional
cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks
independence from Yugoslavia; Albanians in The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in
education, access to public-sector jobs, and
representation in government |
| Illicit
drugs: |
increasingly
active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates,
hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and -
to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America
destined for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis
production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking
organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe |
|
|
|
