Albania
|
| Basic Facts |
| 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 |
| Gevernment type | emerging democracy |
| Capital |
name: Tirana (Tirane)
geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Flag description | red with a black two-headed eagle in the center |
| Currency | lek (ALL)
note: the plural of lek is leke |
| Internet country code | .al |
| Ports and terminals | Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore |
| Agriculture products | wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products |
| Industries | food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower |
| Geography |
| Location | Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro |
| Coordinates | 41 00 N, 20 00 E |
| Continent | Europe |
| Area |
total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km |
| Boundaries |
total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km |
| Coastline | 362 km |
| 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 |
| Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower |
| Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought |
| People |
| Population | 3,581,655 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, 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: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice |
| Languages | Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects |
