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Albania Reference Map
Note -- This Albania reference map and supplemental information have been modified and reformatted from the CIA World Factbook -- available in the public domain.
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Background:
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Between
1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and
established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven
challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high
unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical
infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative
political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic
development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but
deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be
largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability
following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general
elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory
on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth,
and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly
the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step
forward. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is
still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal
economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure.
Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic
tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward
joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan,
has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism. |
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Location:
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Southeastern
Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in
the south and Montenegro and Serbia to the north |
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Geographic coordinates:
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41
00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151
km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km |
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Coastline:
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362
km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth
of exploitation |
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Climate:
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mild
temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior
is cooler and wetter |
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Terrain:
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mostly
mountains and hills; small plains along coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab)
2,764 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum,
natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt,
timber, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 20.1%
permanent crops: 4.21%
other: 75.69% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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3,530
sq km (2003) |
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Total renewable water resources:
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41.7
cu km (2001) |
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Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural):
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Total:
1.71 cu km/yr (27%/11%/62%)
Per capita: 546 cu m/yr (2000) |
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Natural hazards:
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destructive
earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation;
soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents |
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Environment - international
agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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strategic
location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and
Mediterranean Sea) |
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Population:
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3,600,523
(July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 24.1% (male 454,622/female 413,698)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,228,497/female
1,170,489)
65 years and over: 9.3% (male 154,352/female
178,865) (2007 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
29.2 years
male: 28.6 years
female: 29.8 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.529%
(2007 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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15.16
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.33
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-4.54
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 77.6 years
male: 74.95 years
female: 80.53 years (2007 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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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) |
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Religions:
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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 |
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Languages:
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Albanian
(official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic
dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 98.7%
male: 99.2%
female: 98.3% (2001 census) |
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Country name:
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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
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Government type:
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emerging
democracy |
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Capital:
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name:
Tirana (Tirane)
geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 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 |
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Administrative divisions:
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12
counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier,
Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore |
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Independence:
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28
November 1912 (from the 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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adopted
by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
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Legal system:
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has
a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has
accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its
citizens |
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July
2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Sali
BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the
prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
elections: president elected by the People's
Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four
election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be
held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Bamir TOPI elected
president; People's Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority
(84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral
Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct
popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be
held in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19 |
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional
Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for
a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Agrarian
Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic
Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni
MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic
Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem
SPAHIA]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [Arjan STAROVA]; Movement for
National Development or LZhK [Dashamir SHEHI]; National Front Party
(Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or
PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI];
Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of
Albania or PDSSh [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender
GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META];
Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNj
[Vangjel DULE] |
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Political pressure groups and
leaders:
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Citizens
Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of
Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National
Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement; Omonia [Jani JANI];
Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA] |
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International organization
participation:
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BSEC,
CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the
US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 |
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Diplomatic representation from
the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Dr. John L. WITHERS, II
embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103,
Tirana
mailing address: US Department of State, 9510
Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510
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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Lagging
behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition
to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures
to curb violent crime, and recently adopted a fiscal reform package
aimed at reducing the large gray economy and attracting foreign
investment. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad
of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and
Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which
accounts for more than one-fifth of GDP, is held back because of lack
of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of
small, inefficient plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and
inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business
environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign
investment. The completion of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and
improved transmission line between Albania and Montenegro will help
relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to
improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing
barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side,
macroeconomic growth was strong in 2003-07 and inflation is low and
stable. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$19.76
billion
note: Albania has a large gray economy that
may be as large as 50% of official GDP (2007 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$11.2
billion (2007 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5%
(2007 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$5,500
(2007 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
21.7%
industry: 20.3%
services: 58% (2007 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.09
million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (September 2006 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture:
58%
industry: 15%
services: 27% (September 2006 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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13%
official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of
near-subsistence farming (2007 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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25%
(2004 est.) |
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Household income or consumption
by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 3.4%
highest 10%: 24.4% (2004) |
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Distribution of family income -
Gini index:
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26.7
(2005) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3%
(2007 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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23.4%
of GDP (2007 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$2.752 billion
expenditures: $3.129 billion (2007 est.) |
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Public debt:
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53.7%
of GDP (2007 est.) |
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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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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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2%
(2007 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.385
billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by
source:
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fossil
fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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3.323
billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports:
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300
million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports:
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371
million kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production:
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7,006
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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29,000
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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1,240
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - imports:
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21,600
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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198.1
million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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28.77
million cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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28.77
million cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0
cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0
cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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814.7
million cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Current account balance:
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$-918
million (2007 est.) |
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Exports:
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$962
million f.o.b. (2007 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
67.7%, Serbia and Montenegro 5.8%, Greece 5.4% (2006) |
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Imports:
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$3.42
billion f.o.b. (2007 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
32.1%, Greece 17.7%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 5.7% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA:
$318.7 million
note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005
est.) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and
gold:
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$2.084
billion (31 December 2007 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.55
billion (2004) |
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Market value of publicly traded
shares:
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$NA
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Currency (code):
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lek
(ALL)
note: the plural of lek is leke |
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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 - 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78
(2004), 121.863 (2003) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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353,600
(2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1.53
million (2005) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the
density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people;
however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective;
combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approximately 60
telephones per 100 persons
domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed
line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by
2003 two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density
than some of Albania's Balkan neighbors; Internet broadband services
initiated in 2005; internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have
started to spread outside the capital
international: country code - 355; submarine
cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the
Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber optic
system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and
Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when
necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy
and Greece (2007) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM
13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005) |
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Radios:
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1
million (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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65
(3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005) |
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Televisions:
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700,000
(2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.al
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Internet hosts:
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852
(2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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10
(2001) |
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Internet users:
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471,200
(2006) |
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Airports:
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11
(2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2007) |
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Heliports:
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1
(2007) |
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Pipelines:
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gas
339 km; oil 207 km (2007) |
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Railways:
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total:
447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006) |
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Roadways:
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total:
18,000 km
paved: 7,020 km
unpaved: 10,980 km (2002) |
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Waterways:
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43
km (2007) |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 56,550 GRT/85,521 DWT
by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 3 (Georgia 2,
Panama 1) (2007) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Durres,
Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore |
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Military branches:
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Land
Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command,
General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command, Training and
Doctrine Command) (2007) |
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Military service age and
obligation:
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19
years of age (2004) |
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Manpower available for military
service:
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males
age 19-49: 809,524
females age 19-49: 784,199 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 19-49: 668,526
females age 19-49: 648,334 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military
service age annually:
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males
age 18-49: 37,407
females age 19-49: 34,587 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent
of GDP:
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1.49%
(2005 est.) |
| Transnational Issues |
Albania |
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Disputes - international:
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the
Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic
Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of
interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring
countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little
appeal among Albanian nationals; the mass emigration of unemployed
Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and
Italy |
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Illicit drugs:
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increasingly
active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and
cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine
from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and
growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking
organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money
laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms,
contraband, and illegal aliens |
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This page was last
updated on 12 February, 2008
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