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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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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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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.099 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female
total population: 1.042 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 20.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.54 deaths/1,000 live births (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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Total fertility rate:
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2.03 children born/woman (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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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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This page was last updated on 24 January, 2008
- The Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook - |
