Country Profile

LOCATION: Albania, lies on the west side of Balcan Peninsula. It is bounded by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia to the East, and Greece to the southeast, and south .Albania has a wide opening into two seas of the Mediterranean. It is bordered by the Adriatic and Ionian Sea to the west and to the southwest. Albania’s sea border is 316 km. long.

Albania is mainly a mountainous country in which 76.6 % of the territory is mountains and hills, while the plains above 200 meters above sea-level occupy only 23.4 % of it. The average altitude of Albania (708 m) is about twice the average altitude of Europe.

Major lakes are Shkodra , Ohrid and Prespa.. The highest mountain is Mt. Korabi, at 2751m.

AREA: 28.748 m2

POPULATION: 3.388.000 habitants. Albania’s population growth rate is 0.97% per year, the highest in Europe. Apart from those living in Albania proper, there are 2 million ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, hundreds of thousands in Macedonia and Montenegro, and an estimated 2 million in the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Italy and Canada.

CAPITAL: Tirana with 700.000 habitants (Jan.2001 estimate)

MAIN TOWNS: Shkoder, Durres ,Fier, Vlore, Gjirokaster, Korce,

CLIMATE: Albania is situated in the Mediterranean climatic belt, with a hot dry summer, strong sunshine, a generally mild winter and abundant precipitation. Summer temperatures average are about 27°C, Winter temperatures average around 6°C . Annual precipitation averages 500 – 700 mm.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Albanian

LEGAL SYSTEM: Parliamentary Republic

Unicameral National Assembly of 140 deputies:

88 seats for the Socialist Party

46 seats for the Democratic Party

6 seats for the Democratic Party

ETHNIC COMPOSITION: 99% Albanians, 1% Greeks and Macedonians.

RELIGIOUOS COMPOSITION: 70% Moslem, 20% Orthodox, 10% Catholic. After decades of religious oppression, only 30 - 40% of Albanians are practicing believers.

NATIONAL DAY: 29 November – The day of the Liberation of Albania.

ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANISATION: 36 districts

By the seventh century BC, the Illyrians (the apparent ancestors of the Albanian nation) settle in what is now Albania. In 2229 – 168 BC the Romans defeat the Illyrians and establish the protectorate of Illyricum. The Roman Empire is divided in 395 AD, and the territory of today’s Albania falls into the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire.

The ottomans invade what is now Albania in 1385. Their role lasts more than 500 years.

Skanderbeg, the Albanian leader, wages a war of independence against the Ottoman starting in 1443and enjoys remarkable success until his death in 1468. In 1830s, the Ottomans crush Albanian autonomy. Uprisings break out over taxation policy in the 1840s. In the mid -1800s, intellectuals begin to promote the teaching of Albanian.

Local uprisings break out in 1909 – 1912. After other Balkan states declare war on the feeble Ottoman Empire, Albanians proclaim independence in Vlora on November 28, 1912. The Treaty of London recognize Albania in 1913, but Kosovo is given to Serbia.

In 1920 Albania regains independence. Under Fan Noli, Albania’s first short-lived democratic government is formed in 1924.

In 1925 Ahmet Zogu becomes president of the new Republic of Albania. But in 1928 Zogu proclaims a kingdom and crowns himself King Zog I. Zog cooperates with Italians, not realizing they seek to colonize the country. On April 7, 1939, Italy invades, occupying Albania until 1943, when the germans take over. In November 1944 the Germans retreat. The Communist –led National Liberation Front takes power till 1990.

After communism everywhere else in Eastern Europe, Party Leader Ramiz Alia announces a cautious “democratization”. Reform comes slowly.

Albania is negociating for the association in the European Union

:: MINISTRIES ::

Prime Minister’s Office. - Blv.Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel. +355.4.256561/250474. Fax. 2348.18.

Ministry of Agriculture and Food. - Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit. Tel. +355.4 232488. Tel/Fax. 227924.

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. - Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit. Tel. +355.4 223206. Tel/Fax .232488. Fax..223682

Ministry of Defense – Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit. Tel. +355.4.222103. Tel. 226865 Fax. 228481.

Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Trade - Blv.Zhan. D’Ark. Tel. +355.4.228442. Fax.222655.

Ministry of Education and Science- Rr. Durresit Nr.23 Tel. +355.4.234845. Tel. 226307. Fax.232002.

Ministry of Finance – Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel. +355.4.228405. Tel .227937. Fax. 258435

Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Blv. Zhan D’Ark . Tel. +355.4.362170. Tel.362055, Fax. 235899.

Ministry of Health – Blv. Zhan D’Ark across from the ministry of Foreign Affairs. Tel. +355.4.362937.

Ministry of Justice - Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel.+355.4.232704. Fax..223127

Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs - Rr. Kavajes. Tel. +355.4.223429

Ministry of Local Government - Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel. +355.4.233544, Tel/Fax. 233545.

Ministry of Public Economy and Privatization - Blv.Deshmoret e Kombit. Tel.+355.4 225698, Fax..234052

Ministry of Public Order – Blv.Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel.+355.4.228167, Fax. 04.363607.

Ministry of Public Works – Sheshi Skenderbej, Tel. +355.4.232477. Fax..227879.

Minister of State Close To The Prime Minister - Blv. Deshmoret e Kombit, Tel. +355.4.230846. Fax.04.227879.

Ministry of Transport – Rr. A. Toptani. Tel. +355.4.232389, Tel.230919, Fax..232389