Country Details
| Land Area |
27,398 sq km |
Population |
3791000 |
| Capital City |
Tirana |
People |
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) |
| Language |
Albanian, Greek |
Religion |
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 |
| Government Type |
emerging democracy |
Life Expectancy |
72.83 years |
| HIV/AIDS Rate |
less than 0.01% (1999 est.) |
GNP per Capita |
$3,000 |
| Currency |
lek (ALL) |
Major Exports |
textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metalli |
| National Holiday |
Independence Day, 28 November (1912) |
Dialing Code |
355 |
| Electricity |
|
Malaria Risk |
Low Risk |
| Water Quality |
|
Inoculations |
Yellow Fever Vaccination Cert |
| Crime |
|
Driving License |
International Driving Permit |
| Photography |
|
Entry Regs |
|
| Time Zone |
GMT+1 |
|
|
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high government officials, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in July 2005.
