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Communications

Airports [time series]

12 total, 10 usable; more than 5 with permanent-surface runways; more than 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

16,700 km total; 6,700 km highways, 10,000 km forest and agricultural cart roads (1990)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)

Merchant marine [time series]

11 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 52,886 GRT/76,449 DWT

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1988)

Ports [time series]

Durres, Sarande, Vlore

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

543 km total; 509 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track and 34 km narrow gauge, single track (1990); line connecting Titograd (Serbia and Montenegro) and Shkoder (Albania) completed August 1986

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

inadequate service; 15,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 13 AM, 1 TV; 514,000 radios, 255,000 TVs (1987 est.)

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Coastal Defense Command, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Troops

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - 1.0 billion leks, NA% of GNP (FY90); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 886,032; 731,072 fit for military service; 33,028 reach military age (19) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

arable land per capita among lowest in Europe; over 60% of arable land now in private hands; one-half of work force engaged in farming; wide range of temperate-zone crops and livestock; severe dislocations suffered in 1991

Budget [time series]

revenues $1.1 billion; expenditures $1.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $70 million (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

lek (plural - leke); 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars

Economic aid [time series]

$190 million humanitarian aid, $94 million in loans/guarantees/credits

Electricity [time series]

1,690,000 kW capacity; 5,000 million kWh produced, 1,530 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

leke (L) per US$1 - 50 (January 1992), 25 (September 1991)

Exports [time series]

$80 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: asphalt, petroleum products, metals and metallic ores, electricity, crude oil, vegetables, fruits, tobacco partners: Italy, Yugoslavia, Germany, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$500 million (1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GNP [time series]

purchasing power equivalent - $2.7 billion, per capita $820; real growth rate --35% (1991 est.)

Imports [time series]

$147 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: machinery, machine tools, iron and steel products, textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals partners: Italy, Yugoslavia, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate --55% (1991 est.)

Industries [time series]

food processing, textiles and clothing, lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, basic metals, hydropower

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

100% (1991 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The Albanian economy, already providing the lowest standard of living in Europe, contracted sharply in 1991, with most industries producing at only a fraction of past levels and an unemployment rate estimated at 40%. For over 40 years, the Stalinist-type economy has operated on the principle of central planning and state ownership of the means of production. Albania began fitful economic reforms during 1991, including the liberalization of prices and trade, the privatization of shops and transport, and land reform. These reform measures were crippled, however, by the widespread civil disorder that accompanied the collapse of the Communist state. Following their overwhelming victory in the 22 March 1991 elections, the new Democratic government announced a program of shock therapy to stabilize the economy and establish a market economy. In an effort to expand international ties, Tirane has reestablished diplomatic relations with the former Soviet Union and the US and has joined the IMF and World Bank. The Albanians have also passed legislation allowing foreign investment. Albania possesses considerable mineral resources and, until 1990, was largely self-sufficient in food; however, the breakup of cooperative farms in 1991 and general economic decline forced Albania to rely on foreign aid to maintain adequate supplies. Available statistics on Albanian economic activity are rudimentary and subject to an especially wide margin of error.

Unemployment rate [time series]

40% (1992 est.)

Geography

Climate [time series]

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Coastline [time series]

362 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than Maryland

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

Kosovo question with Serbia and Montenegro; Northern Epirus question with Greece

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

subject to destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along southwestern coast

Area (Land area) [time series]

27,400 km2

Land boundaries [time series]

720 km total; Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)

Land use [time series]

arable land 21%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and woodland 38%; other 22%; includes irrigated 1%

Maritime claims [time series]

Continental shelf: not specified Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

crude oil, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel

Note [time series]

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Area (Total area) [time series]

28,750 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Kore, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore

Capital [time series]

Tirane

Constitution [time series]

an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a new constitution is to be drafted for adoption in 1992

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Minister-Counselor, Charge d'Affaires ad interim (30 April 1991) Sazan Hyda BEJO; chancery (temporary) at 320 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021; telephone (212) 249-2059 US: Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Rruga Labinoti 103, room 2921, Tirane (mailing address is APO AE 09624); telephone 355-42-32875; FAX 355-42-32222

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

People's Assembly: last held 22 March 1992; results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP 2.92%, other 1.74%; seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1, UHP 2

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister of the Council of Ministers, two deputy prime ministers of the Council of Ministers

Flag [time series]

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Independence [time series]

28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire); People's Socialist Republic of Albania declared 11 January 1946

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers Aleksander MEKSI (since 10 April 1992)

Legal system [time series]

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Albania

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Liberation Day, 29 November (1944)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

there are at least 18 political parties; most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP), Fatos NANO, first secretary; Democratic Party (DP), Eduard SELAMI, chairman; Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO; Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA (ran in 1992 election as Unity for Human Rights Party (UHP)); Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI; note - in December 1990 then President ALIA allowed new political parties to be formed in addition to the then AWP for the first time since 1944

Suffrage [time series]

universal and compulsory at age 18

Government type (Type) [time series]

nascent democracy

People

Birth rate [time series]

23 births/1,000 population (1992)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Albanian 90%, Greeks 8%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

27 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Labor force [time series]

1,500,000 (1987); agriculture about 60%, industry and commerce 40% (1986)

Languages [time series]

Albanian (Tosk is official dialect), Greek

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

71 years male, 78 years female (1992)

Literacy [time series]

72% (male 80%, female 63%) age 9 and over can read and write (1955)

Nationality [time series]

noun - Albanian(s); adjective - Albanian

Net migration rate [time series]

--6 migrants/1,000 population (1992)

Organized labor [time series]

Independent Trade Union Federation of Albania; Confederation of Trade Unions

Population [time series]

3,285,224 (July 1992), growth rate 1.1% (1992)

Religions [time series]

all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice; estimates of religious affiliation - Muslim 70%, Greek Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.8 children born/woman (1992)