Albania

3 public TV networks, one of which transmits by satellite to Albanian-language communities in neighboring countries; more than 60 private TV stations; many viewers can pick up Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 25 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2010)

.al

15,528 (2012) country comparison to the world: 124

1.3 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 91

general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, teledensity remains low with roughly 10 fixed lines per 100 people; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; by 2011 multiple companies were providing mobile services and mobile teledensity had reached 100 per 100 persons; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005 but growth has been slow; 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 (2011)

312,000 (2012) country comparison to the world: 114

3.5 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 125

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products; sheep

revenues: $3.074 billion expenditures: $3.858 billion (2013 est.)

-6.1% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

$NA (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 96 4% (31 December 2012 est.)

9.52% (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 80 10.28% (31 December 2012 est.)

-$1.28 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 -$1.316 billion (2012 est.)

$3.213 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.957 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

34.5 (2008) country comparison to the world: 92 26.7 (2005)

Albania, a formerly closed, centrally-planned state, is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, more recently, its negative effects have put some pressure on the Albanian economy. While the government is focused on establishing a favorable business climate through the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 7% of GDP in 2012, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for almost half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment and makes attracting foreign investment more difficult. Inward FDI is among the lowest in the region, but the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. Albania’s energy supply has improved in recent years mostly due to upgraded transmission capacities that Albania has developed with its neighboring countries. However, technical and non-technical losses - including energy theft and non-payment - continue to be a threat to the financial viability of the entire system. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. The country will continue to face challenges from increasing public debt, having exceeded its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013. Strong trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.

leke (ALL) per US dollar - 109.2 (2013 est.) 108.19 (2012 est.) 103.94 (2010 est.) 94.98 (2009) 79.546 (2008)

$2.323 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 $2.1 billion (2012 est.)

textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Italy 51.1%, Spain 9.2%, Turkey 6.3%, Greece 4.4% (2012)

calendar year

$12.8 billion (2013 est.)

$28.34 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $28.14 billion (2012 est.) $27.78 billion (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars Albania has an informal, and unreported, sector that may be as large as 50% of official GDP

household consumption: 87.6% government consumption: 8.4% investment in fixed capital: 25% investment in inventories: -2.6% exports of goods and services: 36% imports of goods and services: -54.4% (2013 est.)

agriculture: 19.5% industry: 12% services: 68.5% (2011 est.)

$10,700 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 $10,400 (2012 est.) $9,900 (2011 est.) note: data are in 2013 US dollars

0.7% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 1.3% (2012 est.) 3.1% (2011 est.)

14.1% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 113 13.6% of GDP (2012 est.) 13.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 29% (2008)

$4.835 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 $4.985 billion (2012 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Italy 31.9%, Greece 9.5%, China 6.4%, Germany 6%, Turkey 5.7% (2012)

3.1% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 93

food and tobacco products; textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

1.7% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 2.1% (2012 est.)

1.098 million (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

agriculture: 54.6% industry: 12.8% services: 32.6% (December 2012 est)

$NA

14.3% (2012 est.)

70.5% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 38 62.5% of GDP (2012 est.)

$2.827 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 111 $2.784 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$6.539 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 118 $6.316 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$4.226 billion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 93 $3.534 billion (31 December 2010)

$5.17 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $5.233 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

$2.791 billion (31 December 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 117 $2.652 billion (31 December 2012 est.)

24% of GDP (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

16.9% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 14.4% (2012 est.) note: these are official rates that may not include those working at near-subsistence farming

4.183 million Mt (2011 est.)

23,320 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

23,930 bbl/day (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 75

172.4 million bbl (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

4.551 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

1.424 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

5.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

94.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

2.322 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

1.726 million kW (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 107

6.987 billion kWh (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 110

0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 117

0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

0 cu m (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 97

849.5 million cu m (1 January 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

38,390 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 109

68 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

22,810 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

3,121 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

total: 28,748 sq km country comparison to the world: 145 land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland

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

362 km

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

party to: Air Pollution, 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

total: 1.31 cu km/yr (43%/18%/39%) per capita: 413.6 cu m/yr (2006)

41 00 N, 20 00 E

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

1,884 sq km (2006)

total: 691 km border countries: Greece 212 km, Kosovo 112 km, Macedonia 181 km, Montenegro 186 km

arable land: 21.63% permanent crops: 2.57% other: 75.79% (2011)

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

Europe

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

41.7 cu km (2011)

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore

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

several previous; latest approved by parliament 21 October 1998, adopted by popular referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998; amended 2007, 2008, 2012 (2014)

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander ARVIZU (since 10 November 2010) embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, 103, Tirana mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 2247-285 FAX: [355] (4) 2232-222

chief of mission: Ambassador Gilbert GALANXHI (since 5 January 2011) chancery: 1312 18th Street NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President of the Republic Bujar NISHANI (since 24 July 2012) head of government: Prime Minister Edi Rama (since 10 September 2013) cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president is elected by the Assembly for a five-year term and is eligible for a second term (a candidate needs a three-fifths majority of the Assembly's 140 votes (84 votes) in one of the first three rounds of voting or a simple majority in round four or five to become president; up to five rounds of voting are held, if necessary); four election rounds held between 30 May and 11 June 2012 (next election to be held in 2017); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the party or coalition of parties that has the majority of seats in the Assembly election results: Bujar NISHANI elected president on fourth round of voting; Assembly vote (for first three rounds three-fifths majority, 84 votes, required; fourth round, a simple majority of votes is required): Bujar NISHANI 73 votes

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqipetare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"

parliamentary democracy

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

highest court(s): Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including a chairman); Court of Cassation (consists of 14 judges, including the chief justice) judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms; chairman elected by the People's Assembly for single 3-year term; Court of Cassation judges, including the chairman, appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single, 9-year terms) subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" prevails

unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 deputies elected through a regional proportional system from multi-name lists of parties or party coalitions according to their respective order; elected for a four-year term) elections: last held on 23 June 2013 (next to be held in 2017) election results: percent of vote by party- PS 41.36%, PD 30.63%, LSI 10.46%, PR 3.02%, PDIU 2.61%, other 11.92%; seats by party- PS 65, PD 50, LSI 16, PDIU 4, PR 3, other 2 note: seats by parliamentary group as of March 2014 - ASHE 85, APMI 55

name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)

Independence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day

double-headed eagle

Alliance for Employment, Welfare, and Integration or APMI (coalition of 25 centrist and center-right parties) [Sali BERISHA]: Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA] Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA] Movement for National Development of LZHK [Dashamir SHEHI] Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU] Alliance for a European Albania or ASHE (coalition of 37 opposition parties from far left to right wing) [Edi RAMA]: Christian Democratic Party of PKD [Mark FRROKU] Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META] Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA] Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE] other parties: New Democratic Spirit or FRD [Bamir TOPI] Red and Black Alliance [Kreshnik SPAHIU] note: only the major parties of each coalition are listed

Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kol NIKOLLAJ] Omonia [Vasil BOLLANO] Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

18 years of age; universal

Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939, and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, 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, dilapidated 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; however, each of Albania's post-communist elections have been marred by claims of electoral fraud. The 2009 general elections resulted in a coalition government, the first such in the country's history. In 2013, general elections achieved a peaceful transition of power and a second successive coalition government. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and is a potential candidate for EU accession. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.

males age 16-49: 731,111 females age 16-49: 780,216 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 622,379 females age 16-49: 660,715 (2010 est.)

male: 31,986 female: 29,533 (2010 est.)

Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command, Air Forces Command (2013)

1.47% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 63 1.52% of GDP (2011) 1.47% of GDP (2010)

19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization (2012)

0-14 years: 19.3% (male 307,275/female 274,634) 15-24 years: 19.2% (male 297,851/female 282,498) 25-54 years: 40% (male 574,820/female 633,729) 55-64 years: 10.5% (male 157,014/female 158,602) 65 years and over: 11.1% (male 157,143/female 176,643) (2014 est.)

12.73 births/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

total number: 72,818 percentage: 12 % (2005 est.)

6.3% (2009) country comparison to the world: 80

69.3% (2008/09)

6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

total dependency ratio: 44.9 % youth dependency ratio: 29 % elderly dependency ratio: 15.9 % potential support ratio: 6.3 (2014 est.)

improved: urban: 97.3% of population rural: 93.8% of population total: 95.7% of population unimproved: urban: 2.7% of population rural: 6.2% of population total: 4.3% of population (2012 est.)

3.3% of GDP (2007) country comparison to the world: 130

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

NA

NA

NA

6.3% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 98

2.4 beds/1,000 population (2011)

total: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 120 male: 14.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Roma, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

total population: 77.96 years country comparison to the world: 60 male: 75.33 years female: 80.86 years (2014 est.)

definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 96.8% male: 98% female: 95.7% (2011 est.)

TIRANA (capital) 419,000 (2011)

27 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 128

total: 31.6 years male: 30.3 years female: 32.9 years (2014 est.)

23.4 (2010 est.)

noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian

-3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 184

21.3% (2008) country comparison to the world: 88

1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

3,020,209 (July 2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 138

0.3% (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice (2011 est.)

improved: urban: 95.3% of population rural: 86.3% of population total: 91.2% of population unimproved: urban: 4.7% of population rural: 13.7% of population total: 8.8% of population (2012 est.)

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 10 years (2001)

at birth: 1.11 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

1.5 children born/woman (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

total: 22.5% country comparison to the world: 50 male: 23.8% female: 20.7% (2011)

urban population: 53.4% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 2.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

none

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 expanding 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

stateless persons: 7,443 (2012)

current situation: Albania is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Albanian victims of sexual exploitation are trafficked within Albania and in Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Kosovo, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, and the UK; some Albanian women become sex trafficking victims after accepting offers of legitimate jobs; Albanian children are forced to beg or perform other forms of forced labor; Filipino victims of labor trafficking were identified in Albania during 2012 tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Albania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government decreased its trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and convictions over the last year and, because of inconsistent implementation of operating procedures, continues to punish victims for unlawful acts that are a direct result of being subjected to sex trafficking; the high turnover rate of law enforcement personnel prevents progress at the local level in identifying and protecting trafficking victims; removal of the national anti-trafficking coordinator hinders efforts to implement the 2011 national action plan against trafficking; the government provides limited funding to NGO shelters (2013)

4 (2013) country comparison to the world: 183

total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)

1 (2013)

total: 17 country comparison to the world: 99 by type: cargo 16, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Panama 4) (2010)

gas 331 km; oil 249 km (2013)

major seaport(s): Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

total: 339 km country comparison to the world: 117 standard gauge: 339 km 1.435-m gauge (2009)

total: 18,000 km country comparison to the world: 116 paved: 7,020 km unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)

41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011) country comparison to the world: 104