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Albania

Continent: Europe

Geography

People &
Society

Government

Economy

Energy

Communications

Military &
Security

Transportation

Terrorism

Transnational Issues
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Background

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.

Location

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

Area Comparative

Slightly smaller than Maryland

Maritime Claims

Territorialsea: 12 nm

Continentalshelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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

Natural Hazards

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

Environment Current Issues

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

Environment International Agreements

Partyto: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed,butnotratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography Note

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

Map Reference

  • Europe

Irrigated Land 2006

  • 1,884 sq km

Area 2014

  • Total
    28,748 sq km
  • Land
    27,398 sq km
  • Water
    1,350 sq km

Coastline

  • 362 km

Geographical Coordinates

  • 41 00 N, 20 00 E

Land use 2014

  • Arableland
    21.63%
  • Permanentcrops
    2.57%
  • Other
    75.79%

Terrain

  • Mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Land Boundaries

  • Total
    691 km
  • Greece km
  • Kosovo
    112 km
  • Macedonia
    181 km
  • Montenegro
    186 km

Natural Resources

  • Petroleum
  • Natural gas
  • Coal
  • Bauxite
  • Chromite
  • Copper
  • Iron ore
  • Nickel
  • Salt
  • Timber
  • Hydropower
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