3 GeoFroggy

Country Name

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

Administrative Divisions

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

Independence

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National Holiday

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

Constitution

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)

Legal System

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

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

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

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)

Legislative Branch

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

Judicial Branch

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

Political Parties and Leaders

Flag Description

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"

National Symbols

Double-headed eagle

National Anthem

lyrics:

note: adopted 1912

Year

Government Type

  • Parliamentary democracy

Capital

  • 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

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • 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

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • 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

International Organization Participation

  • 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