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

History: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 (2017)

Amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2016 (2017)

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

Citizenship by birth: no

Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania

Dual citizenship recognized: yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President of the Republic Ilir META (since 24 July 2017)

Head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Senida MESI (since 13 September 2017)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly

Elections:

Election results: Ilir META elected president; Assembly vote - 87 - 2 in fourth round

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

Elections: last held on 25 June 2017 (next to be held in 2021)

Election results: percent of vote by party - PS 48.3%, PD 28.9%, LSI 14.3%, PDIU 4.8%, PSD 1%, other 2.7%; seats by party - PS 74, PD 43, LSI 19, PDIU 3, PSD 1; composition - men 108, women 32, percent of women 22.9%

Judicial Branch

Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 17 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges, including the chairman, appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; chairman elected by the People's Assembly for a single 3-year term

Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

Political Parties and Leaders

Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]; Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI); Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA];

Flag Description

Red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman 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 "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"

National Symbols

Black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black

National Anthem

Lyrics:

Note: adopted 1912

Year

Government Type

  • Parliamentary republic

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
  • Etymology
    the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015)
  • Chancery
    2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 223-4942
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 628-7342
  • Consulate(s) General
    New York

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Donald LU (since 13 January 2015)
  • 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 (compliant country)
  • FAO
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICC (national committees)
  • ICCt
  • 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