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Albania is a country in South-Eastern Europe, in the West of the Balkan
Peninsula, between the geographical coordinates: 39 16′ latitude and 42
39′ longitude. Albania covers a surface of 28.748 km2.
The overall length of the borderline of the Republic of Albania is 1094
km; out of which 657-km is land-border, 316-km sea-border, 48-km
river-border and 73 km lake-border. The Republic of Albania, on the
North borders with Montenegro, on North-East with Republic of Kosovo, on
the East with North Macedonia, and in the South and South-East with
Greece. On the West, Albania is washed by the Adriatic and Ionian seas.
The average altitude is 708 m, i.e. two times higher than that of
Europe. Albania is included in the humid sub-tropical zone of the
Northern Hemisphere, and it belongs to the Mediterranean climatic zone.
Chromium, ferro-nickel, copper, coal, oil and gas are among the most
important sub-soil minerals found in Albania.
Climate
Coastal areas: Central Mediterranean, mild and wet winter, hot and dry
summer.
Alpine areas: Central Continental, cold and wild winter, wet summer.
Relievi
Lowland – Western Albania, Plain – Eastern Albania
Alpine – Northern Albania, the Highest Peak – Korcëabi Mountain (2,753m)
Coastal Line
362 kilometer
Population
3,364,571 (June 1999)
95% Albanian, 3% Greek and 2% various
Rate of Population Increase
1, 05% (1999)
Capital City
Tirana (since 1920)
Official Language
Albanian
Albanian is an Indo-European language and it represents a separate
branch of this family on the bases of its idiosyncrasy.
The Greek geographer, Ptolemaeus, has witnessed the existence of
Albanians and Albanian language in the second century AD.
The name “Shqiperi” (Albania) replaced the “old” name “Arberi” (or
Arbani) by the end of the XVII century, due to the new historical
conditions created, and aimed at giving importance to the connection
between the nation notion and the use of the Albanian language, which
was by that time called “Shqip”.
The first written document of the modern Albanian language is of the
year 1462.The first literary book “Meshari” (Gjon Buzuku) was published
in 1555, and from that time the Albanian language was greatly
elaborated, especially during the period of the Albanian Renaissance, in
two main dialects:
1) “Gegerisht”, i.e. the dialect spoken in the Northern Albania, and
2) “Toskerisht”, i.e. the dialect spoken in the Southern Albania.
The literary Albanian language has 36 letters and uses the Latin
Alphabet, approved by the National Congress of Manastir in 1908.
The Albanian language is also used (written & spoken) in Kosovo,
Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia, where ethnic Albanians live.
Historical Background
The territory of Albania has been inhabited since Antiquity. Traces of
life from the period of middle and late Paleolithic (100 000 – 10 000
years ago) are found in Xare, as well as in the Cave of Saint Marina in
Sarandëa. Albanians are the direct successors of the Illyrians. The
Illyrian tribes stretched along the Western part of the Balkans, and
they reached the rivers Sava and Danube in the North, the rivers Morava
and Vardar on the East (the border line with Thrake), and the
mountain-chain of Pindi in the South and South-East (the border with the
Greeks and Macedonians). The very fast economic development, especially
that of the metallurgy of bronze and iron (XI – V century BC) created
the spiritual and material culture of common values for all the Illyrian
tribes. By the end of the fifth century BC, the Illyrians entered the
road of slave-ownership, and well-known cities of that time, which exist
even today, like Durrahium (Durresi), Apolonia, Butroti (Butrinti),
Scodra (Shkodëra), Lissus (Lezhëa), etc, were founded mainly along the
sea shore. The Roman invasion (year 168 BC) had very heavy consequences
for the Illyrians, but nevertheless, they successfully faced the
assimilating policy of the Romans, mainly thanks to the high standard of
development and the clearly crystallized ethnic identity. With the break
up of the Roman Empire in the year 395 AD, Illyria remained under the
Byzantine Empire. In the following period, Illyria suffered the invasion
of several barbarian tribes, like Goths, Avars, etc. During the IV – VI
centuries, Slavs invaded part of the Northern and Eastern Illyria, as
well as Macedonia, parts that with the passing of time were assimilated.
The end of the first millennium marks the crystallization of the
Albanian nation. Latter on, the Albanian political formations of the XIV
century covered territories from Tivar and Prizren down to Kostur and
Vlorëa, meanwhile in the districts of the Southern part, the historic
name of Epyrus was preserved, which in the coming years served as a
synonym of Arberi (quite often, the National Hero Gjergj Kastrioti
Scanderbeg (1405 – 1468) was called “the Prince of Epyrus”). The Ottoman
invasion (XIV century) established the military feudal system in Arberia
(Albania), but several continuous uprisings of the Albanian princes
prepared the glorious resistance of the Albanian people under the
leadership of the National Hero Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Scanderbeg.
Scanderbeg managed to give birth to a centralized Albanian state
(Arberia), and his flag became the national flag of Albania. The XVIII
century marks the flourishing of two Albanian very well organized and
very powerful “Patriarchies”: The Patriarchy of Bushatllinj (with
Shkodëra as its center and governed by Karamahmut Pasha Bushatlli); and
the Patriarchy of Ioaninna, with Ioaninna as its center and governed by
Ali Pashe Tepelenëa). The peak of the struggle for independence and
national identity was reached with the Albanian Renaissance Movement,
which starts in 1830. In 1878, this movement was very well organized
under the League of Prizren, which served as the first military and
political leadership of the Albanian uprisings. But, unfortunately
enough, in the same year, the Congress of Berlin decided the division of
the Albanian territories to the benefit of the neighboring states,
Montenegro, Serbia and Greece. Nevertheless, the Albanian movement for
freedom was crowned with the Proclamation of Independence, on November
28, 1912. During the years of the World War I, Albania was converted
into a battlefield for the combating powers, and it was invaded
consequently by the Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, France and
Austro-Hungary. In 1920, the Congress of Lushnja (a town 90 km south to
Tiranëa), with the consensus of all the representatives from all over
Albania declared Tiranëa to be the Capital of Albania. On January 21,
1925, the Constitutional Assembly declared Albania a Parliamentary
Republic and Ahmet Zog was elected President of Albania, but he had so
much power in his hands that, in fact, the Republic functioned as a
Presidential one. On September 1, 1928, the Constitutional Assembly
declared Albania Democratic Parliamentary Kingdom and Ahmet Zog the King
of Albania, receiving the royal title “Zog I”. On April 7, 1939, fascist
Italy invaded Albania, and consequently on April 12, 1939, the so-called
Constitutional Assembly declared the end of Zog’s Kingdom and offered
the crown to Victor Emanuel III. The Albanian State formally remained a
Constitutional Kingdom under the Savoy Dynasty. On November 29, 1944,
Albania was liberated from the nazi-fascist invaders. Since then,
Albania was ruled by the communist regime of Enver Hoxha, which
influenced into the country’s isolation. On January 11, 1946, the
Constitutional Assembly declared Albania a People’s Republic, as one of
the forms of the proletarian dictatorship, which lasted, more or less,
half a century, until April 29, 1991, when the first pluralistic
Parliament declared the Parliamentary Republic of Albania.
Political System Parliamentary Republic There is an one-room parliament
and there are 140 deputies, who are elected, by general elections, once
in four year.
The President of the Republic Mr. Ilir Meta, elected by the People’s
Assembly on 2017 for a five-year period
The Chairman of the Council of Ministers Mr. Edi Rama, decreed by the
President of the Republic Albania, 2013.
Constitution The new Constitution of the Republic of Albania was
approved by popular referendum on November 28, 1998.
National Anniversary November 28, 1912 (Independence Day)
Flag The national flag of the Republic of Albania represents a black
bicephalous eagle with open wings situated in the middle of a red
background. Emblem
Economy Albanian economy is considered as Trade Economy in transition.
The private sector occupies the major part of GDP. To be mentioned in
the Strategy of the Albanian Economic Development for the years
2000-2003, are its overall structural reform according to the standards
of the countries with a strong trade economy, the privatization of
strategic sectors, and the stabilization of macro-economic indexes with
the final goal to increasing of the investments through implementation
of the Public Investments’ Program and attraction of Direct Foreign
Investments. The close co-operation with international organizations
such as: World Bank, International Monetary Fund and European Union,
EBRD etc. are assurances for a steady economic development and
termination of the transition stage, whereas the implementation of the
Stability Pact constitutes one of the main engagements of the Government
for the social-economic development of the country with the final view
to getting integrated in the Euro-Atlantic structure.
Natural Properties Underground properties (Petrol, natural gas, chrome,
coal, copper, iron-nickel, ores, marble stone); Considerable Hydro
Resources; Considerable Areas of Woods and Pasturage (about 38% of the
territory of the country).There are non-exploited resources in the
fields of Tourism – Blue, Green and White Tourism.