Country Information on Albania

Terrain Albania is a mountainous country in which about 70% of the land lies above 300 m. The mountains form a broad backbone from northwest to southeast, rising abruptly from the coastal lowlands to elevations of more than 2,400 m. In the north are the most rugged mountains, where a massive limestone extension of the Dinaric Alps reaches inland for 40 km from nearby Montenegro. In the central uplands lies Mount Korab, the country's highest peak, at 2,751 m. South of the Alps, the uplands are lower and more rounded, extending towards the south-east in a series of plateaus and ranges that merge with the Pindus Mountains in northern Greece. The western coastal region consists of low hills and lower reaches of valleys that open onto the coastal plain. Albania's longest river is the Drin. Other important rivers are the Seman and Vjose, which also form broad deltas. Albania's largest lakes are Lake Scutari in the north, Ohrid in the east, and Lake Prespa in the southeast. Climate The climate is mostly mild and temperate and typically Mediterranean. Winters are cool, cloudy and wet, summers are hot, clear and dry. The interior of the country is cooler and wetter. Tirana's average daily high is 8°C in January, 25°C in July. Fauna/Flora Along the coast the vegetation is typically Mediterranean with oleander and laurel trees and other characteristic plants. Nearly 40% of the country is forested, dominated by oak, elm, pine, beech and birch tree. Wild animals such as eagles, wolves, deer and wild boars can be found in the rather inaccessible mountain regions. The areas around the larger lakes attract a great number of birds of passage. History/Politics Although the origins of the Albanian people are not definitely known, data drawn from history and linguistic, archaeological, and anthropological studies have led to the conclusion that Albanians are the direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians. Similarly, the Albanian language derives from the language of the Illyrians, the transition from Illyrian to Albanian apparently occurring between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. By the 3rd century AD, Adrian became the founder of a kingdom roughly covering the area of present-day Albania. The Roman conquest of the kingdom in AD 168 marked the beginning of more than five centuries of Roman rule in the province of Illyria. When the Roman Empire was divided into east and west in 395 BC, the territories of modern Albania became part of the Byzantine Empire. Owing partly to the Byzantine Empire's dwindling influence, by the 9th century Albania came under the domination, in whole or in part, of a succession of foreign powers: Bulgarians, Norman crusaders, the Angevins of Southern Italy, Serbs, and Venetians. By the mid-14th century, Byzantine rule had come to an end in Albania, after nearly 1,000 years. The Ottoman Turks invaded Albania in 1388 and completed the occupation of the country about four decades later (1430). Despite a short period of independence (in 1443 Gjergj Kastrioti, known as "Skanderbeg" succeeded in driving the occupiers out of Albania), the Turks reoccupied Albania in 1506. It was not until the second half of the 18th century that a few Albanian princes had gained some influence and as the 19th century came to a close, Albanians were starting to develop a national consciousness of their own. In 1878, the Albanian League was founded and in November 1912, Albanian patriots issued a proclamation declaring independence. After World War I, the Albanian King Zog I formed a political and military alliance with Italy, eventually leading to Italian troops occupying Albania in 1939. In November 1941, the Albanian Communist Party was formed, with Enver Hoxha elected as Secretary-General. In 1946, Hoxha proclaimed the People's Republic of Albania. For nearly 20 years after World War II, Albania was first under the influence of the former Soviet Union, and from 1962 onwards China took over the part of providing the country with financial and economic assistance until about 1978. After Communism collapsed, Sali Berisha became president in 1992, followed by Rexhep Mejdani in 1997 (both Democratic Party). Economy By the late 1980s, Albania's entire manufacturing sector and all arable land were still part of a system of collective economy. In 1992, the government introduced a programme on economic reform (with the emphasis on privatizing economic sectors). The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression in 1990 and 1991. The new government, installed in July 1997, has taken strong measures to restore public order and to revive economic activity and trade. In 1998, Albania recovered the 8% drop in gross domestic product growth of 1997 and pushed ahead by 7% in 1999, experiencing a further 7.8% growth in 2000. Albania is rich in deposits of high-grade chromium ores. The country has a mineral inventory dominated by crude oil, copper ore, nickel ore, iron ore, coal, phosphates and natural gas, mining is a major industry. Domestic resources (water-power) account for 85% of Albania's energy demand. Culture Until 1880, it was not allowed to teach the Albanian language in schools. Under the Communist government Albanian culture was influenced by Russia and China. In the mid-sixties Albania experienced the Cultural Revolution. At present, the government supports handicraft, traditional dances and festivities. Albania has more than 3600 libraries, the most important being the National Library of Tirana where about one million books are kept. The major museums and the opera, theatres and ballets are also located in Tirana.