The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

21.09% permanent crops: 4.45% other: 74.46% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

      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:

       party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous

       Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

       signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

      Geography - note:

       strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to

       Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

      People Albania

      Population:

       3,582,205 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 28.1% (male 520,714; female 486,911)

       15–64 years: 64.6% (male 1,115,887; female 1,196,477)

       65 years and over: 7.3% (male 115,754; female 146,462) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 26.5 years

       male: 24.8 years

       female: 28.1 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       1.03% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       18.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

       total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 39.68 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 72.37 years

       male: 69.53 years

       female: 75.42 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       NA

      Nationality:

       noun: Albanian(s)

       adjective: Albanian

      Ethnic groups:

       Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and

       Bulgarian) (1989 est.)

       note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from

       1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

      Religions:

       Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

       note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious

       observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing

       private religious practice

      Languages:

       Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

      Literacy:

       definition: age 9 and over can read and write

       total population: 86.5%

       male: 93.3%

       female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

      Government Albania

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Republic of Albania

       conventional short form: Albania

       local short form: Shqiperia

       former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

       local long form: Republika e Shqiperise

      Government type:

       emerging democracy

      Capital:

       Tirana

      Administrative divisions:

       12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i

       Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i

       Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku

       i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

      Independence:

       28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

      National holiday:

       Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

      Constitution:

       a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November

       1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote

      Legal system:

       has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal and compulsory

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24

       July 2002)

       head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and

       approved by the president

       elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a

       five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held NA

       June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

       election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly

       vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

      Legislative branch:

       unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100

       are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for

       four-year terms)

       elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July,

       22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005)

       election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and

       coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%,

       PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6,

       PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2

      Judicial