The 2004 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and

       Montenegro 287 km

      Coastline:

       362 km

      Maritime claims:

       territorial sea: 12 nm

       continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

      Climate:

       mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers;

       interior is cooler and wetter

      Terrain:

       mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

       highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

      Natural resources:

       petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore,

       nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

      Land use: arable land: 21.09% permanent crops: 4.42% other: 74.49% (2001)

      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, Endangered

       Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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:

       3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586)

       15–64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065)

       65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 28.2 years

       male: 27.6 years

       female: 28.7 years (2004 est.)

      Population growth rate:

       0.51% (2004 est.)

      Birth rate:

       15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Death rate:

       5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       −4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

       male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 77.06 years

       male: 74.37 years

       female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.05 children born/woman (2004 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, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and

       Macedonian or 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: percentages are estimates; there are no available current

       statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were

       closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November

       1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

      Languages:

       Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach,

       Romani, Slavic dialects

      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

      Legal system:

       has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ

       jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International

       Criminal Court for its citizens

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

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

       July