The 2001 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

1999 - 1,670 metric tons; cultivation in 1999 - 51,500 hectares, a 23% increase over 1998); a major source of hashish; increasing number of heroin-processing laboratories being set up in the country; major political factions in the country profit from drug trade

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      @Albania

      Albania Introduction

      Background: In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary elections.

      Albania Geography

      Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian

       Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

      Geographic coordinates: 41 00 N, 20 00 E

      Map references: Europe

      Area: total: 28,748 sq km

      land: 27,398 sq km

      water: 1,350 sq km

      Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland

      Land boundaries: total: 720 km

      border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km

      Coastline: 362 km

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

      territorial sea: 12 NM

      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) 2,753 m

      Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower

      Land use: arable land: 21%

      permanent crops: 5%

      permanent pastures: 15%

      forests and woodland: 38%

      other: 21% (1993 est.)

      Irrigated land: 3,410 sq km (1993 est.)

      Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; 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)

      Albania People

      Population: 3,510,484 (July 2001 est.)

      Age structure: 0–14 years: 29.53% (male 536,495; female 500,026)

      15–64 years: 63.48% (male 1,073,351; female 1,155,115)

      65 years and over: 6.99% (male 107,476; female 138,021) (2001 est.)

      Population growth rate: 0.88% (2001 est.)

      Birth rate: 19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Death rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

      Net migration rate: −3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.78 male(s)/female

      total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

      Infant mortality rate: 39.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.83 years

      male: 69.01 years

      female: 74.87 years (2001 est.)

      Total fertility rate: 2.32 children born/woman (2001 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.01% (1999 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (2000 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - deaths: less than 100 (1999 est.)

      Nationality: noun: Albanian(s)

      adjective: Albanian

      Ethnic groups: Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies,

       Serbs, and Bulgarians) (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: 93% (1997 est.)

      male: NA%

      female: NA%

      Albania Government

      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

      Government type: emerging democracy

      Capital: Tirana

      Administrative divisions: 36 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth)

       and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll

       (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster,

       Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove,

       Kukes, Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik),

       Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin,

       Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode),

       Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri),

       Vlore

      note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

      Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

      National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

      Constitution: a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote

      Legal system: has not accepted compulsory