Albanian history. Albania (Albania) The population of Albania on
** Migration growth is included in the calculation of birth rate growth: Birth rate = Population + Mortality.
*** We do not have population figures prior to 1950. The figures shown are based on an approximate calculation using the function: population in 1900 = 70% of population in 1950.
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2015). World Demographic Prospects: A 2015 Revision. These estimates and forecasts were made according to the medium-term birth rate option. Used with permission from the United Nations. Downloaded: 2015-11-15 (un.org)
City density map created from population.city using data provided to us by 1km.net. Each circle represents a city with a population of over 5000. Link
The population density map was created according to the instructions of daysleeperrr on reddig. Link1 . Data source: Gridded Population of the World (GPW), 3rd online edition in Socioeconomic Data and Applications (SEDAC) at Columbia University.
The official language of Albania is the Albanian language, which belongs to the Indo-European family of languages and is based on the Tosk dialect. The writing uses the Latin alphabet.
To date, Albania has the highest natural population growth in Europe.
Scientists believe that the ancestors of the Albanians were Illyrian tribes(I millennium BC). From the 11th century the ethnonym "Arbers" began to spread, i.e. Albanians.
The rule of the Ottoman Empire, which lasted almost 5 centuries, from the 15th century until 1912, caused the migration of the population, some of which converted to Islam.
From the middle of the XIX century. began the growth of national consciousness, formed literary language.
After the defeat of Turkey in the First Balkan War, Albania achieved formal independence.
In 1939 it was captured by fascist Italy, in 1943 - by fascist Germany.
In 1946 it was proclaimed a people's republic,
in 1976 it was renamed the People's Socialist Republic of Albania,
since May 1991 - the Republic of Albania.
Since ancient times, the main Albanian occupation was cattle breeding.
In summer, they graze sheep and goats in high-mountainous alpine meadows, in winter - in the valleys.
But times have changed, so even 20-30 years ago most rural residents were mainly engaged in animal husbandry, and today more and more people are inclined towards crop production. Albanians grow a lot of grain crops, corn, sugar beets, and cotton.
Nowadays, citrus orchards and other fruit trees, vineyards, and olive groves open up more and more to tourists.
The ethnic composition of Albania is quite homogeneous - 98% of the population are Albanians.
However, the everyday culture of the Albanians is very diverse, which is explained by the natural isolation of certain groups of the population in mountainous areas.
Almost 2/3 of the inhabitants of Albania live in villages, most of which are located on the coastal plains and plateaus.
Modern houses combine signs of civilized comfort with the usual way of life.
The traditional type of residential building did not depend on the way of housekeeping, but on the terrain.
As before, the most common house is a two-story building, most often made of stone.
Living rooms are located at the top; The lower floor is used by the peasants for keeping livestock, the townspeople - for storerooms, shops, workshops.
In some places you can still see the remarkable structure of the Albanian highlanders - a massive stone tower with loopholes - kulu.
Until now, traditional clothing has not been forgotten.
For example, many men continue to wear white felted wool caps.
Peasant women of middle and older age must wear aprons and headscarves.
On the mountain trails they walk in opings - a kind of rawhide sandals.
Vegetables and olives predominate on the table of farmers, cattle breeders consume various types of dairy products, but most of all cheese.
The Turks introduced elements of oriental cuisine.
Thus, the custom of drinking coffee spread everywhere.
Albania has long been divided into two spheres of influence:
- its northern part was under the rule of the Greeks,
- southern - under the rule of Roman, Slavic and Turkish conquerors.
The Territory of Tirana is separated into a separate administrative unit. In the XX century. the population of Albania grew steadily and by the end of it was approximately 600 thousand people.
According to the census conducted in 2011, the total population of Albania is 2,831,741. Serbs, Montenegrins, Macedonians, Egyptians and Bulgarians.
The majority of the population of Albania professes Islam (about 70%), and a significant part of the population professes Orthodoxy (20%) and Catholicism (10%).
In general, the population of Albania is monolingual, although, due to the strong cultural influence of Italian television, the Italian language is widely understood among the population living along the Adriatic coast. Greek is not only spoken by the Greek minority in southern Albania, but is also understood by many Albanians living along the Greek border. The official language in the country is Albanian.
Albanians can be divided into two cultural groups: northern Albanians or "Ghegs" and southern Albanians or "Tosks". The geographical boundary between the two groups, based on the dialect, runs roughly along the Shkumbini River, which flows through the central city of Elbasan and flows into the Adriatic Sea. All Albanians living north of Shkumbini, together with the Albanians of Montenegro, Kosovo and most of Macedonia, speak the Gheg dialect of the Albanian language. All Albanians south of Shkumbini, including the Albanians of Greece, southwestern Macedonia, and southern Italy, speak Tosk Albanian. Although the dialectal and cultural differences between Ghegs and Tosks can be significant, both groups fully identify with a common national and ethnic culture.
Population of Albania in history
Albanians are an indigenous Balkan people, although their exact origin is unclear. The national ideology unambiguously states that the Albanians are ethnically descended from the ancient Illyrians. Since little is known about the Illyrians, and there are no historical records mentioning Albanians in the first millennium, it is difficult to confirm or deny the connection between Albanians and Illyrians. In historical records, Albanians begin to be mentioned only in the second half of the eleventh century, and with a certain degree of certainty, the history of the Albanians can only be spoken of from that time. Historical records suggest that the Albanians began to spread from their mountainous homeland in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, and at first they settled on the northern and central coast, and by the thirteenth century they spread south to what is now southern Albania and western Macedonia. In the middle of the fourteenth century they migrated further south into Greece. By the middle of the fifteenth century, marking the end of this process of colonization, the Albanians settled into half of Greece in such large quantities that in many regions they constituted the majority of the population. Despite these extensive settlements, the Albanians, who are mostly pastoralists and nomads, did not establish any significant urban centers. In the Middle Ages, there were no large Albanian communities in the cities of the Albanian coast. Durres was inhabited by Venetians, Greeks, Jews and Slavs; Shkodra - Venetians and Slavs; Vlora - Byzantine Greeks. It is estimated that a large proportion of the Albanians had been assimilated by the time of the Turkish invasion - in other words, the Albanians were largely isolated in their own country. It was only during the Ottoman Empire that they began to settle in the cities, and acquired some of the characteristics of a nation rather than nomadic tribes.
Information about Albania
Albania location on the world map
The Republic of Albania is a state in Southeastern Europe, located in the west of the Balkan Peninsula. It has access to the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The coast is replete with bays and small bays.
In the northwest, the country borders with Montenegro, in the northeast with Kosovo, in the east with Macedonia and in the southeast with Greece. In the south, the Strait of Otranto is 75 km wide. separates Albania from Italy. The total length of the borders is 1094 km, of which 657 km are land, 316 are sea, the rest pass through inland waters (rivers and lakes).
The economic and geographical position of Albania is favorable: the country has access to two non-freezing seas and the Strait of Otranto, through which the sea routes from the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian and Mediterranean pass; nearby are such large European countries as Italy and Bulgaria; the country has significant water resources; On the territory of Albania, numerous species of animals and plants have been preserved, large areas are covered with forests. But at the same time, Albania is poor in energy resources and is of little interest for foreign investment, due to the significant corruption of many structures and a large number of close-knit criminal groups.
The country is of interest as one of the promising tourist centers. In 2009, 1.7 million tourists visited the country, which is more than 2.4 times more than in 2005. In addition, in 2009, about 1.2 million more Albanians living outside Albania visited Albania.
Map of the Republic of Albania
State structure of Albania
Albania is a parliamentary republic.
The head of state is the president. The presidential candidacy is submitted for consideration by the Parliament of the Kuvenda country by an initiative group of at least 20 deputies of the Parliament. After that, the president is elected by secret ballot of the members of the Assembly. You need 2/3 of the votes to be elected. The term of office of the President of Albania is 5 years, after which they can be renewed once.
The Kuvend or People's Assembly is the legislative body of Albania. Laws are adopted by three-fifths of votes of all members of Parliament, while the Constitution of the country enshrined an exhaustive list of laws that deputies can adopt. Laws can be submitted for consideration by the Council of Ministers of Albania, deputies of the Kuvend and 20 thousand voters. Passed law announced by the President of Albania within twenty days of its submission. The President also has the right of suspensive veto, which can be overridden by the majority of the deputies of the Assembly and can once return the law for revision.
The 140 members of Parliament are elected once every 4 years by universal suffrage. Of these, 100 - directly in single-mandate constituencies in proportion to the number of voters and 40 deputies on the lists of parties and (or) party coalitions.
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania is the executive body. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) is appointed by the President on the proposal of the parties or party coalitions of the Kuvenda. After appointment, the candidacy of the prime minister must be approved by the deputies of Parliament. If the approval is received, the Prime Minister within 10 days submits the political program of the Council of Ministers and its structure for approval by the Assembly.
Ministers are appointed by the President of the country on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The Council of Ministers determines the direction of the foreign and domestic policy of the state. In addition, under unforeseen circumstances, the Council of Ministers may issue regulations having the force of law, which are then submitted to Parliament for approval. Those. The Council of Ministers in some cases is also a legislative body.
Judicial power in Albania is exercised by the Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeal and the Courts of First Instance. To control the observance of constitutional legality, the Constitutional Court was created, acting as the guarantor and interpreter of the Constitution of the country.
Nature of Albania
The territory of Albania is 28,748 km2. The length of the country from north to south is 340 km, from west to east in the widest part - 150 km.
70% of the country's territory is occupied by mountains, within which 3 physiographic regions are distinguished:
The first region lies within the North Albanian Alps and the adjacent territories of the Korabi ridge. Fully belongs to the Drin river basin. The area is characterized by heavily eroded slopes of limestone mountains, a wide development of karst landforms. On the border with the Mirdita plateau, the outlines of the mountains change: they go down and acquire more smoothed forms. The mountains are composed of crystalline rocks.
The second mountainous region lies south of the Mirdita plateau. The mountains here are flat, surrounding vast basins.
The third physiographic region includes the limestone mountains of the Vlore region, bordering the Ionian Sea.
The average surface height above sea level is 708 meters and is twice the European average. The highest point is Mount Korab with a height of 2753 meters on the border with Macedonia (Dibra region).
The coast of Albania is occupied by lowlands, within which the main settlements are concentrated and the vast majority of the population lives. The country is washed by the waters of two seas: the Adriatic and the Ionian. The total length of the coastline is 362 kilometers. The coast of the Adriatic Sea is flat with bays and gulfs: Drina Bay, Rodoni Bay, Lalza Bay, Durres Bay, Karavastase Bay, Vlora Bay and some others. The soils are alluvial fertile, favorable for the cultivation of major agricultural crops. Large areas are occupied by wetlands that serve as nesting and wintering grounds for numerous birds. The shores of the Ionian Sea, on the other hand, are mountainous. The coastal plains are very narrow and short. Mountains up to one kilometer high approach the very shore.
The climate of the country is subtropical Mediterranean. This type of climate is characterized by mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. In the mountains, the continentality of the climate increases: winters are long and cold, and summers are short and warm.
The average temperature of the winter months on the plains is 7-10 ° C. Of course, frosts also occur, snow falls, but such periods last no more than a few days when cold fronts pass from the north, and the fallen snow rarely lasts more than one day. In the mountains of Albania, the situation is different: snow falls annually and lasts for several months. Winds from the north and northeast prevail.
In summer, dry warm weather sets in on the plains of Albania with an average daily air temperature of around 24-29 ° C. Periods of intense heat are frequent, when the thermometer shows almost + 40 ° C in the shade. Only near the sea coast are temperatures slightly lower.
In the mountain valleys, the average summer temperatures are lower than in the coastal plains. Large daily temperature fluctuations are characteristic: for example, if during the day the air temperature exceeds the thirty-degree mark, then at night it drops to slightly positive values.
On the mountain tops, the average temperatures of the summer months are even lower, and the difference between daytime and nighttime values is small.
The average annual precipitation in different regions of the country ranges from 800 mm near the border with Greece to 2500 mm in some mountainous regions in the north. Most of them fall on the period from late autumn to early spring. In summer, precipitation is rare (this season accounts for only 10% of the annual amount), there are long periods of drought, so the country's crop production needs artificial irrigation. In the mountains, however, heavy rains often occur, leading to landslides and mudflows.
28.3% of the country's territory is covered with forests. On the coastal plains, thickets of evergreen hard-leaved and thorny shrubs, low-growing trees (maquis), which include such plants as: juniper, cistus, yew, laurel, hold-tree, are widespread. Oaks, beeches, elms, poplars, pines and other trees characteristic of the Balkan countries grow in the mountains. In total, 3250 plant species grow on the territory of Albania, of which 29% are species that are widespread throughout Europe and 47% are characteristic of the Balkans. 0.8% of plants are endemic. Another 3.7% of plants are rare and listed in the Red Book.
The fauna of Albania is diverse. There are 429 species of vertebrates in the country, of which 3.7% are protected by law.
The coastal waters are home to gray dolphins, white-backed dolphins and monk seals. Birds are also numerous here: pelicans, storks, ducks, geese and many others. Some of them stay for the winter. in addition, the mild climate attracts a large number of migratory birds from many European countries.
Wild boars, roe deer, elks, foxes, badgers, ermines, brown bears, wolves and forest cats can be found in the forests of the country. Chamois, lynxes, numerous rodents and lagomorphs live in the mountains. Jackals, voles, mice, several species of dormouse are found in the intermountain valleys.
For the protection of flora and fauna in Albania, 14 national parks, several dozen reserves and natural monuments have been created. Among the national parks, the most popular is the 26 km. from Tirana Daiti, which is an important place of rest for residents and guests of the capital. The Butrintiv National Park in the Saranda region is a nesting and wintering ground for numerous bird species and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Albania's main minerals are chromium, iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, magnesium, oil, natural gas and lignite. Deposits are usually small in terms of reserves and underdeveloped.
But the country is rich in water resources. Most of the rivers start high in the mountains and are used to generate hydroelectric power. The longest river in Albania is the Drin, which flows in the northern part of the country. There are many lakes in Albania, among which it is worth highlighting such large ones as: Shkoder (Skadar), divided between Albania and neighboring Montenegro and being the largest on the Balkan Peninsula; Ohrid, most of which lies in Macedonia; Prespa, lying south of Ohrid. Lake Shkoder is a wintering place for thousands of cormorants, trout and carp live in it. The surroundings of Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa are a recreation area for Albanians and Macedonians. The area between these two lakes has been declared a national park.
Administrative-territorial structure of Albania
Albania is divided into 12 regions, which in turn are divided into 36 districts. The districts are divided into 380 communes (municipalities), of which 72 have city status.
| Region | Capital | Region area (km 2) | The population of the region (as of January 1, 2010) | Population density (person / km 2) | Districts | Number of communes by district (excluding cities) | Cities by county |
| Berat | Berat | 1802 | 170845 | 95 | Berat | 10 | Berat Ura-Vaigurore |
| Kuchova | 2 | Kuchova | |||||
| scrapari | 8 | Polichan Chorovoda |
|||||
| Vlorë | Vlorë | 2706 | 211773 | 78 | Vlorë | 9 | Vlorë oricum Selenica Himara |
| Delvina | 3 | Delvina | |||||
| Saranda | 7 | Konispol Saranda |
|||||
| Gjirokaster | Gjirokaster | 2883 | 102549 | 36 | Gjirokaster | 11 | Gjirokaster Libokhov |
| Permet | 7 | Keltsyura Permet |
|||||
| Tepelena | 8 | Memaliyay Tepelena |
|||||
| Dibra | Peshkopia | 2507 | 140002 | 56 | Bulkiza | 7 | Bulkiza Krasta |
| Dibra | 14 | Peshkopia | |||||
| Mati | 10 | Burrels klos Ulza |
|||||
| Durres | Durres | 827 | 310499 | 375 | Durres | 6 | Durres Maneza Sukti Chiyac |
| Kruya | 4 | Kruya Fouche Kruja |
|||||
| Korcha | Korcha | 3711 | 257576 | 69 | Devol | 4 | Bilisht |
| knee | 6 | Leskovik Erseka |
|||||
| Korcha | 14 | Korcha Malik |
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| Pogradec | 7 | Pogradec | |||||
| Kukes | Kukes | 2373 | 79303 | 33 | Kukes | 14 | Kukes |
| Tropoia | 7 | Bayram-Tsurri | |||||
| Has | 3 | Krum | |||||
| Lying | Lying | 1581 | 158829 | 100 | Kurbin | 2 | Lyachi Mammuras Mileti |
| Lying | 9 | Lying Shengini |
|||||
| Mirdita | 5 | Kurbneshi Reps Solutions Rubik |
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| Tirana | Tirana | 1586 | 800347 | 505 | kawaii | 8 | kawaii Rogozhin |
| Tirana | 16 | thief Kameez Kraba Tirana |
|||||
| fieri | fieri | 1887 | 374074 | 198 | Lushnya | 14 | Divyaka Lushnya |
| Malacaster | 8 | Balshi | |||||
| fieri | 14 | Patos Roskovets fieri |
|||||
| Shkoder | Shkoder | 3562 | 246060 | 69 | Malesia-e-Madi | 5 | Baize Kopliku |
| Puka | 8 | Puka Fusha Arres |
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| Shkoder | 15 | wow deyes Shkoder |
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| Elbasan | Elbasan | 3278 | 343115 | 105 | Gramsci | 9 | Gramsci |
| Librazhdy | 9 | Librazhdy perreñas |
|||||
| Pekini | 5 | Pekini | |||||
| Elbasan | 20 | Elbasan cerrick |
Population of Albania
The population of Albania on January 1, 2010 amounted to 3194972 people with a slight predominance of men. Slightly more than half of the population lives in rural areas, and the predominance of men in villages is much more noticeable than in cities. In cities, the situation is exactly the opposite: for 9 men there are 10 women. The urban population in Albania is growing quite rapidly: if in 1989 35.8% of the country's population lived in cities, in 2007 it was already 48.5%. At present, the share of urban and rural population is equal.
The country's population, unlike many other European countries, continues to grow. Growth is really quite small and decreases from year to year. This situation is connected with a decrease in the birth rate and significant emigration of the population to other European countries. A particularly large outflow of the population from Albania occurred during the 90s, when more than 600 thousand people left the country.
The population of Albania is young. Average age is 32 years old. The share of children in the general structure of the population is 23%, the share of the working-age population is 67%, the share of people of retirement age is 10%.
The majority of the country's population is Albanians - 95%. Another 3% of the population are Greeks. The share of other peoples living on the territory of Albania: Farsherots (a group of Aromanians in Albania), Gypsies, Serbs, Bulgarians and Macedonians does not exceed 2%. However, the number of Roma in Albania may be much higher and exceed 100 thousand people.
70% of the population professes Islam, 20% - Orthodox, 10% - Catholics.
The official language is Albanian.
Economy of Albania
Albania is currently one of the poorest countries in Europe, which is largely due to the late transition to market model economy. Until the end of the 1980s, the country's economy developed according to command-administrative methods. The main markets for the manufactured products were in the socialist countries. In 1985, after the death of the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Albanian Party of Labor, Enver Hoxha, the country headed towards the formation of a market economy model, became more open to Western countries. But the transition from a planned to a market economy has become too difficult. Lack of investment, mismanagement in the new economic realities and political instability led to a sharp economic downturn, a slowdown in industrial production and a deterioration in the standard of living of a significant percentage of the population. In 1992, the Democratic Party of Albania, which came to power, launched an ambitious economic reform program aimed at preventing further economic decline. Economic growth accelerated and inflation fell. However, due to the inability of the party to continue reforms, since 1996, the country's GDP growth began to decline, inflation and unemployment rose. In 1997, financial pyramids collapsed in the country and a significant part of the population lost all their savings. Riots broke out. Albania rolled back in its development for several years. The country's democratic government has resigned. Members of the Socialist Party of Albania, which is the legal successor of the Albanian Labor Party, came to power. The new authorities decided to continue the course of economic reforms, and at the same time carry out large-scale purges of officials and judges to fight corruption. However, soon the Council of Ministers of Albania, headed by Fatos Tanas Nano, faced difficulties: during the crisis of the late 90s, corruption penetrated all areas of the economy and it was not possible to overcome it in a short period of time, the growth of crime continued to grow, besides, there was a decline in production and rising inflation. Albania again plunged into the abyss of economic chaos. The dissatisfaction of the population grew and in July 2005, in the parliamentary elections, the Socialist Party lost its parliamentary majority, which the Democrats received. Since that time, a new round of economic reforms has begun, which turned out to be more successful than those carried out earlier.
Over the past few years, the country has managed to achieve significant economic improvements, in the achievement of which the support of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank plays an important role. There is a small but stable annual economic growth, amounting to 2006-09 in the period 2006-09. 5.5%. In the crisis year of 2009, Albania, San Marino and Liechtenstein were the only countries in Europe that showed economic growth. According to the Ministry of Finance of the country, the growth was 3.3%, according to the CIA 3.7%, according to the IMF 2.8%. In 2010, economic growth was already 4.1% and is expected to rise to 5.5% this year.
The budget deficit is shrinking in Albania. Thus, if in 2009 the deficit was 81 billion leks, in 2010 it decreased to 38 billion leks.
From year to year, inflation rates are decreasing, averaging 2.6% for the period 2006-09. In 2010, inflation was 3.4%, while the Central Bank of Albania predicted 3.6%.
However, in terms of GDP per capita, unemployment rate, corruption perception index and some other indicators, Albania ranks one of the last places in Europe.
So, in 2010, GDP per capita amounted to only $7.5 thousand, i.е. lower than in most European countries, except for Ukraine and Moldova, and comparable to GDP per capita in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, GDP per capita in the country may be a third higher than the official, if we take into account the shadow sector of the economy, whose share is up to 40% of the Albanian GDP.
The unemployment rate in 2010, according to the Albanian Institute of Statistics, was 13.52%, having decreased by 0.23% compared to 2009.
The Corruption Perceptions Index of Albania according to the Center for Anti-Corruption Research and Initiatives of Transparency International for 2010 was 3.3. According to this indicator, the country is on par with India, Jamaica and Liberia. Of the European states, the indicators are worse in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. Similar values are found in most countries of Eastern Europe, as well as in Italy and Greece.
Albania's GDP according to the CIA in 2010 amounted to $ 23.95 billion. The structure of GDP is as follows (2010): services - 45% (including trade, hotel and restaurant business, construction, transport and communications), industry - at least 18%, agriculture - 19%. Until recently, remittances from Albanians living abroad accounted for a significant share of GDP. In the record year of 2007, the share of compatriots' remittances reached 15% of GDP, after which it began to decline, amounting to 9% of GDP in 2009.
The share of agriculture in Albania's GDP is not large, despite the fact that half of the country's working population is employed in the agricultural sector. This is due to the fact that most workers work on small farms, using outdated equipment and cultivating soils that are not the most suitable for farming. Wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beet, grapes are grown. Sheep and cows are bred in mountain meadows.
The country's industry produces: a variety of food, textiles and clothing, lumber, cement, chemicals. Oil, coal and metal ores are being extracted. However, the lack of electricity until recently led to significant difficulties in the development of new mineral deposits and a lack of investment. In this regard, the Government of the country is taking steps to modernize existing transmission lines, build new thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants, and is also pursuing a program to attract foreign investment, the volume of which in 2009 already reached $ 1 billion. Another $2 billion was allocated by the Albanian government. Most of the investments go to the development of the country's transport infrastructure, the construction of industrial facilities and the modernization of industrial enterprises. In particular, a highway was built that connected the seaport of Durres with the central regions of the Balkan Peninsula through the territory of Kosovo. The construction of a thermal power plant near Vlora has been completed.
In April 2009, Albania joined NATO. Included in the official enlargement program of the European Union. Has a free trade agreement with Turkey (came into force in May 2008).
But Albania still has economic problems. In addition to the high unemployment and low quality of life described above, the country is highly dependent on imported products. In 2009, imported goods worth $4.55 billion were imported into the country, while products worth just over $1 billion were exported. In 2010, exports grew by 60% year on year.
The main importing countries are Italy, Greece, China, Turkey, Germany and Russia. Countries supply machinery, equipment, food, textiles and chemicals to Albania.
The main exporting countries of Albanian products are Italy, Greece, Kosovo, China, Germany, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro. The country exports textiles, shoes, metals, oil, asphalt, vegetables, fruits, tobacco, corn and wheat.
AT last years more and more tourists began to come to Albania. This is connected, of course, with the political and economic stability of this country. However, for most of us, Albania is still a little-studied and mysterious Balkan country, where, according to rumors, there are stunningly beautiful beaches and unique old architecture. So what is Albania really like?
Geography
Albania is one of the countries of southeastern Europe, which is located in the Balkans. The total area of this ancient country is 28,748 km2. sq. The Republic of Albania borders Montenegro in the north, Kosovo in the northeast, Macedonia in the east, and Greece in the south and southeast. The total length of the Albanian border is 1094 km. In the west, Albania is washed by the warm and clear waters of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The highest peak in Albania is Mount Korabi (2764 m).
Capital of Albania
The capital of Albania is Tirana, which was founded by the Turks in 1614. In 1920, the All-Albanian National Congress proclaimed Tirana the capital of an independent Albania. Now the population of Tirana is more than 400 thousand people.
Official language
The official language of Albania is Albanian, which is a branch of the Indo-European languages and also the heir of the Illyrian language. Modern Albanian has many borrowings from Greek, Italian, Latin, Turkish, and Slavic.
Religion
About 70% of the population of Albania are Muslims, practicing its Sunni branch. Another 20% of Albanians are Christians belonging to the Greek Catholic Church. The remaining 10% of Albanians are Catholics.
State structure
Albania is a parliamentary republic. The modern constitution of the country was adopted on October 21, 1998, after many years of struggle for independence. The Parliament of Albania is a unicameral Assembly (People's Assembly), in which elections of deputies take place every 4 years (a total of 140 deputies).
The main political parties are the Democratic Party of Albania, the Socialist Party of Albania, the Democratic Alliance, the Republican Party of Albania, and the Unity Party for Human Rights.
On April 1, 2009, Albania became a member of NATO. Now Albania is striving to join the European Union. In April 2009, Albania officially applied for EU membership.
Climate and weather
The average air temperature in Albania is +15.9 C. In the coastal regions of Albania, the climate is subtropical Mediterranean, temperate. Summers are hot and dry (from +24 C to +28 C), while winters are mild and humid (from +4 C to +14 C). In the Alpine regions of Albania, the climate is continental, with humid summers (up to +10 C) and cold winters (up to -12-20 C).
Sea in Albania
Albania is washed by the waters of the Adriatic and Ionian seas. The total coastline is 362 km. On the Adriatic coast of Albania near ancient city Lying, founded in the 4th century BC, there is a beautiful Drina Bay.
Albania owns several small islands, but they are all uninhabited. The largest of them is the island of Sazani, which is located at the entrance to the Gulf of Vlore. Its area is 5 km. sq.
The coast of Albania and Italy is connected by the Strait of Otranto, which is 75 km wide. This strait separates the Adriatic and Ionian seas.
Rivers and lakes
Despite the fact that Albania is a small mountainous country, a large number of rivers flow through its territory. The largest of them are the Drin River (285 km) in the north of the country and the Seman River (281 km) in the south. The rivers Vyosa (272 km), Mat (115 km), Shkumbin (181 km), and Bystrica should also be distinguished.
On the territory of Albania there are several large lakes - Ohrid, Skadar, Bolshaya Prespa and Malaya Prespa.
The area of Lake Ohrid is 358 km. sq. Its average depth is 155 m, and the maximum depth is 288 m. Now Lake Ohrid is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Even 2 species of trout live in this lake.
Skadar Lake is located not only in Albania, but also in Montenegro. Its average area is 475 km. sq. In 2005, a state reserve was established in Albania on the territory of Lake Skadar.
Lakes Bolshaya Prespa and Malaya Prespa are located at an altitude of 853 meters above sea level.
Story
The ancestors of modern Albanians are the Illyrian tribes who settled in the Western Balkans in the 2nd millennium BC. In the 7th century BC. on the territory of modern Albania, the ancient Greeks founded several city-states (Durres, Apollonia and Butrintia). AT different times these Greek colonies were part of Ancient Macedonia and the Roman Empire. By the way, these lands fell under the control of Rome in 167 BC, after a long and bloody war.
In 285 AD Roman emperor Diocletian divided Illyria (i.e. the territory of modern Albania) into four provinces. The capital of one of them was in Durres.
In 395 AD Illyria, after the collapse of the Roman Empire, became part of Byzantium. In the 9th century, the neighboring Bulgarian kingdom became very strong and powerful. As a result, the territory of modern Albania became part of this kingdom.
In the Middle Ages, several feudal principalities were formed on the territory of modern Albania. So, in 1190, a feudal principality was formed in Kruja. At the end of the XIV century, the Ottoman Empire began to claim the territory of Albania. After many years of wars (the uprising of Skanderbeg), in 1479, Albania became part of the Ottoman Empire. Despite the constant uprisings against the Turkish yoke, Albania was able to gain independence only in 1912. During World War I, Albania was occupied by Italy, Serbia and Austria-Hungary. After the end of the First World War, Albania regained its independence, and in 1920 the Albanian National Congress proclaimed Tirana the capital of the country.
During World War II, the Albanian National Army, led by Enver Hoxha, put up stubborn resistance to Italian and German troops. In January 1946, the People's Socialist Republic Albania. The communist Enver Hoxha became the leader of the country.
In December 1990, a multi-party system was introduced in Albania, and after that, the importance of the Communist Party in this country became very small. In October 1998, a new Albanian constitution was adopted.
culture
Naturally, Albania, which has ancient history, has a unique culture, which was greatly influenced by the ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Slavs (primarily Serbs). In the Middle Ages, the culture of Albania was under strong Turkish influence. But this is understandable, because then this territory was part of the Ottoman Empire.
In addition, the Italians had a noticeable influence on Albanian culture in the Middle Ages (in particular, Venice claimed the rights to some Albanian cities), who for a long time considered the territory of modern Albania to be their “patrimony”.
First of all, it should be noted the unique Albanian architecture, which developed under the influence of the Serbs, Italians and Turks. However, unfortunately, in the years 1944-1990, during the rule of the Communist Party, many architectural monuments were destroyed. To a greater extent, this applies to ancient mosques and Catholic churches.
However, during the rule of the communist party in Albania, the cities of Gjirokastra and Berat were declared museum cities. Today, Gjirokastra and Berat, thanks to the preserved architecture of the Ottoman Empire, have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Albanian literature began to develop only from the second half of XIX century, when a movement for national awakening appeared - Rilindja Kombëtare, which sought independence from the Ottoman Empire. This movement belongs to romantic nationalism, and thanks to it one can understand the mentality of modern Albanians.
The national Albanian elite appeared only at the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the graduates of the Catholic educational institutions created by the Jesuits and Franciscans in the city of Shkoder.
During the Second World War, most writers were forced to leave Albania, and only in the 1960s did the Albanian literary renaissance begin, associated primarily with the name of Ismail Kadare. Even modern Albanian writers take a lot from the work of the poet and prose writer Kadare.
As far as cinema is concerned, the first film studio in Albania (Albafilm) was established in 1952, and the first Albanian feature film appeared in 1958 (this was Tana).
Albanian Cuisine
Albanian cuisine was formed under strong Turkish influence. A traditional meal in Albania starts with a starter known as "meze" (sour milk, meat, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, spices). A tourist may mistake "meze" for a main course, but in fact it is just a local snack. The traditional "meze" is served in Albania with chicken liver. As for the traditional Albanian aperitif, it is rakia or a glass of red wine.
The most popular salads in Albania are potato salad, bean salad, and fresh vegetable salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, Green pepper and bow). The most popular Albanian soups are "Jahni soup" (its taste differs across Albanian regions) and lemon soup.
Tourists should remember that Albania is a Muslim country where they do not eat pork. But in this country, especially in coastal areas, fish dishes are very popular. Almost all types of fish are served baked in olive oil with garlic and various spices. Lamb dishes are also popular in Albania.
But always please leave room for the Albanian dessert which is just great. Baklava, Turkish delight, kadaiff, which have Turkish roots, are made in Albania in a variety of, sometimes very unusual, versions. We also advise you to try the local pudding made from sheep's milk and figs in Albania.
Sights of Albania
There are so many attractions in Albania that we, perhaps, will highlight only 5 of them:
Cities and resorts of Albania
The largest Albanian cities are Tirana, Durres, Vlora, Shkoder, Berat, Korca, Gjirokastra, and Elbasan. The main port of Albania is the city of Durres, which was founded long ago by the ancient Greeks.
Almost every coastal Albanian city is a wonderful resort. Holidays on the Albanian Riviera (this is the territory along the Ionian Sea in the south of Albania) is cheaper than, for example, in Croatia. In addition, there are not very many people on the Albanian Riviera, which is also an advantage.
Souvenirs/Shopping
We advise tourists to go to the small town of Kruja, north of Tirana. In this ancient city (now its population is only 20 thousand people) you can buy the best Albanian souvenirs, jewelry and antiques. We recommend buying dolls, ashtrays, toys, olive oil, honey, tea, herbs, spices, alcoholic beverages, mugs, plates, t-shirts, Albanian flags, as well as Albanian folk music CDs in Albania.
Office Hours
In Albania, most shops are open from 9.00 to 18.00, and banks - from 08.00 to 16.00. Some shops are open on Saturdays and Sundays.
Visa
A visa is required to enter Albania. However, a valid Schengen visa is sufficient grounds for entry. Visa-free entry to Albania is provided for the period from June 1 to October 31 (if you have a passport).
Currency of Albania
Lek is the official currency of Albania. One lek (international designation: AL) is equal to 100 kindarks. In Albania, banknotes of the following denominations are used: 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 5000 leks.
In addition, there are coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 lek.
Albanians do not mind when tourists pay them with dollars or euros.
Never change the currency “by hand”, no matter how attractive the exchange rate is. Otherwise, you risk becoming a victim of scammers.
Customs restrictions
You cannot bring local currency (lek) into Albania. foreign currency can be imported into Albania without any restrictions. You can take out up to 5 thousand dollars from Albania, or as much money as the tourist declared when entering this country.
From Albania it is allowed to export 2 liters of wine per person, 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages, up to 200 cigarettes, etc.
Useful phone numbers and addresses
Embassy of Albania in Ukraine (part-time with Poland):
Address: 02-386 Warsaw, Altova st., 1
Phone: (810 4822) 824-14-27
Fax: (0-22) 824-14-26
Reception days: Monday-Friday from 8-00 to 16-00
The interests of Ukraine in Albania are represented by the Embassy of Ukraine in Greece:
Address: Greece, Athens 152 37, Filothei, Stefanou Delta St. 20-4
Phone: (8 10 30210) 68 00 230
Fax: (8 10 30210) 68 54 154
Email: , This email address is being protected from spambots. You must have JavaScript enabled to view.
Emergency Phones Ambulance (17)
fire department (18)
police (19)
road administration (42 23600)
traffic police (42 34874).
Time in Albania
All Albania's territory belongs to the same time zone. The difference with Kyiv time is 1 hour. Those. if in Tirana, for example, 9:00 am, then in Kyiv - 10:00 am.
Tips
Most of the waiters in Albanian restaurants understand English and Italian. Tipping for services in Albania is 10% of the bill.
The medicine
The emergency number in Albania is 17.
Safety
After the turbulent events of the 1990s (the war in Kosovo), the Albanians still have a lot of weapons in their hands. In general, Albanians are a “hot” nation, so tourists need to be very careful. So, we do not advise tourists to look into the eyes of Albanians for a long time, and also to express feelings for Albanian women. Cars, of course, are best left in guarded parking lots.