ALBANIA

The Republic of Albania is a small, mountainous country on south-eastern Europe's Balkan Peninsula, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the west and with land borders to Greece to the south and Serbia and Montenegro to the east. Albania occupies an important strategic location in the Balkans along the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The name Albania is derived from an ancient Illyrian tribe, the Albanoi, forebears of the modern Albanians. The Albanian name for the country is Shqiperise or ‘Land of the Eagle'.

Albania's population of 3.5 million (July 2003), 95 per cent of whom are ethnic Albanians, is growing at the rate of 1.03% (July 2003). The main minority groups are Greeks (3 %) and Vlachs, Romany, Serbians and Bulgarians (2 %) (1989). In November 1990, religious practice was permitted after prohibition by the communist government in 1967. Seventy percent of Albanians are Muslims, 20 % Albanian Orthodox and 10 % Roman Catholic.

Location

South-East Europe, Albania has a coastline on the Adriatic Sea. Yugoslavia is to the north and east and Greece to the south.

Capital

Tirana

Population

3,500,000

Climate

Mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Language

Albanian, Greek

Monetary Unit

Lek

Largest Cities

Durres, Elbasan, Shkoder, Vlore and Korce

Principal rivers

Semani, Drini

Places to Visit

Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Shkoder

Air Ports

Tirana International Airport