ALBANIA

Government Type

Emerging democracy 

Capital

Tirana 

Flag Description

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Area

total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km 

Boundaries

total: 720 km land boundaries
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km 

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 

Major Language

Albanian 

Major Religion

Islam 

Population

3,600,523 (July 2007 est.) 

Ethnic groups

Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) 

Population Growth Rate

0.529% (2007 est.) 

Net Migration Rate

-4.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 

Age Structure

0-14 years: 24.1% (male 454,622/female 413,698)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,228,497/female 1,170,489)
65 years and over: 9.3% (male 154,352/female 178,865) (2007 est.) 

Unemployment Rate

13.8% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (September 2006 est.) 

Inflation Rate

2.5% (2006) 

GDP Per Capita

purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2006 est.) 

Main Exports

Chromium and chrome products, processed foodstuffs

Activities of the European Commission in Albania

Activities of the European Commission_Albania

Monetary Unit

1 lek = 100 qindars

UN exchange rate: 1 USD = 92 ALL (June 2007)

Press

Shekulli - daily

Gazeta Shqiptare - daily

Rilindja Demokratike - daily

Koha Ditore - daily

Korrieri - daily

Klan - news weekly

Zeri i Popullit - Socialist Party daily

Koha Jone - daily

banian Daily News - English-language news site

Current Weather

Trana