Albania

Background

After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy.

Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014.

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Environmental issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity

International environmental agreements

Party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified: None of the selected agreements

Climate

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

Coastline

362 km

Land boundaries

Total: 691 km

Border countries (4): Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; North Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 km

Land use

Agricultural land: 38.1% (2023 est.)

Arable land: 21.6% (2023 est.)

Permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.)

Permanent pasture: 13.4% (2023 est.)

Forest: 34.3% (2023 est.)

Other: 27.5% (2023 est.)

Maritime claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

Map references

Europe

Irrigated land

1,907 sq km (2022)

Total renewable water resources

30.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Elevation

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

Lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

Mean elevation: 708 m

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Major lakes (area sq km)

Fresh water lake(s): Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq km
Note - largest lake in the Balkans

Area

Total : 28,748 sq km

Land: 27,398 sq km

Water: 1,350 sq km

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 292,296/female 267,052)

15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388)

65 years and over: 15.1% (2024 est.) (male 215,252/female 253,597)

Sex ratio

At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female

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

Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Literacy

Total population: 97.7% (2023 est.)

Male: 98.2% (2023 est.)

Female: 97.2% (2023 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Albanian(s)

Adjective: Albanian

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Total: 15 years (2023 est.)

Male: 14 years (2023 est.)

Female: 15 years (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population: 64.6% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved:

Urban: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 95.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 4.9% of population (2022 est.)

Major urban areas - population

520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)

Physician density

1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.6 years (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios

Total dependency ratio: 47.8 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio: 24.3 (2024 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio: 23.5 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio: 4.3 (2024 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Improved:

Urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved:

Urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

Note: Data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation

Religions

Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)

Note: All mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Languages

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Major-language sample(s):
Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Health expenditure

7.3% of GDP (2021)

9.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Child marriage

Women married by age 15: 1.4% (2018)

Women married by age 18: 11.8% (2018)

Men married by age 18: 1.2% (2018)

Gross reproduction rate

0.75 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

65.7% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Total: 25.1% (2024 est.)

Male: 23.9% (2024 est.)

Female: 26.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

-3.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

Total: 36.3 years (2024 est.)

Male: 34.8 years

Female: 37.8 years

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.55 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Population

Total: 3,107,100 (2024 est.)

Male: 1,531,063

Female: 1,576,037

Infant mortality rate

Total: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Female: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Tobacco use

Total: 21.4% (2025 est.)

Male: 37% (2025 est.)

Female: 6.2% (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.7% (2016)

Death rate

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

12.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.5% (2017 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Total: 4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer: 1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine: 1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits: 1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.)

Male: 77.3 years

Female: 82.8 years

Education expenditure

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

10.9% national budget (2023 est.)

Population growth rate

0.16% (2024 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024)

Embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana

Mailing address: 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510

Telephone: [355] 4 2247-285

FAX: [355] 4 2232-222

Email address and website:
ACSTirana@state.gov

https://al.usembassy.gov/

Administrative divisions

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore

Capital

Name: Tirana (Tirane)

Geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E

Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology: The name "Tirana" first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear

Constitution

History: Several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998

Amendment process: Proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic

Executive branch

Chief of state: President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)

Head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013)

Cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly

Election/appointment process: President indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly

Most recent election date: Held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022

Election results:
2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted

2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

Expected date of next election: 2027

Flag

Description: Red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Meaning: Albanians traditionally see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"

History: The design is said to originate with 15th-century Albanian hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks

Independence

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Judicial branch

Highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)

Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term

Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)

Legal system

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present

Legislative branch

Legislature name: Albanian Parliament

Legislative structure: Unicameral

Chamber name: Parliament (Kuvendi)

Number of seats: 140 (all directly elected)

Electoral system: Proportional representation

Scope of elections: Full renewal

Term in office: 4 years

Most recent election date: 5/11/2025

Parties elected and seats per party: Socialist Party of Albania (PS) (83); Democratic Party - Alliance for a Greater Albania (PD-ASHM) (50); Other (7)

Percentage of women in chamber: 35%

Expected date of next election: May 2029

International organization participation

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Note: Albania is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day

Political parties

Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)
Democratic Party or PD
Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU (part of the Alliance for Change)
Social Democratic Party or PSD
Freedom Party of Albania or PL (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI)
Socialist Party or PS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Government type

parliamentary republic

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

Etymology: Name may be derived from the pre-Celtic word alb, meaning "hill," or from the Indo-European root word albh, meaning "white;" the local name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word shqiponje ("eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chief of mission: Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)

Chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942

FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Email address and website:
Embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al

http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en

Consulate(s) general: New York

National anthem(s)

Title: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)

Lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU

History: Adopted 1912; only the first two stanzas of the original poem are used, with the second stanza as a chorus

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

National symbol(s)

black double-headed eagle

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: No

Citizenship by descent only: At least one parent must be a citizen of Albania

Dual citizenship recognized: Yes

Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

National heritage

Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokastër (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m)

National color(s)

red, black

Population below poverty line

22% (2020 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Lowest 10%: 3.4% (2020 est.)

Highest 10%: 22.8% (2020 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

garments, footwear, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Germany 5%, Spain 5%, Serbia 4% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Agricultural products

milk, maize, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, grapes, onions, cucumbers/gherkins, olives (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

Revenues: $6.636 billion (2023 est.)

Expenditures: $6.966 billion (2023 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, iron bars (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Exchange rates

leke (ALL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
93.123 (2024 est.)
100.645 (2023 est.)
113.042 (2022 est.)
103.52 (2021 est.)
108.65 (2020 est.)

Industries

food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Economic overview

Upper-middle-income Balkan economy; EU accession candidate; growth bolstered by tourism, agriculture, mining, construction, and private consumption; fiscal consolidation through revenue collection and tax compliance enhancements to address public debt; challenges include weak governance, corruption, and high emigration rates

GDP (official exchange rate)

$27.178 billion (2024 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

Household consumption: 70.2% (2023 est.)

Government consumption: 12% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital: 24% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories: -1.1% (2023 est.)

Exports of goods and services: 38.7% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services: -43.8% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Imports - partners

Italy 22%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 7%, Greece 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Remittances

8.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
8.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
9.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Labor force

1.37 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Debt - external

$5.363 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.516 billion (2024 est.)
$6.455 billion (2023 est.)
$5.266 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

81.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

10.3% (2024 est.)
10.2% (2023 est.)
10.2% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Taxes and other revenues

17.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$51.36 billion (2024 est.)
$49.403 billion (2023 est.)
$47.532 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% (2024 est.)
4.8% (2023 est.)
6.7% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

-$646.107 million (2024 est.)
-$281.7 million (2023 est.)
-$1.117 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$18,900 (2024 est.)
$18,000 (2023 est.)
$17,100 (2022 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Imports

$11.697 billion (2024 est.)
$10.374 billion (2023 est.)
$9.016 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$9.848 billion (2024 est.)
$9.099 billion (2023 est.)
$7.057 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Real GDP growth rate

4% (2024 est.)
3.9% (2023 est.)
4.8% (2022 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

-0.2% (2024 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture: 15.5% (2024 est.)

Industry: 22.4% (2024 est.)

Services: 48.9% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Military expenditures

2% of GDP (2025 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military and security forces

Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces (AAF)): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces

Ministry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2025)

Note: The State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties

Military - note

the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF) are responsible for defending the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territory, assisting with internal security, providing disaster and humanitarian relief, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; the AAF is a small, lightly armed force that has been undergoing a modernization effort to improve its ability to fulfill NATO missions; the AAF has contributed small numbers of forces to several NATO missions since Albania joined NATO in 2009, including peacekeeping/stability missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Iraq, and multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria and Latvia; it has also contributed to EU and UN missions (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,500 active-duty military personnel (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military is in the process of modernizing by replacing its inventory of Soviet-era weapons with NATO standard armaments; in recent years, acquisitions have included equipment from France, Israel, Italy, Turkey and the US (2025)

Military deployments

250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2025)

Note: As of 2024, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Introduction