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Albania People Population: 3,490,435 (July 2000 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 545,329; female 507,589) 15-64 years: 63% (male 1,056,583; female 1,141,664) 65 years and over: 7% (male 104,086; female 135,184) (2000 est.) Population growth rate: 0.26% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 19.47 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -10.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 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: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.) Infant mortality rate: 41.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.57 years male: 68.75 years female: 74.59 years (2000 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.37 children born/woman (2000 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% 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 Data code: AL 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 ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch: chief of state: President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Ilir META (since 29 October 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7 Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms) elections: last held 29 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party - PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3 Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term Political parties and leaders: Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEHDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Albanian United Right or DBSH (includes PBK, Albanian Republican Party or PRS, AND PDD) [Abaz ERMENJI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Democratic Party of the Right or PDD [Petrit KALAKULA]; Liberal Union Party [Teodor LACO]; Movement of Legality Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA]; National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Right National Front [Hysni SELFO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]; note - Teodar LACO of the Liberal Union Party was leader of the Social Democratic Union of Albania or PBSD International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO?, WTrO? (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph LIMPRECHT embassy: Rruga Elbasanit 103, Tirana mailing address: American Embassy, Tirana, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] (42) 47285 through 47289 FAX: [355] (42) 32222 Flag description: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center Economy Economy - overview: An extremely poor country by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12%. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's population - triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and an 8% drop in GDP. The new government, installed in July 1997, has taken strong measures to restore public order and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy continues to be bolstered by remittances of some 20% of the labor force that works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania recovered the 8% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed ahead by 7% in 1999. International aid has helped defray the high costs of receiving and returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict. GDP: purchasing power parity - $5.6 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 8% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,650 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 54% industry: 25% services: 21% (1998) Population below poverty line: 19.6% (1996 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (1999 est.) Labor force: 1.692 million (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (1994 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 49.5%, industry and services 50.5% Unemployment rate: 14% (October 1997) officially, but may be as high as 28% Budget: revenues: $393 million expenditures: $676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) Industries: food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 5.15 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.91% hydro: 97.09% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998) Electricity - consumption: 5.29 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 500 million kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products Exports: $242 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco Exports - partners: Italy 63%, Greece 12%, Germany 6%, Netherlands, Belgium, US (1998) Imports: $925 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals Imports - partners: Italy 43%, Greece 29%, Turkey 4%, Germany 4%, Bulgaria, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1998) Debt - external: $820 million (1998) Economic aid - recipient: EU pledged $100 million to share with The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (1999) Currency: 1 lek (L) = 100 qintars Exchange rates: leke (L) per US$1 - 135.31 (December 1999), 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996), 92.70 (1995) Fiscal year: calendar year |
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