Located on the Ishm River, Tirana is Albania's chief industrial and cultural centre. The principal ndustries include agricultural products and machinery, textiles, pharmaceuticals and metal products. Tirana has experienced rapid growth and established many new industries since the end of communist rule in 1990. The population is predominately muslim and the mosque of Sulayman Pasha is a significant landmark. Tirana also features a university (founded 1957) and the Albanian Institute of Sciences. Tirana is presently trying to develop a tourist industry, although this effort is hampered by the public perception of political instability in the region, due to the military conflicts in Albania and nearby Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia in the late 1990's.
History
Tirana was founded in the early 17th century by the Turkish general [Sulayman Pasha]?. Pasha originally named it "Tehran", as a tribute to his military victory at Tehran in Persia (now Iran). The small town was selected as the capital of Albania in 1920, and in January 1946 the communist government of Enver Hoxha was declared there. During the 1950's Tirana experienced a period of rapid industrial growth. During the late 1980's and early 1990's Tirana was the focal point of violent demonstrations which ultimately led to the collapse of the communist government.
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