Albania

**Albania** ( ; ), officially called the **Republic of Albania** is an independent country located in Southeast Europe, more specifically it is located in the Balkans. The capital is Tirana, and other important cities are Durrës, Elbasan and Vlora. Over 3 million people live in the area of  that Albanians call their home. The majority of Albanians are Muslim with 55%, 23% Eastern Orthodox and 15% Roman Catholics.

Albania is next to Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Greece. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea in the west, and a coast on the Ionian Sea in the southwest. The official language is Albanian(Gjuha Shqipe). The national anthem is _Hymni i Flamurit_.

## History

Albania was the southern part of _Illyria_ during the Roman Empire. In the Middle Ages the Albanians were ruled by many foreign countries, including the Byzantine and Venetian Empires and during the 16th century resistance to the Ottoman Empire's rule was led by the Albanian national hero _Skanderberg_ but his real name was Gjergj Kastrioti. After four centuries of Turkish domination, finally in the 20th century an independent Albania was created. In 1939 Albania was conquered by fascist Italy and was part of the Kingdom of Italy until 1943. After World War II Albania became independent again, under communist rule. It was ruled by Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985. Ramiz Alia took over and also later became president when, in 1992, Albania ended communism, and it now has friendly relations with the European Union, which it has applied to join.

## Divisions

Albania is divided into 12 counties. These counties include 36 districts and 373 municipalities

||County|Capital|Districts|Municipalities|Cities|Villages|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1|Berat|Berat|Berat Kuçovë Skrapar|10 2 8|2 1 2|122 18 105|
|2|Dibër|Peshkopi|Bulqizë Dibër Mat|7 14 10|1 1 2|63 141 76|
|3|Durrës|Durrës|Durrës Krujë|6 4|4 2|62 44|
|4|Elbasan|Elbasan|Elbasan Gramsh Librazhd Peqin|20 9 9 5|3 1 2 1|177 95 75 49|
|5|Fier|Fier|Fier Lushnjë Mallakastër|14 14 8|3 2 1|117 121 40|
|6|Gjirokastër|Gjirokastër|Gjirokastër Përmet Tepelenë|11 7 8|2 2 2|96 98 77|
|7|Korçë|Korçë|Devoll Kolonjë Korçë Pogradec|4 6 14 7|1 2 2 1|44 76 153 72|
|8|Kukës|Kukës|Has Kukës Tropojë|3 14 7|1 1 1|30 89 68|
|9|Lezhë|Lezhë|Kurbin Lezhë Mirditë|2 9 5|2 1 2|26 62 80|
|10|Shkodër|Shkodër|Malësi e Madhe Pukë Shkodër|5 8 15|1 2 2|56 75 141|
|11|Tirana|Tirana|Kavajë Tirana|8 16|2 3|66 167|
|12|Vlorë|Vlorë|Delvinë Sarandë Vlorë|3 7 9|1 2 4|38 62 99|

## Cities

This is a list of the largest cities in Albania.

|style="text-align:right;"|**Rank**|style="text-align:left;"|**City**|style="text-align:right;"|**2001 Census**|style="text-align:right;"|**2011 census**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|style="text-align:right;"|1|**Tirana**|style="text-align:right;"|352,581|style="text-align:right;"|421,286||
|style="text-align:right;"|2|**Durrës**|style="text-align:right;"|113,465|style="text-align:right;"|115,550||
|style="text-align:right;"|3|**Vlorë**|style="text-align:right;"|85,180|style="text-align:right;"|79,948||
|style="text-align:right;"|4|**Elbasan**|style="text-align:right;"|95,554|style="text-align:right;"|79,810||
|style="text-align:right;"|5|**Shkodër**|style="text-align:right;"|85,798|style="text-align:right;"|74,876||
|style="text-align:right;"|6|**Fier**|style="text-align:right;"|56,297|style="text-align:right;"|57,198||
|style="text-align:right;"|7|**Korçë**|style="text-align:right;"|58,911|style="text-align:right;"|51,683||
|style="text-align:right;"|8|**Berat**|style="text-align:right;"|45,572|style="text-align:right;"|36,467||
|style="text-align:right;"|9|**Lushnjë**|style="text-align:right;"|38,336|style="text-align:right;"|31,424||
|style="text-align:right;"|10|**Kavajë**|style="text-align:right;"|28,149|style="text-align:right;"|20,312||

## Armed forces

The Albanian Armed Forces were first formed after independence in 1912. Albania reduced the number of active troops from 65,000 in 1988 to 14,500 in 2009. In 2010 forced conscription was abolished.

## Geography

Albania has a total area of 28,748 square kilometers. Albania's coastline length is . It goes along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. On the coast there are mild, wet winters and warm, sunny, and rather dry summers.

70% of the country is mountains. The highest mountain is Korab.

Albania is bordered by Greece, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. A short stretch of sea separates Albania from the far southeast of Italy.

## Flora and fauna

Although a small country, Albania has a lot of variety in plants and animals. The total number of plants is over 3250 species. There are over 350 bird species, 330 freshwater and marine fish and 80 mammal species. The Double-headed eagle is the national symbol of Albania.

## Related pages

- Albania at the Olympics
- Albania national football team
- List of rivers of Albania

## Other websites

- National Tourism Organization Albania's official website for travel & tourism information.

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Republic of Albania
- **common name**: Albania
- **national motto**:
_"Ti, Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqiptar"_
<small>
"You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian"</small>
- **national anthem**:
<small>
"Hymn to the Flag"</small>

- **image flag**: Flag of Albania.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Albania.svg
- **symbol type**: Coat of arms
- **image map**: Europe-Albania.svg
- **official languages**: Albanian language, Albanian<sup>1</sup>
- **capital**: Tirana
- **largest city**: capital
- **government type**: Parliamentary republic
- **ethnic groups**: 98.2% Albanians
1.8% others
- **religion year**: 2023
- **leader title1**: List of heads of state of Albania, President
- **leader name1**: Bajram Begaj
- **leader title2**: List of Prime Ministers of Albania, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Edi Rama
- **leader title3**: Chairperson of the Parliament of Albania, Chairperson of the Parliament
- **leader name3**: Gramoz Ruçi
- **area rank**: 143rd
- **area km2**: 28748
- **area sq mi**: 11100
- **percent water**: 4.7
- **population estimate**: 2,994,667
- **population estimate year**: 2011
- **population estimate rank**: 136th
- **population census**: 3,069,275
- **population census year**: 2001
- **population density km2**: 111.1
- **population density sq mi**: 327.8
- **population density rank**: 63rd
- **gdp ppp year**: 2011
- **gdp ppp**: $25.035 billion
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $7,780
- **gdp nominal year**: 2011
- **gdp nominal**: $13.292 billion
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $4,131
- **gini**: 26.7
- **gini year**: 2005
- **hdi year**: 2011
- **hdi**: 0.739
- **hdi change**: increase
- **hdi rank**: 70th
- **sovereignty type**: History of the Albanian state, Formation
- **established event1**: Illyria
- **established date1**: 2000 B.C
- **established event2**: Komani Kruja Culture
- **established date2**: ~700
- **established event3**: Principality of Arbër
- **established date3**: 1190
- **established event4**: League of Lezhë
- **established date4**: 2 March 1444
- **established event5**: Independence from the Ottoman Empire
- **established date5**: 28 November 1912
- **established event6**: Treaty of London (1913), Recognized by the Great Powers
- **established date6**: 2 December 1912
- **established event7**: Constitution of Albania, Current Constitution
- **established date7**: 28 November 1998
- **currency**: Albanian lek, Lek
- **currency code**: ALL
- **time zone**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset**: +1
- **time zone dst**: Central European Summer Time, CEST
- **utc offset dst**: +2
- **demonym**: Albanian
- **drives on**: right
- **cctld**: .al
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in Albania, 355
- **footnote1**: Greek language, Greek, Macedonian language, Macedonian and other regional languages, are government-recognized minority languages.