Discover Fascinating Albania Facts
Dive into the history, culture, and unique insights about Albania.
Albania
Background
π Albania has an interesting history! It declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. However, things changed quite a bit as it was conquered by Italy in 1939 and then occupied by Germany in 1943. In 1944, Communist partisans took control of the country. Albania had strong alliances too; it was first aligned with the USSR until 1960, and then with China until 1978.
Fast forward to today, Albania is a multiparty democracy! π It joined NATO in 2009 and officially became a candidate for EU membership in 2014. π Isn't it fascinating how far Albania has come?
Year of Independence
1912
Year of Italian Conquest
1939
Year of German Occupation
1943
Year Communist Control Started
1944
Year ended alliance with USSR
1960
Year ended alliance with China
1978
Year Joined NATO
2009
Year Became EU Candidate
2014
Historical Milestones in Albania's Political Landscape
Exports - commodities
π Albania is known for its unique exports! In 2022, the country focused on several key commodities that play a vital role in its economy. Hereβs what Albania is exporting:
- Garments π
- Footwear π
- Iron Alloys ποΈ
- Electricity β‘
- Crude Petroleum π’οΈ
These products not only highlight Albania's industrial strengths but also showcase its contribution to global trade. Each of these commodities adds value to the country's economy and opens doors to international markets! π
Key Export Commodities in 2022
Garments, Footwear, Iron Alloys, Electricity, Crude Petroleum
Exports - partners
π Let's explore Albania's export partners! In 2022, Italy was at the top of the list as Albania's biggest partner, taking a whopping 41% of exports. That's more than two-fifths! Next up is Greece, holding 10% of the share. π¬π· Other notable partners include Spain at 7% πͺπΈ, Germany at 5% π©πͺ, and China at 4% π¨π³. Itβs clear that Italy is leading the way in trade with Albania! ππ
Largest Export Partner
Italy (41%)
Second Largest Export Partner
Greece (10%)
Third Largest Export Partner
Spain (7%)
Fourth Largest Export Partner
Germany (5%)
Fifth Largest Export Partner
China (4%)
Export Partners Share for Albania (2022)
Capital
π The capital city of Albania is Tirana (also called Tirane). Itβs a vibrant city known for its colorful buildings and rich history. Letβs explore some exciting facts about this lively capital! ποΈ
Imports - commodities
Albania imports a variety of commodities that keep its economy buzzing! π Here are the major imports for the year 2022:
- Refined Petroleum: A critical energy source!
- Garments: Stylish clothes from around the world! ππ
- Electricity: Powering homes and businesses! β‘
- Cars: Bringing in new rides! π
- Raw Iron Bars: Essential for construction and manufacturing! π©
These imports play a vital role in meeting the needs of the nation and supporting its industries.
Total Import Categories
5
Climate
ποΈ Albania enjoys a mild temperate climate! This means that winters are cool, cloudy, and wet, while summers are hot, clear, and dry βοΈ. The interior regions of Albania are even cooler and wetter compared to the coastal areas π§οΈ. This variety in climate helps create beautiful landscapes and diverse ecosystems across the country!
Executive branch
Executive Branch of Albania π¦π±
Albania's executive branch is led by two important figures: the President and the Prime Minister.
Chief of State
- President: Bajram BEGAJ
- In office since: 24 July 2022
Head of Government
- Prime Minister: Edi RAMA
- In office since: 10 September 2013
These leaders play a crucial role in guiding the country and making important decisions for its future. π
Current President Since
24 July 2022
Current Prime Minister Since
10 September 2013
Legislative branch
In Albania, the Legislative branch is a unicameral Assembly, which means it has just one chamber. ποΈ This Assembly is made up of 140 seats! That's where all the important decisions about the country's laws and policies are made. π
Total seats in Assembly
140
Natural resources
π Albania is rich in various natural resources! Hereβs a fun list of what the country has to offer:
- Petroleum: Essential for fuel and energy π’οΈ
- Natural Gas: A key energy source for heating and electricity π₯
- Coal: An important resource used for energy production βοΈ
- Bauxite: This is the main ore of aluminum, used in many products π¦
- Chromite: Used to make stainless steel and other alloys π©
- Copper: Essential for electrical wiring and plumbing π§²
- Iron Ore: A fundamental resource for steelmaking ποΈ
- Nickel: Vital in making batteries and stainless steel π
- Salt: Important for food preservation and industrial processes π§
- Timber: A renewable resource used in construction and furniture π²
- Hydropower: A clean and renewable source of energy generated from water π§
- Arable Land: Land suitable for growing crops, which is essential for food production πΎ
Albania's natural resources are not just numbers, they play a huge role in the economy and daily life! π
Economic overview
π¦π± Albania is an upper-middle-income Balkan economy and is on its way to becoming a member of the European Union! π The growth of its economy is mainly driven by exciting sectors like tourism, services, construction, and strong private consumption. ποΈποΈπ
However, Albania faces some challenges such as weak governance, corruption, the need for climate adaptations, and vulnerability to shocks in the energy sector. β οΈ Additionally, there's a notable issue with emigration of workers, which impacts the local workforce. Overall, it's a country with much potential but also hurdles to overcome! πβ¨
Economic Status
Upper-middle-income
EU Membership Status
Accession candidate
Main Growth Drivers
Tourism, services, construction, private consumption
Government type
Albania is governed as a parliamentary republic! π¦π± This means that the country has a system where the executive branch derives its democratic legitimacy from, and is directly accountable to, the legislature (parliament). This setup aims to balance the powers of governance and ensure that the citizens' voices are heard through their elected representatives.
Ethnic groups
In Albania, the ethnic landscape is quite diverse! π Here's the breakdown of the different ethnic groups as of 2011:
- Albanian: A whopping 82.6% of the population identifies as Albanian! π¦π±
- Greek: Only 0.9% of the people are Greek. π¬π·
- Other: This category makes up 1%, including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian. π§βπ€βπ§
- Unspecified: There's also 15.5% of the population that falls under unspecified categories. β
These numbers paint an interesting picture of the cultural makeup of the country! πΌοΈ
Percentage of Albanians
82.6%
Percentage of Greeks
0.9%
Percentage of Others
1%
Percentage Unspecified
15.5%
Ethnic Groups in Albania (2011 Est.)
Religions
In Albania, the religious landscape is quite diverse! π According to the latest estimates from 2011, here's how the population identifies:
- Muslim: 56.7% π
- Roman Catholic: 10% βͺ
- Orthodox: 6.8% βοΈ
- Atheist: 2.5% π€
- Bektashi (a Sufi order): 2.1% π
- Other: 5.7% π
- Unspecified: 16.2% β
This breakdown shows a majority of Muslims, alongside various other beliefs, painting a colorful picture of Albaniaβs spiritual life!
Total Percentage of Muslims
56.7%
Total Percentage of Roman Catholics
10%
Total Percentage of Orthodox
6.8%
Total Percentage of Atheists
2.5%
Total Percentage of Bektashi
2.1%
Total Percentage of Other Religions
5.7%
Total Percentage Unspecified
16.2%
Religious Composition of Albania (2011)
Languages
In Albania, the official language is Albanian, spoken by a whopping 98.8% of the population! π¦π± That's a lot of people communicating in the same tongue! The Greek language follows with just 0.5%, while 0.6% of the folks speak other languages like Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian. π There's also 0.1% of the population who didn't specify their language. This data is from an estimate made in 2011. π
Percentage of Albanian speakers
98.8%
Percentage of Greek speakers
0.5%
Percentage of speakers of other languages
0.6%
Percentage of unspecified language speakers
0.1%
Year of estimate
2011
Language Distribution in Albania
Imports - partners
π¦π± Albania imports a variety of goods from different countries! π Hereβs how the imports stack up for 2022:
- Italy is the top partner with a whopping 25% of all imports!
- Turkey follows with 14%, making them a significant player in trade.
- Greece isnβt too far behind, with 12% of imports coming from them.
- China provides 10% of Albania's imports, showcasing its global trade connections.
- Finally, Germany contributes 5% to the import stats.
It's exciting to see how nations work together to meet each other's needs! π
Total Import Percentage from Top 5 Partners
66%
Albania's Import Partners (2022)
Population
Albania has a total population of 3,107,100 people. That's a lot of friendly faces! π With such a vibrant community, Albania is a country full of culture and history. Letβs dive into this population number a bit more! π
Total Population of Albania
3,107,100
Area
Did you know that Albania is home to a total area of 28,748 sq km? π That's pretty spacious! Let's break it down further:
- Land: 27,398 sq km ποΈ
- Water: 1,350 sq km π§
Albania boasts a lot of beautiful landscapes and resources, with water bodies making up a smaller, yet significant part of its territory. Dive into the details of Albania's area!
Total Area
28748 sq km
Total Land Area
27398 sq km
Total Water Area
1350 sq km
Distribution of Area in Albania
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP in Albania π¦π±
Albania's economy has been growing steadily over the past few years! Let's take a closer look at the Real GDP, which is measured in billions of dollars. π
- In 2021, Albania's Real GDP was $45.723 billion.
- By 2022, this figure rose to $47.943 billion, showing a promising increase! π
- And the latest estimate for 2023 is $49.592 billion. Thatβs fantastic growth over just a couple of years!
This shows that Albania is making strides in its economic development. Letβs visualize this growth! π
Real GDP for 2021
$45.723 billion
Real GDP for 2022
$47.943 billion
Real GDP for 2023
$49.592 billion
Albania's Real GDP Growth (2021-2023)
Real GDP per capita
π° Let's talk about how much money each person in Albania has in terms of their GDP per capita! This number shows us the average economic value per person. Hereβs how it looked for the last few years:
- 2021: $16,300
- 2022: $17,300
- 2023: $18,100
We can see that the GDP per capita has been growing steadily! π
Estimated GDP per Capita in 2023
$18,100
Estimated GDP per Capita in 2022
$17,300
Estimated GDP per Capita in 2021
$16,300
Real GDP per Capita in Albania (2021-2023)
Imports
π Albania's imports have been steadily growing over the last few years! Here's how the numbers stack up:
- In 2021, Albania imported goods worth $8.004 billion.
- This number increased to $9.016 billion in 2022.
- And guess what? It's expected to rise even more to $10.373 billion in 2023! π
This shows a positive trend in Albania's economy and its engagement in international trade! π
Imports in 2021
8004
Imports in 2022
9016
Estimated Imports in 2023
10,373
Albania's Imports Over the Years
Exports
Albania's Exports π
Albania has been increasing its exports over the last few years! Here's a fun look at the export numbers:
- 2021: $5.612 billion
- 2022: $7.057 billion
- 2023: $9.178 billion
As you can see, the number has grown each year! This is a great sign for Albania's economy as it means more products are being sold to other countries. Let's visualize this growth with a bar chart! π
Export Value in 2021
$5.612 billion
Export Value in 2022
$7.057 billion
Export Value in 2023
$9.178 billion
Albania's Export Growth (2021-2023)
Population growth rate
π Albania is experiencing a population growth rate of 0.16% as estimated for 2024! This means that the population is slowly increasing, which is a sign of some positive changes in the country. ππ¦π± Let's dive deeper into what this means for the future of Albania!
Population Growth Rate for 2024
0.16%