Europe :: Albania

- Introduction :: Albania
- Background:

  Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents.

  Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. Albania in April 2017 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.

- Geography :: Albania
- Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
  Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 20 00 E
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 28,748 sq km
  land: 27,398 sq km
  water: 1,350 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland
  Land boundaries:
  total: 691 km
  border countries (4): Greece 212 km, Kosovo 112 km, Macedonia 181 km, Montenegro 186 km
  Coastline:
  362 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  Climate:
  mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
  Terrain:
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
  Elevation:
  mean elevation: 708 m
  elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea
  2764 highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab)
  Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 42.86% (2014 est.)
  arable land: 52.42% (2014 est.) / permanent crops: 6.84% (2014 est.) / permanent pasture: 40.73% (2014 est.)
  forest: 28.19% (2014 est.)
  other: 28.95% (2014 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  3,537 sq km (2014)
  Population distribution:
  a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country
  Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
  Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity due to lack of resources for sound environmental management
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
- People and Society :: Albania
- Population:
  3,057,220 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Nationality:
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian
  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
  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.)
  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

  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.84% (male 287,750 /female 257,675)
  15-24 years: 16.84% (male 267,695 /female 247,230)
  25-54 years: 41.31% (male 604,250 /female 658,773)
  55-64 years: 11.77% (male 176,420 /female 183,391)
  65 years and over: 12.23% (male 174,752 /female 199,284) (2018 est.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: Albania Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Albania. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 44 (2015 est.)
  youth dependency ratio: 26 (2015 est.)
  elderly dependency ratio: 18.1 (2015 est.)
  potential support ratio: 5.5 (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 33.4 years
  male: 32 years
  female: 34.7 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Population growth rate:
  0.3% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Birth rate:
  13.2 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Death rate:
  6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Net migration rate:
  -3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Population distribution:
  a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 60.3% of total population (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  476,000 TIRANA (capital) (2018)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  24.5 years (2014 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate:
  29 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 11.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 12.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 124
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.6 years (2018 est.)
  male: 76 years (2018 est.)
  female: 81.6 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Total fertility rate:
  1.52 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  69.3% (2008/09)
  Health expenditures:
  8.2% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 53
  Physicians density:
  1.29 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
  Hospital bed density:
  2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)
  Drinking water source:
  improved: urban: 84.3% of population
  rural: 81.8% of population
  total: 83.6% of population
  unimproved: urban: 15.7% of population
  rural: 18.2% of population
  total: 16.4% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved: urban: 95.5% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 90.2% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 93.2% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: urban: 4.5% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 9.8% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  <.1 (2017 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,400 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  <100 (2017 est.)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  21.7% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  6.3% (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Education expenditures:
  3.5% of GDP (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 127
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
  total population: 97.6% (2015 est.)
  male: 98.4% (2015 est.)
  female: 96.9% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 16 years (2015)
  male: 15 years (2015)
  female: 16 years (2015)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 39.8% (2015 est.)
  male: 39.3% (2015 est.)
  female: 40.8% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 13
- Government :: Albania
- 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: the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"
  Government type:
  parliamentary republic
  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, but may derive from Tirkan fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city
  Administrative divisions:
  12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
  Independence:
  28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day
  Constitution:
  history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 (2017)
  amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 2016 (2017)
  Legal system:
  civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" prevails
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  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
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Judicial branch:
  highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 17 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges, including the chairman, appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; chairman elected by the People's Assembly for a single 3-year term
  subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of the Republic Ilir META (since 24 July 2017)
  head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Senida MESI (since 13 September 2017)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly
  elections/appointments: 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; election last held in 4 rounds on 19, 20, 27, and 28 April 2017 (next election to be held in 2022); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly
  election results: Ilir META elected president; Assembly vote - 87 - 2 in fourth round
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held on 25 June 2017 (next to be held in 2021)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 48.3%, PD 28.9%, LSI 14.3%, PDIU 4.8%, PSD 1%, other 2.7%; seats by party - PS 74, PD 43, LSI 19, PDIU 3, PSD 1; composition - men 108, women 32, percent of women 22.9%
  Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]
  Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI)
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]
  Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]
  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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015)
  chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
  FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
  consulate(s) general: New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald LU (since 13 January 2015)
  embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, 103, Tirana
  mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510
  telephone: [355] (4) 2247-285
  FAX: [355] (4) 2232-222
  Flag description:
  red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"
  National symbol(s):
  black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black
  National anthem:
  name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)
  lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU

  note: adopted 1912

- Economy :: Albania
- Economy - overview:

  Albania, a formerly closed, centrally-planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown. Since 2014, Albania’s economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017. However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.

  Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy. In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and to reduce deeply entrenched corruption.

  Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth.

  Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms. The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania’s three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017. The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit. The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016.

  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $36.01 billion (2017 est.)
  $34.67 billion (2016 est.)
  $33.55 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars; unreported output may be as large as 50% of official GDP

  country comparison to the world: 125
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $13.07 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  3.8% (2017 est.)
  3.4% (2016 est.)
  2.2% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $12,500 (2017 est.)
  $12,100 (2016 est.)
  $11,600 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 125
  Gross national saving:
  15.9% of GDP (2017 est.)
  16.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
  16.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 130
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 78.1% (2017 est.)
  government consumption: 11.5% (2017 est.)
  investment in fixed capital: 25.2% (2017 est.)
  investment in inventories: 0.2% (2017 est.)
  exports of goods and services: 31.5% (2017 est.)
  imports of goods and services: -46.6% (2017 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 21.7% (2017 est.)
  industry: 24.2% (2017 est.)
  services: 54.1% (2017 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, olives and olive oil, grapes; meat, dairy products; sheep and goats
  Industries:
  food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
  Industrial production growth rate:
  6.8% (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Labor force:
  1.198 million (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 41.4%
  industry: 18.3%
  services: 40.3% (2017 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  13.8% (2017 est.)
  15.2% (2016 est.)

  note: these official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming

  country comparison to the world: 168
  Population below poverty line:
  14.3% (2012 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 19.6% (2015 est.)
  highest 10%: 19.6% (2015 est.)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (2012 est.)
  30 (2008 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Budget:
  revenues: 3.614 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 3.874 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  27.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 99
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Public debt:
  71.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
  73.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 45
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2017 est.)
  1.3% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 102
  Central bank discount rate:
  1.25% (31 December 2017)
  1.25% (31 December 2016)
  country comparison to the world: 130
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  8.22% (31 December 2017 est.)
  9.78% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Stock of narrow money:
  $4.155 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $3.397 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Stock of broad money:
  $4.155 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $3.397 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $8.122 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $7.065 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Market value of publicly traded shares:

  NA

  Current account balance:
  -$908 million (2017 est.)
  -$899 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Exports:
  $900.7 million (2017 est.)
  $789.1 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Exports - partners:
  Italy 53.4%, Kosovo 7.7%, Spain 5.6%, Greece 4.2% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  apparel and clothing, footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; cement and construction materials, vegetables, fruits, tobacco
  Imports:
  $4.103 billion (2017 est.)
  $3.67 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
  Imports - partners:
  Italy 28.5%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 8%, Greece 8%, China 7.9%, Serbia 4% (2017)
  Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.59 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $3.109 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Debt - external:
  $9.505 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $8.421 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $6.12 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  $5.452 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Exchange rates:
  leke (ALL) per US dollar -
  121.9 (2017 est.)
  124.14 (2016 est.)
  124.14 (2015 est.)
  125.96 (2014 est.)
  105.48 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Albania
- Electricity access:
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production:
  7.138 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Electricity - consumption:
  5.11 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Electricity - exports:
  1.869 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 46
  Electricity - imports:
  1.827 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  2.109 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 202
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 33
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  95% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 5
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Crude oil - production:
  16,000 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Crude oil - exports:
  17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 51
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  168.3 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 59
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  5,638 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  29,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  3,250 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  26,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Natural gas - production:
  50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 86
  Natural gas - consumption:
  50.97 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 82
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  821.2 million cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  4.5 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
- Communications :: Albania
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 247,010 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 3,497,950 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: consistant with the region; offsetting the deficit of fixed-line capacity, mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; four companies presently providing mobile services and mobile teledensity; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005, and the penetration rate rose to over 65% by 2016; Internet cafes are popular in major urban areas; 1.3 million use mobile broadband services (3G/4G) (2017)
  domestic: fixed-line 8 per 100, teledensity continues to decline due to heavy use of mobile-cellular telephone services; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective, 115 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2017)
  international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2016)
  Broadcast media:
  Albania has more than 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally; Albanian TV broadcasts are also available to Albanian-speaking populations in neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; Albania's TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; the government has pledged to provide analog-to-digital converters to low-income families affected by this decision; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2017)
  Internet country code:
  .al
  Internet users:
  total: 2,016,516 (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 66.4% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 293,623 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 10 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
- Transportation :: Albania
- National air transport system:
  number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
  inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
  annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 151,632 (2015)
  annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
  Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  ZA (2016)
  Airports:
  4 (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2017)
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1 (2012)
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)
  Heliports:
  1 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  498 km gas (a majority of the network is in disrepair and parts of it are missing), 249 km oil (2015)
  Railways:
  total: 677 km (447 km of major railway lines and 230 km of secondary lines) (2015)
  standard gauge: 677 km 1.435-m gauge (2015)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Roadways:
  total: 18,000 km (2002)
  paved: 7,020 km (2002)
  unpaved: 10,980 km (2002)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Waterways:
  41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Merchant marine:
  total: 57 (2017)
  by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 49, other 7 (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
- Military and Security :: Albania
- Military expenditures:
  1.22% of GDP (2017)
  1.23% of GDP (2016)
  1.16% of GDP (2015)
  1.35% of GDP (2014)
  1.41% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Military branches:
  Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command, Air Forces Command (2013)
  Military service age and obligation:
  19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization (2012)
- Transnational Issues :: Albania
- Disputes - international:
  none
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  stateless persons: 4,460 (2017)
  Illicit drugs:
  active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant source country for cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens