| ||||
| National motto: None | ||||
| Official language | Albanian | |||
| Capital | Tirana | |||
| President | Alfred Moisiu | |||
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked 139th 28,748 km? 4.7% | |||
| Population
- Total (2003) - Density | Ranked 126th
3,582,205 122/km2 | |||
| Independence - Date | From the Ottoman Empire November 28, 1912 | |||
| Currency | Lek | |||
| Time zone | UTC +2 | |||
| National anthem | Hymni i Flamurit | |||
| Internet TLD | .AL | |||
| Calling Code | 355 | |||
| Table of contents |
|
2 Politics 3 Districts 4 Geography 5 Economy 6 Demographics 7 Culture 8 Miscellaneous Topics 9 External links |
Albania has been the site of several Greek colonies, and was later part of the Roman province of Illyricum. After being conquered by a number of nations, it became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1478.
After the First Balkan War, Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but the country remained in unrest. Occupied by Italy during World War II, the (mainly communist) resistance led by Enver Hoxha seized control when the Italians left.
Until 1990, five years after the death of Hoxha, Albania was an extremely isolationist communist state, with little contact even with the other communist states. A multi-party democracy is emerging, but the country suffers from economic problems, organised crime, and a large number of Albanian refugees from Kosovo.
Head of state is the president, which is elected by the Kuvendi Popullor, or People's Assembly. The main part of the Assembly's 155 members are elected by the Albanians in elections every 5 years. The president is assisted by a council of ministers, which is appointed by the president.
Albania is divided into 36 districts, or rrethe. Several districts are then grouped into a prefecture of which there are 12. The capital city, Tiran? has a special status. The districts are:
History
Main article: History of AlbaniaPolitics
Main article: Politics of AlbaniaDistricts
Main article: Districts of Albania