Note: Profiles of all nations are given with info on religious stats and
socio-economics in that nation for your
consideration.
Christian
Dating : Albania
Geography
Area: 28,748 sq. km. (slightly larger than Maryland).
Major cities: Capital--Tirana (700,000). Others--Durres
(400,000), Shkoder (81,000), Vlore (72,000).
Terrain: Situated in the southwestern region of the Balkan Peninsula,
Albania is predominantly mountainous but flat along its coastline with
the Adriatic Sea.
Climate: Mild temperate--cool, wet winters; dry, hot summers.
People
Population (June 2002 Institute of Statistics est.): 3,129, 000.
Growth rate (2001 est.): -0.88%.
Ethnic groups (2004 Foreign Ministry and Institute of Statistics est.):
Albanian 98.6%, Greeks 1.17% (Note: The 1989 census, the last official
census to record ethnic data, listed the ethnic Greek population at 2%;
estimates by the Greek community itself place the number as high as
10%.), others 0.23% (Vlachs, Roma, Serbs, Montenegrins, Macedonians,
Egyptians, and Bulgarians).
Christian singles note-Religions: Muslim (Sunni
and Bektashi) 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, and Roman Catholic 10%. (Greek
Orthodox percentages would conform to the percentage of the ethnic Greek
population.)
Official language: Albanian.
Health (2001 est.): Life expectancy--males 69.01 years; females
74.87 years. Infant mortality rate--39.99 deaths per 1,000 live
births.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy.
Constitution: Adopted by popular referendum November 28, 1998.
Independence: November 28, 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire).
Branches: Executive--President (chief of state), Prime Minister
(head of government), Council of Ministers (cabinet). Legislative--Unicameral
People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor--140 seats (100 members elected by
direct popular vote; 40 by proportional vote; all serve 4-year terms). Judicial--Constitutional
Court, Court of Cassation, multiple district and appeals courts.
Suffrage: Universal at age 18.
Main political parties; Albanian Republican Party (PR); Albanian
Socialist Party (PS); Democratic Party of Albania (PD); New Democrat
Party (New DP); Liberal Democratic Union Party (PBL); Movement of
Legality Party (PLL); Social Democratic Party (PSD); Unity for Human
Rights Party (PBDNJ).
Economy
Real GDP growth (2003): 7%.
Inflation rate (2003): 2.4%.
Unemployment rate (2003 est.): 15.8%.
Natural resources: Oil, gas, coal, iron, copper and chrome ores.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Christian singles note-Over 90% of Albania's
people are ethnic Albanian, and Albanian is the official language.
Religions include Muslim (Sunni and Bektashi), Albanian Orthodox, and
Roman Catholic.
Scholars believe the Albanian people are descended from a non-Slavic,
non-Turkic group of tribes known as Illyrians, who arrived in the
Balkans around 2000 BC. Modern Albanians still distinguish between Ghegs
(northern tribes) and Tosks (southern tribes). After falling under Roman
authority in 165 BC, Albania was controlled nearly continuously by a
succession of foreign powers until the mid-20th century, with only brief
periods of self-rule.
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