Legend:  Definition
 Field
Listing  Rank
Order
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Background:
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Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist
rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has
proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with
high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism,
and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged
legislative elections in 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward
democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies that
should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code.
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Location:
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Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea,
between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro |
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Geographic coordinates:
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41 00 N, 20 00 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 28,748 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km |
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Coastline:
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362 km |
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers;
interior is cooler and wetter |
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel,
hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.45%
other: 74.46% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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3,400 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast;
floods; drought |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and
domestic effluents |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to
Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
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Population:
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3,582,205 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 28.1% (male 520,714; female 486,911)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 1,115,887; female 1,196,477)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 115,754; female 146,462) (2003
est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 26.5 years
male: 24.8 years
female: 28.1 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.03% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-1.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 37.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 34.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 39.68 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.37 years
male: 69.53 years
female: 75.42 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.22 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and Bulgarian)
(1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged
from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
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Religions:
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Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
private religious practice |
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Languages:
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Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 86.5%
male: 93.3%
female: 79.5% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form: Albania
local short form: Shqiperia
former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania
local long form: Republika e Shqiperise |
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Government type:
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emerging democracy |
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Capital:
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Tirana |
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Administrative divisions:
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12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres,
Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres,
Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres,
Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores |
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Independence:
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28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 28 November (1912) |
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Constitution:
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a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November
1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote
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Legal system:
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has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since
24 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July
2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister
and approved by the president
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for
a five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held
NA June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's
Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19 |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100
are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for
four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June 2001 with subsequent rounds
on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA
June 2005)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD
and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH
2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies
46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for
a four-year term) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Agrarian Party of Albania or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic
Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni
MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic
Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Guri
DUROLLARI]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI];
Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Republican Party
or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy or DS [Paskal MILO]; Social
Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Party or PS
(formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human
Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Omonia [Vangjel DULES] |
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International organization participation:
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ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
Washington, DC 20521-9510
telephone: [355] (4) 247285
FAX: [355] (4) 232222 |
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Flag description:
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red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
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Economy - overview:
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Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult
transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government
has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity
and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of
$400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps
offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for
half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need
to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe
energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing
unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation.
The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages.
In addition, the government is moving to improve the poor national
road network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $15.69 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.3% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 49%
industry: 27%
services: 24% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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30% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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6% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000
domestically unemployed) (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% |
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Unemployment rate:
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17% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $697 million
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures
of $368 million (2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals,
mining, basic metals, hydropower |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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9% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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5.289 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 2.9%
hydro: 97.1%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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5.898 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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221 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1.2 billion kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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5,952 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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22,400 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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185.5 million bbl (37257) |
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Natural gas - production:
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30 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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30 million cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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3.316 billion cu m (37257) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes;
meat, dairy products |
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Exports:
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$340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude
oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 76.6%, Germany 5.6%, Greece 2.7% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals |
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Imports - partners:
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Italy 39.4%, Greece 24.5%, Turkey 6%, Germany 5% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$784 million (2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)
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Currency:
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lek (ALL) |
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Currency code:
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ALL |
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Exchange rates:
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leke per US dollar - NA (2002), 143.49 (2001), 143.71 (2000), 137.69
(1999), 150.63 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Railways:
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total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
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Highways:
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total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km
unpaved: 12,600 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid,
and Lake Prespa (1990) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 21,954 GRT/34,412 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 11, roll on/roll off 1, includes
some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:
Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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12 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 |
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Heliports:
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1 (2002)
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This page was last updated on 18 December,
2003
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