Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA
REPUBLIKA E SHQIPERISE

General Information

Total Land Area:	28,750 km²
Land boundaries:	657 km
Coastline:	437 km
Capital:	Tirana
Other Large Cities:	Durres, Elbasan, Shkoder
Official Language:	Albanian
National Currency Unit:	Lek (ALL)
National Day:	November 28

Location and Geography

Most of the Albanian population lives in the countryside and is engaged in agriculture. The country has a considerable agricultural and cattle-raising potential. The major agricultural products are temperate-zone crops and livestock. Albania’s sedimentary rocks contain large deposits of coal as well as petroleum and bitumen. Other natural resources are natural gas, chromium, copper ore, iron ore and nickel. The size of the industry is significant with an emphasis on mechanical production and shipbuilding. Albania has a mineral extraction and processing industry mainly of chromium, iron, nickel, copper ore, as well as gold.

Demography

Population:	3.42 million (2001)
Crude Birth Rate:	17 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	6 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	22 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 72 years, Female: 76 years (2002)
Urban Population:	44.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	85.30 percent (2001)

Economy

Albania is situated in South-eastern Europe, to the West of the Balkan Peninsula. It has borders with Montenegro and Serbia in the North and North-east, Macedonia in the East, and Greece in the South-west. In the West, it has a long coast along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Albania is a small country with a rich landscape. It has numerous rivers, mountains and three large lakes. The highest altitudes are found in the Albanian Alps and in the mountains of the Eastern Range. The lowest elevations are found in the coastal lowlands. Albania falls under the humid subtropical belt of the Northern Hemisphere, and is in the Mediterranean climatic zone with relatively short, soft and very humid winters and hot dry summers.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	4834 million US$ (2002)
Per Capita GDP:	1244 US$ (2001)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	25.0% Agriculture, 19.0% Industry, 56.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	330 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	1448 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Copper cable, canned goods, asphalt, metals, crude oil and vegetables
Major Imports Items:	Machinery, consumer goods and grains
Major Trading Partners:	Italy, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Bulgaria