Thread:PoseidonHeir/@comment-37725664-20200124023406/@comment-44729758-20200207230629

PoseidonHeir wrote: =Albania= From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigationJump to search This article is about the country. For other uses, see Albania (disambiguation). {| ! colspan="2"| Republic of Albania   Republika e Shqipërisë |- | colspan="2"| Flag  Coat of arms |- | colspan="2"| Motto: Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar  (Albanian) You Albania, give me honour, give me the name Albanian |- | colspan="2"|Anthem:  Himni i Flamurit  (Albanian) (English: "Hymn to the Flag") MENU 0:00 |- | colspan="2"| |- ! scope="row"|Capital and largest city |Tirana 41°19′N 19°49′E |- ! scope="row"|Official languages |Albanian |- ! scope="row"|Recognised minority languages | *Greek *Aromanian *Macedonian *others |- ! scope="row"|Demonym(s) |Albanian |- ! scope="row"|Government |Unitaryparliamentaryconstitutional republic |- | colspan="2"| |- ! scope="row"| • President |Ilir Meta |- ! scope="row"| • Prime Minister |Edi Rama |- ! scope="row"|Legislature |Kuvendi |- ! colspan="2"|Establishment history |- | colspan="2"| |- ! scope="row"| • Principality of Arbanon |1190 |- ! scope="row"| • Kingdom of Albania |February 1272 |- ! scope="row"| • Princedom of Albania |1368 |- ! scope="row"| • League of Lezhë |2 March 1444 |- ! scope="row"| • Proclamation of independence from the Ottoman Empire |28 November 1912 |- ! scope="row"| • Principality of Albania (Recognised) |29 July 1913 |- ! scope="row"| • 1st Republic of Albania |31 January 1925 |- ! scope="row"| • Kingdom of Albania |1 September 1928 |- ! scope="row"| • 2nd Republic of Albania |11 January 1946 |- ! scope="row"| • 3rd Republic of Albania |28 December 1976 |- ! scope="row"| • 4th Republic of Albania Current constitution |29 April 1991 28 November 1998 |- ! colspan="2"|Area |- ! scope="row"| • Total |28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi) (140th) |- ! scope="row"| • Water (%) |4.7 |- ! colspan="2"|Population |- ! scope="row"| • January 2017 estimate | 2,876,591[1] |- ! scope="row"| • 2011 census |2,821,977[2] |- ! scope="row"| • Density |98/km2 (253.8/sq mi) (63rd) |- ! scope="row"|GDP (PPP) |2018 estimate |- ! scope="row"| • Total |$38.315 billion[3] |- ! scope="row"| • Per capita |$13,330[3] |- ! scope="row"|GDP (nominal) |2018 estimate |- ! scope="row"| • Total |$15.121 billion[3] |- ! scope="row"| • Per capita |$5,261[3] |- ! scope="row"|Gini (2013) |34.5[4] medium |- ! scope="row"|HDI (2018) | 0.791[5] high · 69th |- ! scope="row"|Currency |Lek (ALL) |- ! scope="row"|Time zone |UTC+1 (CET) |- ! scope="row"| • Summer (DST) |UTC+2 (CEST) |- ! scope="row"|Date format |dd/mm/yyyy |- ! scope="row"|Driving side |right |- ! scope="row"|Calling code |+355 |- ! scope="row"|ISO 3166 code |AL |- ! scope="row"|Internet TLD |.al |} Albania (/ælˈbeɪniə, ɔːl-/ (listen) a(w)l-BAY-nee-ə; Albanian: Shqipëri or Shqipëria; Gheg Albanian: Shqipni or Shqipnia also Shqypni or Shqypnia),[6]  officially the Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë, pronounced [ɾɛpuˈblika ɛ ʃcipəˈɾiːsə]), is a country in Southeast Europe on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea within the Mediterranean Sea. It shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo[a]  to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east, Greece to the south and maritime borders with Greece, Montenegro and Italy to the west. Geographically, the country displays varied climatic, geological, hydrological and morphological conditions, defined in an area of 28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi). It possesses remarkable diversity with the landscape ranging from the snow-capped mountains in the Albanian Alps as well as the Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus and Ceraunian Mountains to the hot and sunny coasts of the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea along the Mediterranean Sea. Historically, the country has been inhabited by numerous civilisations such as the Illyrians, Thracians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans. The Albanians established the autonomous Principality of Arbër in the 12th century. The Kingdom of Albania and Principality of Albania formed between the 13th and 14th centuries. Prior to the Ottoman conquest of Albania in the 15th century, the Albanian resistance to Ottoman expansion into Europe led by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg won them acclaim over most of Europe. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, Albanians gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength which conclusively led to the Albanian Renaissance. After the defeat of the Ottomans in the Balkan Wars, the modern nation state of Albania declared independence in 1912.[7]  In the 20th century, the Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy which formed Greater Albania before becoming a protectorate of Nazi Germany.[8]  Enver Hoxha formed Communist Albania after the Second World War and launched the Albanians on a path of oppression and decades of isolation. The Revolutions of 1991 concluded the fall of communism in Albania and eventually the establishment of the current Republic of Albania. Politically, the country is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic and developing country with an upper-middle income economy dominated by the service sector, followed by manufacturing.[9]  It went through a process of transition, following the end of communism in 1990, from centralized planning to a market-based economy.[10] [11] [12]  Albania provides universal health care and free primary and secondary education to its citizens.<sup id="cite_ref-HDI_5-1">[5] The country is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, UNESCO, NATO, WTO, COE, OSCE and OIC. It is an official candidate for membership in the European Union.<sup id="cite_ref-14">[13]  It is one of the founding members of the Energy Community, including the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and Union for the Mediterranean. ==Contents== *1Etymology *2History **2.1Prehistory **2.2Antiquity **2.3Middle Ages **2.4Rilindja **2.5First Republic **2.6Communism **2.7Fourth Republic **2.8Contemporary *3Geography **3.1Climate **3.2Biodiversity **3.3Protected areas *4Administrative divisions *5Politics **5.1Government **5.2Foreign relations **5.3Military *6Economy **6.1Primary sector **6.2Secondary sector **6.3Tertiary sector **6.4Transport *7Infrastructure **7.1Education **7.2Energy **7.3Technology and media **7.4Health *8Demography **8.1Minorities **8.2Language **8.3Religion *9Culture **9.1Symbols **9.2Cuisine **9.3Arts **9.4Music **9.5Literature **9.6Cinema **9.7Sports **9.8Diaspora *10See also *11Notes *12References *13Further reading *14External links ==Etymology== Main article: Etymology of Albania The term Albania is the medieval Latin name of the country. It may be derived from the Illyrian tribe of Albani (Albanian: Albanët) recorded by Ptolemy, the geographer and astronomer from Alexandria, who drafted a map in 150 AD which shows the city of Albanopolis located northeast of Durrës.<sup id="cite_ref-15">[14] <sup id="cite_ref-16">[15]  The term may have a continuation in the name of a medieval settlement called Albanon or Arbanon, although it is not certain that this was the same place.<sup id="cite_ref-17">[16]  In his history written in the 10th century, the Byzantine historian Michael Attaliates was the first to refer to Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople in 1043 and to the Arbanitai as subjects of the Duke of Dyrrachium.<sup id="cite_ref-18">[17]  During the Middle Ages, the Albanians called their country 'Arbëri or Arbëni' and referred to themselves as 'Arbëreshë or Arbëneshë'.<sup id="cite_ref-19">[18] <sup id="cite_ref-20">[19] Nowadays, Albanians call their country 'Shqipëri or Shqipëria'. The words Shqipëri and Shqiptar are attested from 14th century onward,<sup id="cite_ref-Matasović_21-0">[20]  but it was only at the end of 17th and beginning of the early 18th centuries that the placename Shqipëria and the ethnic demonym Shqiptarë gradually replaced Arbëria and Arbëreshë amongst Albanian speakers.<sup id="cite_ref-Matasović_21-1">[20] <sup id="cite_ref-Lloshi_22-0">[21]  The two terms are popularly interpreted as "Land of the Eagles" and "Children of the Eagles".<sup id="cite_ref-23">[22] <sup id="cite_ref-24">[23] ==History== Main article: History of Albania See also: Timeline of Albanian history ===Prehistory=== Main article: Prehistory of Albania The remains of Kamenica Tumulus in the county of Korçë. The first attested traces of neanderthal presence in the territory of Albania dates back to the middle and upper Paleolithic period and were discovered in Xarrë and at Mount Dajt in the adjacent region of Tirana.<sup id="cite_ref-Prendi_25-0">[24]  Archaeological sites from this period include the Kamenica Tumulus, Konispol Cave and Pellumbas Cave. The discovered objects in a cave near Xarrë include flint and jasper objects along with fossilised animal bones, while those discoveries at Mount Dajt comprise bone and stone tools similar to those of the Aurignacian culture. They also demonstrate notable similarities with objects of the equivalent period found at Crvena Stijena in Montenegro and northwestern Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-Prendi_25-1">[24] Multiple artefacts from the Iron and Bronze Ages near tumulus burials have been unearthed in central and southern Albania, which has similar affinity with the sites in southwestern Macedonia and Lefkada. Archaeologists have come to the conclusion that these regions were inhabited from the middle of the third millennium BC by Indo-European people who spoke a Proto-Greek language. Hence, a part of this historical population later moved to Mycenae around 1600 BC and properly established the Mycenaean civilisation.<sup id="cite_ref-26">[25] <sup id="cite_ref-27">[26] <sup id="cite_ref-Hammond1993_28-0">[27] ===Antiquity=== Main article: Anqituiy in Albania Apollonia was an important Greek colony on the Illyrian coast along the Adriatic Sea and one of the western points of the Via Egnatia route, that connected Rome and Constantinople. In ancient times, the incorporated territory of Albania was historically inhabited by Indo-European peoples such as the Ancient Greeks, Thracians and diverse Illyrian tribes. There is no evidence that Illyrian tribes used any collective nomenclature for themselves, while it is regarded to be unlikely that they used a common endonym.<sup id="cite_ref-29">[28]  The endonym Illyrians seems to be the name applied to a specific Illyrian tribe which was the first to come in liaison with the Ancient Greeks resulting the endonym Illyrians to be applied pars pro toto to all people of similar language and customs.<sup id="cite_ref-Boardman629_30-0">[29] <sup id="cite_ref-31">[30] The territory referred to as Illyria corresponded roughly to the area east of the Adriatic Sea in the Mediterranean Sea extending in the south to the mouth of the Vjosë.<sup id="cite_ref-32">[31] <sup id="cite_ref-33">[32]  The first account of the Illyrian groups comes from Periplus of the Euxine Sea, an ancient Greek text written in the middle of the 4th century BC.<sup id="cite_ref-34">[33]  The west was inhabited by the Thracian tribe of the Bryges while the south was inhabited by the Greek tribe of the Chaonians whose capital was at Phoenice.<sup id="cite_ref-35">[34]  Colonies such as Apollonia, Epidamnos and Amantia, were established by Greek city-states on the coast by the 7th century BC.<sup id="cite_ref-36">[35] The Illyrian Ardiaei tribe, centered in Montenegro, ruled over much of Albania. The Ardiaean Kingdom reached its greatest extent under Agron, son of Pleuratus II. Agron extended his rule over other neighboring tribes as well.<sup id="cite_ref-37">[36]  After Agron's death in 230 BC, his wife Teuta inherited the Ardiaean kingdom. Teuta's forces extended their operations further southward to the Ionian Sea.<sup id="cite_ref-38">[37]  In 229 BC, Rome declared war<sup id="cite_ref-39">[38]  on the kingdom for extensively plundering Roman ships. The war ended in Illyrian defeat in 227 BC. Teuta was eventually succeeded by Gentius in 181 BC.<sup id="cite_ref-40">[39]  Gentius clashed with the Romans in 168 BC, initiating the Third Illyrian War. The conflict resulted in Roman conquest of the region by 167 BC. The Romans split the region into three administrative divisions.<sup id="cite_ref-41">[40] ===Middle Ages=== Main article: Albania in the Middle Ages The city of Krujë was the capital of the Principality of Arbanon. The Roman Empire was split in 395 upon the death of Theodosius I into an Eastern and Western Roman Empire in part because of the increasing pressure from threats during the Barbarian Invasions. From the 6th century into the 7th century, the Slavs crossed the Danube and largely absorbed the indigenous Ancient Greeks, Illyrians and Thracians in the Balkans; thus, the Illyrians were mentioned for the last time in historical records in the 7th century.<sup id="cite_ref-BideleuxJeffries2007_42-0">[41] <sup id="cite_ref-Schaefer2008_43-0">[42] In the 11th century, the Great Schism formalised the break of communion between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Church that is reflected in Albania through the emergence of a Catholic north and Orthodox south. The Albanian people inhabited the west of Lake Ochrida and the upper valley of River Shkumbin and established the Principality of Arbanon in 1190 under the leadership of Progon of Kruja.<sup id="cite_ref-44">[43]  The realm was succeeded by his sons Gjin and Dhimitri. Upon the death of Dhimiter, the territory came under the rule of the Albanian-Greek Gregory Kamonas and subsequently under the Golem of Kruja.<sup id="cite_ref-45">[44] <sup id="cite_ref-Abulafia_46-0">[45] <sup id="cite_ref-Genealogist_47-0">[46]  In the 13th century, the principality was dissolved.<sup id="cite_ref-Clements31_48-0">[47] <sup id="cite_ref-PickardÇeliku2008_49-0">[48] <sup id="cite_ref-Norris1993_50-0">[49]  Arbanon is considered to be the first sketch of an Albanian state, that retained a semi-autonomous status as the western extremity of the Byzantine Empire, under the Byzantine Doukai of Epirus or Laskarids of Nicaea.<sup id="cite_ref-51">[50] A relief of the Scuola degli Albanesi commemorating the Siege of Shkodra. It illustrates Sultan Mehmet II laying siege to the Albanian town of Scutari then part of Venetian Empire. Towards the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries, Serbs and Venetians started to take possession over the territory.<sup id="cite_ref-Barbarian_Invasions_52-0">[51]  The ethnogenesis of the Albanians is uncertain; however the first undisputed mention of Albanians dates back in historical records from 1079 or 1080 in a work by Michael Attaliates, who referred to the Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople.<sup id="cite_ref-53">[52]  At this point the Albanians were fully christianized. Few years after the dissolution of Arbanon, Charles of Anjou concluded an agreement with the Albanian rulers, promising to protect them and their ancient liberties. In 1272, he established the Kingdom of Albania and conquered regions back from the Despotate of Epirus. The kingdom claimed all of central Albania territory from Dyrrhachium along the Adriatic Sea coast down to Butrint. A catholic political structure was a basis for the papal plans of spreading Catholicism in the Balkan Peninsula. This plan found also the support of Helen of Anjou, a cousin of Charles of Anjou. Around 30 Catholic churches and monasteries were built during her rule mainly in northern Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-54">[53]  Internal power struggles within the Byzantine Empire in the 14th century enabled Serbs' most powerful medieval ruler, Stefan Dusan, to establish a short-lived empire that included all of Albania except Durrës.<sup id="cite_ref-Barbarian_Invasions_52-1">[51]  In 1367, various Albanian rulers established the Despotate of Arta. During that time, several Albanian principalities were created, notably the Balsha, Thopia, Kastrioti, Muzaka and Arianiti. In the first half of the 14th century, the Ottoman Empire invaded most of Albania, and the League of Lezhë was held under Skanderbeg as a ruler, who became the national hero of the Albanian medieval history. ====Ottoman Empire==== Main article: Albania under the Ottoman Empire See also: Albanian rebellion against the Ottoman Empire Further information: League of Lezhë After serving the Ottoman Empire for nearly 20 years, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg deserted and began a rebellion against the empire that halted Ottoman advance into Europe for 25 years. With the fall of Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire continued an extended period of conquest and expansion with its borders going deep into Southeast Europe. They reached the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast in 1385 and erected their garrisons across Southern Albania in 1415 and then occupied most of Albania in 1431.<sup id="cite_ref-55">[54] <sup id="cite_ref-Hupchich110_56-0">[55]  Thousands of Albanians consequently fled to Western Europe, particularly to Calabria, Naples, Ragusa and Sicily, whereby others sought protection at the often inaccessible Mountains of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-57">[56] <sup id="cite_ref-58">[57] The Albanians, as Christians, were considered as an inferior class of people, and as such they were subjected to heavy taxes among others by the Devshirme system that allowed the Sultan to collect a requisite percentage of Christian adolescents from their families to compose the Janissary.<sup id="cite_ref-59">[58]  The Ottoman conquest was also accompanied with the gradual process of Islamisation and the rapid construction of mosques which consequently modified the religious picture of Albania. A prosperous and longstanding revolution erupted after the formation of the Assembly of Lezhë until the Siege of Shkodër under the leadership of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, multiple times defeating major Ottoman armies led by Sultans Murad II and Mehmed II. Skanderbeg managed to gather several of the Albanian principals, amongst them the Arianitis, Dukagjinis, Zaharias and Thopias, and establish a centralised authority over most of the non-conquered territories, becoming the Lord of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-League_of_Lezhë_60-0">[59] Skanderbeg consistently pursued the goal relentlessly but rather unsuccessfully to constitute a European coalition against the Ottomans. He thwarted every attempt by the Ottomans to regain Albania, which they envisioned as a springboard for the invasion of Italy and Western Europe. His unequal fight against them won the esteem of Europe also among others financial and military aid from the Papacy and Naples, Venice and Ragusa.<sup id="cite_ref-britannica_61-0">[60] Ali Pasha Tepelena was a powerful autonomous Ottoman Albanian ruler who governed over the Pashalik of Yanina. When the Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organised into four principal sanjaks. The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing persecution in Spain. The city of Vlorë saw passing through its ports imported merchandise from Europe such as velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices and leather from Bursa and Constantinople. Some citizens of Vlorë even had business associates throughout Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-Arnawutlu_62-0">[61] The phenomenon of Islamisation among the Albanians became primarily widespread from the 17th century and continued into the 18th century.<sup id="cite_ref-referenceworks.brillonline_63-0">[62]  Islam offered them equal opportunities and advancement within the Ottoman Empire. However, motives for conversion were, according to some scholars, diverse depending on the context though the lack of source material does not help when investigating such issues.<sup id="cite_ref-referenceworks.brillonline_63-1">[62]  Because of increasing suppression of Catholicism, mostly catholic Albanians converted in the 17th century, while orthodox Albanians followed suit mainly in the following century. Since the Albanians were seen as strategically important, they made up a significant proportion of the Ottoman military and bureaucracy. A couple of Muslim Albanians attained important political and military positions who culturally contributed to the broader Muslim world.<sup id="cite_ref-referenceworks.brillonline_63-2">[62]  Enjoying this privileged position, they held various high administrative positions with over two dozen Albanian Grand Viziers among others members of the prominent Köprülü family, Zagan Pasha, Muhammad Ali of Egypt and Ali Pasha of Tepelena however, two sultans such as Bayezid II and Mehmed III had both mothers of Albanian origin.<sup id="cite_ref-Arnawutlu_62-1">[61] <sup id="cite_ref-64">[63] <sup id="cite_ref-65">[64] ===Rilindja=== Main article: Albanian Renaissance See also: League of Prizren Naum Veqilharxhi was among the most important figures of the early National Renaissance. The Albanian Renaissance was a period with its roots in the late 18th century and continuing into the 19th century, during which the Albanian people gathered spiritual and intellectual strength for an independent cultural and political life within an independent nation. Modern Albanian culture flourished too, especially Albanian literature and arts, and was frequently linked to the influences of the Romanticism and Enlightenment principles.<sup id="cite_ref-66">[65] Prior to the rise of nationalism, Albania was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries, and Ottoman authorities suppressed any expression of national unity or conscience by the Albanian people. Through literature, Albanians started to make a conscious effort to awaken feelings of pride and unity among their people that would call to mind the rich history and hopes for a more decent future. The victory of Russia over the Ottoman Empire following the Russian-Ottoman Wars resulted the execution of the Treaty of San Stefano which overlooked to assign Albanian-populated lands to the Slavic and Greek neighbors. However, the United Kingdom and Austro-Hungarian Empire consequently blocked the arrangement and caused the Treaty of Berlin. From this point, Albanians started to organise themselves with the goal to protect and unite the Albanian-populated lands into an unitary nation, leading to the formation of the League of Prizren. Dora d'Istria was among the main advocates in Europe for the Albanian cause.<sup id="cite_ref-67">[66] The league had initially the assistance of the Ottoman authorities whose position was based on the religious solidarity of Muslim people and landlords connected with the Ottoman administration. They favoured and protected the Muslim solidarity and called for defense of Muslim lands simultaneously constituting the reason for titling the league Committee of the Real Muslims.<sup id="cite_ref-68">[67] Approximately 300 Muslims participated in the assembly composed by delegates from Bosnia, the administrator of the Sanjak of Prizren as representatives of the central authorities and no delegates from Vilayet of Scutari.<sup id="cite_ref-69">[68] [check quotation syntax] Signed by only 47 Muslim deputies, the league issued the Kararname that contained a proclamation that the people from northern Albania, Epirus and Bosnia and Herzegovina are willing to defend the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire by all possible means against the troops of Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro.<sup id="cite_ref-albanianhistory.net_70-0">[69] Ottomans authorities cancelled their assistance when the league, under Abdyl Frashëri, became focused on working toward Albanian autonomy and requested merging four vilayets, including Kosovo, Shkodër, Monastir and Ioannina, into an unified vilayet, the Albanian Vilayet. The league used military force to prevent the annexing areas of Plav and Gusinje assigned to Montenegro. After several successful battles with Montenegrin troops, such as the Battle of Novšiće, the league was forced to retreat from their contested regions. The league was later defeated by the Ottoman army sent by the sultan.<sup id="cite_ref-League_of_Prizren_71-0">[70] ====Independence==== Main article: Independent Albania See also: Albanian Declaration of Independence The original act of the Albanian declaration of Independence. Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire on 28 November 1912, accompanied with the establishment of the Senate and Government by the Assembly of Vlorë on 4 December 1912.<sup id="cite_ref-72">[71] <sup id="cite_ref-73">[72] <sup id="cite_ref-74">[73] <sup id="cite_ref-75">[74]  Its sovereignty was recognised by the Conference of London. On 29 July 1913, the Treaty of London delineated the borders of the country and its neighbors, leaving many Albanians outside Albania, predominantly partitioned between Montenegro, Serbia and Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-76">[75] Ismail Qemali is regarded as the founding father of the modern Albanian nation. Headquartered in Vlorë, the International Commission of Control was established on 15 October 1913 to take care of the administration of newly established Albania, until its own political institutions were in order.<sup id="cite_ref-77">[76] <sup id="cite_ref-78">[77]  The International Gendarmerie was established as the first law enforcement agency of the Principality of Albania. In November, the first gendarmerie members arrived in the country. Prince of Albania Wilhelm of Wied (Princ Vilhelm Vidi) was selected as the first prince of the principality.<sup id="cite_ref-79">[78]  On 7 March, he arrived in the provisional capital of Durrës and started to organise his government, appointing Turhan Pasha Përmeti to form the first Albanian cabinet. In November 1913, the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces had offered the throne of Albania to the Ottoman war Minister of Albanian origin, Ahmed Izzet Pasha.<sup id="cite_ref-80">[79]  The pro-Ottoman peasants believed that the new regime was a tool of the six Christian Great Powers and local landowners, that owned half of the arable land.<sup id="cite_ref-81">[80] In February 1914, the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was proclaimed in Gjirokastër by the local Greek population against incorporation to Albania. This initiative was short lived, and in 1921 the southern provinces were incorporated into the Albanian Principality.<sup id="cite_ref-82">[81] <sup id="cite_ref-83">[82]  Meanwhile, the revolt of Albanian peasants against the new Albanian regime erupted under the leadership of the group of Muslim clerics gathered around Essad Pasha Toptani, who proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and Islam.<sup id="cite_ref-84">[83] <sup id="cite_ref-85">[84]  In order to gain support of the Mirdita Catholic volunteers from the northern part of Albania, Prince Wied appointed their leader, Prênk Bibë Doda, to be the foreign minister of the Principality of Albania. In May and June 1914, the International Gendarmerie was joined by Isa Boletini and his men, mostly from Kosovo,<sup id="cite_ref-86">[85]  and northern Mirdita Catholics, were defeated by the rebels who captured most of Central Albania by the end of August 1914.<sup id="cite_ref-87">[86]  The regime of Prince Wied collapsed, and he left the country on 3 September 1914.<sup id="cite_ref-88">[87] ===First Republic=== Main article: First Republic of Albania See also: World War II in Albania Further information: The Holocaust in Albania and Albanian Righteous Among the Nations Zog I was the first and only king of Albania whose reign lasted 11 years (1928–1939). Following the end of the government of Fan Noli, the parliament adopted a new constitution and proclaimed the country as a parliamentary republic in which King Zog I of Albania (Ahmet Muhtar Zogu) served as the head of state for a seven-year term. Immediately after, Tirana was endorsed officially as the country's permanent capital.<sup id="cite_ref-89">[88] The politics of Zogu was authoritarian and conservative with the primary aim of the maintenance of stability and order. He was forced to adopt a policy of cooperation with Italy where a pact had been signed between both countries, whereby Italy gained a monopoly on shipping and trade concessions.<sup id="cite_ref-Vickers_90-0">[89]  In 1928, the country was eventually replaced by another monarchy with a strong support by the fascist regime of Italy however, both maintained close relations until the Italian invasion of the country. Zogu remained a conservative but initiated reforms and placed great emphasis on the development of infrastructure. In an attempt at social modernization, the custom of adding one's region to one's name was dropped. He also made donations of land to international organisations for the building of schools and hospitals. The armed forces were trained and supervised by instructors from Italy, and as a counterweight, he kept British officers in the Gendarmerie despite strong Italian pressure to remove them. After being militarily occupied by Italy from 1939 until 1943, the Kingdom of Albania was a protectorate and a dependency of the Kingdom of Italy governed by Victor Emmanuel III and his government. In October 1940, Albania served as a staging ground for an unsuccessful Italian invasion of Greece. A counterattack resulted in a sizable portion of southern Albania coming under Greek military control until April 1941 when Greece capitulated during the German invasion. In April 1941, territories of Yugoslavia with substantial Albanian population were annexed to Albania inclusively western Macedonia, a strip of eastern Montenegro, the town of Tutin in central Serbia and most of Kosovo<sup id="cite_ref-status_7-1">[a] .<sup id="cite_ref-BogdaniLoughlin2007_91-0">[90] Germans started to occupy the country in September 1943 and subsequently announced that they would recognize the independence of a neutral Albania and set about organizing a new government, military and law enforcement. Balli Kombëtar, which had fought against Italy, formed a neutral government and side by side with the Germans fought against the communist-led National Liberation Movement of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-Morrock2010_92-0">[91] During the last years of the war, the country fell into a civil war-like state between the communists and nationalists. The communists defeated the last anti-communist forces in the south in 1944. Before the end of November, the main German troops had withdrawn from Tirana, and the communists took control by attacking it. The partisans entirely liberated the country from German occupation on 29 November 1944. A provisional government, which the communists had formed at Berat in October, administered Albania with Enver Hoxha as the head of government. By the end of the Second World War, the main military and political force of the nation, the Communist party sent forces to northern Albania against the nationalists to eliminate its rivals. They faced open resistance in Nikaj-Mërtur, Dukagjin and Kelmend led by Prek Cali.<sup id="cite_ref-93">[92]  On 15 January 1945, a clash took place between partisans of the first Brigade and nationalist forces at the Tamara Bridge, resulting in the defeat of the nationalist forces. About 150 Kelmendi<sup id="cite_ref-94">[93] [page needed] people were killed or tortured. This event was the starting point of many other issues which took place during Enver Hoxha's dictatorship. Class struggle was strictly applied, human freedom and human rights were denied.<sup id="cite_ref-Albanian_Nationalism_95-0">[94]  The Kelmend region was almost isolated by both the border and by a lack of roads for another 20 years, the institution of agricultural cooperatives brought about economic decline. Many Kelmendi people fled, and some were executed trying to cross the border.<sup id="cite_ref-Albanian_Nationalism_95-1">[94] ===Communism=== Main article: Communism in Albania Further information: Bunkers in Albania Enver Hoxha served as Prime Minister and First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania. In the aftermath of World War II and the defeat of Nazi Germany, the country became initially a satellite state of the Soviet Union, and Enver Hoxha emerged as the leader of the newly established People's Republic of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-96">[95]  Soviet-Albanian relations began to deteriorate after Stalin's death in 1953. At this point, the country started to develop foreign relations with other communist countries among others with the People's Republic of China. During this period, the country experienced an increasing industrialisation and urbanization, a rapid collectivisation and economic growth which led to a higher standard of living.<sup id="cite_ref-Albanian_Nationalism_95-2">[94]  The government called for the development of infrastructure and most notably the introduction of a railway system that completely revamped transportation. The new land reform laws were passed granting ownership of the land to the workers and peasants who tilled it. Agriculture became cooperative, and production increased significantly, leading to the country becoming agriculturally self-sufficient. In the field of education, illiteracy was eliminated among the country's adult population.<sup id="cite_ref-97">[96]  The government also oversaw the emancipation of women and the expansion of healthcare and education throughout the country.<sup id="cite_ref-98">[97] The average annual increase in the country's national income was 29% and 56% higher than the world and European average, respectively.<sup id="cite_ref-99">[98] [failed verification]. The nation incurred large debts initially with Yugoslavia until 1948, then the Soviet Union until 1961 and China from the middle of the 1950s.<sup id="cite_ref-100">[99]  The constitution of the communist regime did not allow taxes on individuals, instead, taxes were imposed on cooperatives and other organizations, with much the same effect.<sup id="cite_ref-101">[100] A bunker overlooking the Albanian Alps. By 1983, approximately 173,371 concrete bunkers were scattered across the country.<sup id="cite_ref-102">[101] Today a secular state without any official religion, religious freedoms and practices were severely curtailed during the communist era with all forms of worship being outlawed. In 1945, the Agrarian Reform Law meant that large swaths of property owned by religious groups were nationalized, mostly the waqfs along with the estates of mosques, tekkes, monasteries and dioceses. Many believers, along with the ulema and many priests, were arrested and executed. In 1949, a new Decree on Religious Communities required that all their activities be sanctioned by the state alone.<sup id="cite_ref-103">[102] After hundreds of mosques and dozens of Islamic libraries, containing priceless manuscripts were destroyed, Hoxha proclaimed Albania the world's first atheist state in 1967.<sup id="cite_ref-104">[103] <sup id="cite_ref-Elsie_p27_105-0">[104]  The churches had not been spared either and many were converted into cultural centers for young people. A 1967 law banned all fascist, religious, antisocialist activity and propaganda. Preaching religion carried a three to ten-year prison sentence. Nonetheless, many Albanians continued to practice their beliefs secretly. The anti-religious policy of Hoxha attained its most fundamental legal and political expression a decade later: "The state recognizes no religion", states the 1976 constitution, "and supports and carries out atheistic propaganda in order to implant a scientific materialistic world outlook in people".<sup id="cite_ref-Elsie_p27_105-1">[104] ===Fourth Republic=== Main article: Fall of communism in Albania Further information: Pyramid schemes and civil war of 1997 In 1988, the first foreigners were allowed to walk into the car-free Skanderbeg Square in Tirana. After forty years of communism and isolation as well as the revolutions of 1989, people, most notably students, became politically active and campaigned against the government that led to the transformation of the existing order. Following the popular support in the first multi-party elections of 1991,<sup id="cite_ref-106">[105]  the communists retained a stronghold in the parliament until the victory in the general elections of 1992 led by the Democratic Party. Considerable economic and financial resources have been devoted to the Ponzi pyramid schemes that were widely supported by the government. The schemes swept up somewhere between one sixth and one third of the population of the country.<sup id="cite_ref-107">[106] <sup id="cite_ref-108">[107]  Despite the warnings of the International Monetary Fund, Sali Berisha defended the schemes as large investment firms, leading more people to redirect their remittances and sell their homes and cattle for cash to deposit in the schemes.<sup id="cite_ref-109">[108] The schemes began to collapse in late 1996, leading many of the investors to join initially peaceful protests against the government, requesting their money back. The protests turned violent in February 1997 as government forces responded with fire. In March, the Police and Republican Guard deserted, leaving their armories open. These were promptly emptied by militias and criminal gangs. The resulting crisis caused a wave of evacuations of foreign nationals and refugees.<sup id="cite_ref-110">[109] The crisis led both Aleksandër Meksi and Sali Berisha to resign from office in the wake of the general election. In April 1997, Operation Alba, a UN peacekeeping force led by Italy, entered the country with two goals exclusively to assist with the evacuation of expatriates and to secure the ground for international organizations. The main international organization, that was involved, was the Western European Union's multinational Albanian Police element, which worked with the government to restructure the judicial system and simultaneously the Albanian Police. ===Contemporary=== See also: Accession of Albania to the EU and NATO Further information: 2019 Albania earthquake The earthquake of 26 November 2019 was the strongest to hit the country in more than four decades.<sup id="cite_ref-111">[110] Following the disintegration of Communist Albania, the country plunged itself through an active process of Westernisation and increased workload in the process of its accession to the European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).<sup id="cite_ref-112">[111] In 2009, Albania along with Croatia gained full membership for joining the NATO becoming among the first countries in Southeast Europe to enter the partnership for peace programme.<sup id="cite_ref-113">[112] <sup id="cite_ref-114">[113]  The country also applied to join the European Union on 28 April 2009, however, it received, upon its application, an official candidate status on 24 June 2014.<sup id="cite_ref-115">[114] <sup id="cite_ref-116">[115] In 2013 and 2017, Edi Rama of the Socialist Party won both the 2013 and 2017 parliamentary elections. During his tenure as Prime Minister, he implemented numerous reforms focused on the modernising the economy and democratising the state institutions such as the judiciary and law enforcement. Unemployment has been steadily reduced having the 4th lowest unemployment rate in the Balkans.<sup id="cite_ref-117">[116]  He has also placed gender equality at the center of its agenda, since 2017 almost 50% of the ministers are female, making it the largest number of women serving in the country's history.<sup id="cite_ref-118">[117] The EU has twice rejected the country's path to its EU membership. In 2017, the European Parliament warned the Government leaders that the 2017 parliamentary elections must be free and fair before the negotiations could begin to admit the country into the union.<sup id="cite_ref-119">[118] <sup id="cite_ref-120">[119] [needs update] On 26 November 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake ravaged Albania at an approximate depth of 20 kilometers.<sup id="cite_ref-121">[120]  The tremor was felt in Tirana and in places as far away as Taranto and Belgrade while the most affected areas were the coastal city of Durrës and Kodër-Thumanë.<sup id="cite_ref-122">[121]  The response to the earthquake included substantial humanitarian aid, designed to help the Albanian people, from the Albanian diaspora and several countries around the world. ==Geography== Main article: Geography of Albania The Albanian Alps are an extension of the Dinaric Alps. Albania is defined in an area of 28,748 square kilometres (11,100 square miles) and located on the Balkan Peninsula in South and Southeast Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-Albania_pdf_123-0">[122]  Its coastline faces the Adriatic Sea to the northwest and the Ionian Sea to the southwest along the Mediterranean Sea. The country of Albania lies mostly between latitudes 42° and 39° N, and longitudes 21° and 19° E. Its northernmost point is Vërmosh at 42° 35' 34" northern latitude; the southernmost is Konispol at 39° 40' 0" northern latitude; the westernmost point is Sazan at 19° 16' 50" eastern longitude; and the easternmost point is Vërnik at 21° 1' 26" eastern longitude.<sup id="cite_ref-124">[123]  The highest point of Albania is Mount Korab at 2,764 metres (9,068.24 ft) above the Adriatic; the lowest point is the Adriatic and Ionian Sea at 0 metres (0.00 ft). The distance from the east to west is only 148 kilometres (92 mi), while from the north to south about 340 kilometres (211 mi). Gjipe is located on the confluence of the Adriatic and Ionian Sea. For a small country, much of Albania rises into mountains and hills that run in different directions across the length and breadth of the country. The most extensive mountain ranges are the Albanian Alps in the north, the Korab Mountains in the east, the Pindus Mountains in the southeast, the Ceraunian Mountains in the southwest and the Skanderbeg Mountains in the center. Among the most remarkable features about the country is the presence of numerous important lakes. The Lake of Shkodër is the largest lake in Southern Europe and located in northwest.<sup id="cite_ref-125">[124]  In the southeast rises the Lake of Ohrid that is one of the oldest continuously existing lakes in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-126">[125] <sup id="cite_ref-127">[126]  Farther south extends the Large and Small Lake of Prespa, which are among the highest positioned lakes in the Balkans. Rivers rise mostly in the east of Albania and discharge into the Adriatic Sea but as well as into the Ionian Sea to a lesser extent. The longest river in the country, measured from its mouth to its source, is the Drin that starts at the confluence of its two headwaters, the Black and White Drin. Though of particular concern is the Vjosë which represents one of the last intact large river systems in Europe. ===Climate=== Main article: Climate of Albania Panorma Bay on the Albanian Riviera in the south has a mediterranean climate. The climate in the country is extremely variable and diverse owing to the differences in latitude, longitude and altitude.<sup id="cite_ref-climate_128-0">[127] <sup id="cite_ref-climate2_129-0">[128]  Albania experiences predominantly a mediterranean and continental climate, with four distinct seasons.<sup id="cite_ref-climate1_130-0">[129]  Defined by the Köppen classification, it accommodates five major climatic types ranging from mediterranean and subtropical in the western half to oceanic, continental and subarctic in the eastern half of Albania. The warmest areas of the country are immediately placed along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts. On the contrary, the coldest areas are positioned within the northern and eastern highlands.<sup id="cite_ref-climate3_131-0">[130]  The mean monthly temperature ranges between −1 °C (30 °F) in winter to 21.8 °C (71.2 °F) in summer. The highest temperature of 43.9 °C (111.0 °F) was recorded in Kuçovë on 18 July 1973. The lowest temperature of −29 °C (−20 °F) was registered in the village of Shtyllë, Librazhd on 9 January 2017.<sup id="cite_ref-132">[131] <sup id="cite_ref-133">[132] The Albanian Alps in the north enjoy a subarctic climate. Rainfall naturally varies from season to season and from year to year. The country receives most of the precipitation in winter months and less in summer months.<sup id="cite_ref-climate2_129-1">[128]  The average precipitation is about 1,485 millimetres (58.5 inches).<sup id="cite_ref-climate3_131-1">[130]  The mean annual precipitation ranges between 600 millimetres (24 inches) and 3,000 millimetres (120 inches) depending on geographical location.<sup id="cite_ref-climate1_130-1">[129]  The northwestern and southeastern highlands receive the intenser amount of precipitation, whilst the northeastern and southwestern highlands as well as the western lowlands the more limited amount.<sup id="cite_ref-climate3_131-2">[130] The Albanian Alps in the far north of the country are considered to be among the most humid regions of Europe, receiving at least 3,100 mm (122.0 in) of rain annually.<sup id="cite_ref-climate3_131-3">[130]  An expedition from the University of Colorado discovered four glaciers within these mountains at a relatively low altitude of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), which is almost virtually for such a southerly latitude.<sup id="cite_ref-134">[133] Snowfall occurs frequently in winter in the highlands of the country, particularly on the mountains in the north and east, including the Albanian Alps and Korab Mountains. Snow also falls on the coastal areas in the southwest almost every winter such as in the Ceraunian Mountains, where it can lie even beyond March. ===Biodiversity=== Main article: Biodiversity of Albania See also: Ecoregions in Albania The golden eagle is the national symbol and animal of Albania. A biodiversity hotspot, Albania possesses an exceptionally rich and contrasting biodiversity thanks to its geographical location at the center of the Mediterranean Sea and the great diversity in its climatic, geological and hydrological conditions.<sup id="cite_ref-135">[134] <sup id="cite_ref-136">[135] Due to remoteness, the mountains and hills are endowed with forests, trees and grasses that are essential to the lives for a wide variety of animals among other for two of the most iconic endangered species of the country, the lynx and brown bear, as well as the wildcat, gray wolf, red fox, golden jackal and last but not least for the egyptian vulture and golden eagle, the national animal of the country.<sup id="cite_ref-137">[136] <sup id="cite_ref-138">[137] <sup id="cite_ref-139">[138] <sup id="cite_ref-140">[139] The estuaries, wetlands and lakes are extraordinarily important for the greater flamingo, pygmy cormorant and the extremely rare and perhaps the most iconic bird of the country, the dalmatian pelican.<sup id="cite_ref-141">[140]  Of particular importance are the mediterranean monk seal, loggerhead sea turtle and green sea turtle that use to nest on the country's coastal waters and shores. The common bottlenose dolphin is a frequent visitor to the waters of the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea Coasts. In terms of phytogeography, Albania is part of the Boreal Kingdom and stretches specifically within the Illyrian province of the Circumboreal and Mediterranean Region. Its territory can be conventionally subdivided into four terrestrial ecoregions of the Palearctic ecozone inclusively the Illyrian deciduous forests, Balkan mixed forests, Pindus Mountains mixed forests and Dinaric Mountains mixed forests.<sup id="cite_ref-142">[141] <sup id="cite_ref-143">[142] Approximately 3,500 different species of plants can be found in Albania which refers principally to a Mediterranean and Eurasian character. The country maintains a vibrant tradition of herbal and medicinal practices. At the minimum 300 plants growing locally are used in the preparation of herbs and medicines.<sup id="cite_ref-144">[143]  The trees within the forests are primarily made up of fir, oak, beech and pine. In the 2010 Environmental Performance Index, Albania was ranked 23rd out of 163 countries in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-145">[144]  In 2012, the country advanced from 23rd to 15th, whereas it had the highest ranking in South and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.<sup id="cite_ref-146">[145]  The country was the 24th greenest country in the world according to the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index.<sup id="cite_ref-147">[146]  Nevertheless, for 2016, the country was ranked the 13th best performing country on the Happy Planet Index by the United Nations.<sup id="cite_ref-HPI2017_148-0">[147] ===Protected areas=== Main article: Protected areas of Albania See also: National parks of Albania The Lagoon of Karavasta within the Divjakë-Karavasta National Park is renowned for hosting the rare Dalmatian pelican. The protected areas of Albania are the system through the Albanian government protects, maintains and displays some of the country's most impressive and treasured environments. There are 15 national parks, 4 ramsar sites, 1 biosphere reserve and 786 other types of conservation reserves across Albania all of them depicting a huge variety of natural sceneries ranging from imposing mountains to picturesque coasts.<sup id="cite_ref-149">[148] Albania has fifteen officially designated national parks scattered across its territory.<sup id="cite_ref-150">[149]  Encircled by numerous two-thousanders, Valbonë Valley National Park and Theth National Park cover a combined territory of 106.3 square kilometres (41.0 sq mi) within the rugged Albanian Alps in northern Albania. Shebenik-Jabllanicë National Park and Prespa National Park protect the spectacular mountainous scenery of eastern Albania as well as the country's sections of the Great and Small Lakes of Prespa. Divjakë-Karavasta National Park extends along the central Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast and possesses one of the largest lagoons in the Mediterranean Sea, the Lagoon of Karavasta. The Ceraunian Mountains in southern Albania, rising immediately along the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast, characterises the topographical picture of Llogara National Park and continue on the Peninsula of Karaburun within the Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park. Further south sprawls the Butrint National Park on a peninsula that is surrounded by the Lake of Butrint and Channel of Vivari on the eastern half of the Straits of Corfu. Finally, Dajti Mt National Park equipped with a cable car and trails to some spectacular scenery is a popular retreat among locals and visitors in the capital, Tirana. ==Administrative divisions== Main articles: Counties and Municipalities of Albania The sovereign state of Albania is a unitary state defined in a total area of 28,748 square kilometres (11,100 square miles). It is apportioned into 12 counties each with their own council and administration.<sup id="cite_ref-151">[150]  The counties are the country's primary administrative divisions and further subdivided into 61 municipalities.<sup id="cite_ref-152">[151]  They are responsible for geographical, economic, social and cultural purposes inside the counties. The counties were created on 31 July 2000 to replace the 36 former districts.<sup id="cite_ref-153">[152] <sup id="cite_ref-terref_154-0">[153]  The government introduced the new administrative divisions to be implemented in 2015, whereby municipalities were reduced to 61, while the rurals were abolished. The defunct municipalities are known as neighborhoods or villages.<sup id="cite_ref-155">[154] <sup id="cite_ref-156">[155]  There are overall 2980 villages or communities in the entire country, formerly known as localities. The municipalities are the first level of local governance, responsible for local needs and law enforcement.<sup id="cite_ref-157">[156] <sup id="cite_ref-158">[157] <sup id="cite_ref-159">[158] The largest county in Albania, by population, is Tirana County with over 800,000 people followed by Fier County with over 300,000 people. The smallest county, by population, is Gjirokastër County with over 70,000 people. The largest in the county, by area, is Korçë County encompassing 3,711 square kilometres (1,433 sq mi) of the southeast of Albania followed by Shkodër County with 3,562 square kilometres (1,375 sq mi) in the northwest of Albania. The smallest county, by area, is Durrës County with an area of 766 square kilometres (296 sq mi) in the west of Albania. {| cellpadding="10" | | #     Shkodër #     Kukës #     Lezhë #     Dibër #     Durrës #     Tiranë #     Elbasan #     Korçë #     Fier #     Berat #     Vlorë #     Gjirokastër |} ==Politics== Main article: Politics of Albania ===Government=== Main article: Government of Albania  Kryeministria, the official workplace of the Prime Minister of Albania located in Tirana. Albania is a parliamentary constitutional republic and sovereign state whose politics operate under a framework laid out in the constitution wherein the president functions as the head of state and the prime minister as the head of government.<sup id="cite_ref-kushtetuta_160-0">[159]  The sovereignty is vested in the Albanian people and exercised by the Albanian people through their representatives or directly.<sup id="cite_ref-kushtetuta_160-1">[159] The government is based on the separation and balancing of powers among the legislative, judiciary and executive.<sup id="cite_ref-kushtetuta_160-2">[159]  The legislative power is held by the parliament and is elected every four years by a system of party-list proportional representation by the Albanian people on the basis of free, equal, universal and periodic suffrage by secret ballot.<sup id="cite_ref-kushtetuta_160-3">[159] The civil law, codified and based on the Napoleonic Code, is divided between courts with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts. The judicial power is vested in the supreme court, constitutional court, appeal court and administrative court.<sup id="cite_ref-161">[160]  Law enforcement in the country is primarily the responsibility of the Albanian Police, the main and largest state law enforcement agency. It carries out nearly all general police duties including criminal investigation, patrol activity, traffic policing and border control. The executive power is exercised by the president and prime minister whereby the power of the president is very limited. The president is the commander-in-chief of the military and the representative of the unity of the Albanian people.<sup id="cite_ref-president_162-0">[161]  The tenure of the president depends on the confidence of the parliament and is elected for a five-year term by the parliament by a majority of three-fifths of all its members. The prime minister, appointed by the president and approved by the parliament, is authorized to constitute the cabinet. The cabinet is composed primarily of the prime minister inclusively its deputies and ministers.<sup id="cite_ref-prime_minister_163-0">[162] ===Foreign relations=== Main article: Foreign relations of Albania Assisted by the governments of Kosovo and Albania, an official application for the inclusion of the Arbëreshës in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage is being prepared.<sup id="cite_ref-164">[163] In the time since the end of communism and isolationism, Albania has extended its responsibilities and position in continental and international affairs, developing and establishing friendly relations with other countries around the world. Its main objectives are the accession into the European Union, the international recognition of Kosovo and the expulsion of Cham Albanians as well as helping and protecting the rights of the Albanians in Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, Italy and Diaspora.<sup id="cite_ref-165">[164] The admission of Albania into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was considered by Albanian politicians as a primary ambition for the country. The country has been extensively engaged with the organization and has maintained its position as a stability factor and a strong ally of the United States and European Union in the troubled and divided region of the Balkans. Albania and Kosovo are culturally, socially and economically very closely rooted due to the Albanian majority population in Kosovo. In 1998, the country contributed in supporting allied efforts to end the humanitarian tragedy in Kosovo and secure the peace after the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Albania enjoys friendly and close ties with the United States ever after it supported the country's independence and its democracy.<sup id="cite_ref-166">[165]  In present day, the two countries have maintained close economic and defense relations and have signed a number of agreements and treaties. In 2007, Albania welcomed George W. Bush who became the first President of the United States ever to visit the country. Albania has been an active member of the United Nations since 1955. They country took on membership for the United Nations Economic and Social Council from 2005 to 2007 as well as in 2012.<sup id="cite_ref-ECOSOC_167-0">[166]  It served as vice president of the ECOSOC in 2006 and 2013.<sup id="cite_ref-ECOSOC_167-1">[166]  In 2014, it also joined the United Nations Human Rights Council from 2015 to 2017 and was elected vice president in 2015.<sup id="cite_ref-168">[167]  Albania is a full member of numerous international organizations inclusively the Council of Europe, International Organization for Migration, World Health Organization, Union for the Mediterranean, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization and La Francophonie. ===Military=== Main article: Armed Forces of Albania Albanian soldiers in the Province of Kandahar, Afghanistan. The Albanian Armed Forces consist of Land, Air and Naval Forces and constitute the military and paramilitary forces of the country. They are led by a commander-in-chief under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense and by the President as the supreme commander during wartime however, in times of peace its powers are executed through the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister.<sup id="cite_ref-constitution_169-0">[168] The chief purpose of the armed forces of Albania is the defence of the independence, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country, as well as the participation in humanitarian, combat, non-combat and peace support operations.<sup id="cite_ref-constitution_169-1">[168]  Military service is voluntary since 2010 with the age of 19 being the legal minimum age for the duty.<sup id="cite_ref-170">[169] <sup id="cite_ref-171">[170] Albania has committed to increase the participations in multinational operations.<sup id="cite_ref-172">[171]  Since the fall of communism, the country has participated in six international missions but participated in only one United Nations mission in Georgia sending of 3 military observers. Since February 2008, Albania has participated officially in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean Sea.<sup id="cite_ref-173">[172]  It was invited to join NATO on 3 April 2008, and it became a full member on 2 April 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-174">[173] Albania reduced the number of active troops from 65,000 in 1988 to 14,500 in 2009.<sup id="cite_ref-175">[174] <sup id="cite_ref-176">[175]  The military now consists mainly of a small fleet of aircraft and sea vessels. In the 1990s, the country scrapped enormous amounts of obsolete hardware from China, such as tanks and SAM systems. Increasing the military budget was one of the most important conditions for NATO integration. Military spending has generally been low. As of 1996 military spending was an estimated 1.5% of the country's GDP, only to peak in 2009 at 2% and fall again to 1.5%.<sup id="cite_ref-177">[176] ==Economy== Main article: Economy of Albania Tirana is the economic hub of the country. It is home to major domestic and foreign companies operating in the country. The transition from a socialist planned economy to a capitalist mixed economy in Albania has been largely successful.<sup id="cite_ref-worlddiplomacy_178-0">[177]  The country has a developing mixed economy classified by the World Bank as an upper-middle income economy. In 2016, it had the 4th lowest unemployment rate in the Balkans with an estimated value of 14.7%. Its largest trading partners are Italy, Greece, China, Spain, Kosovo and the United States. The lek (ALL) is the country's currency and is pegged at approximately 132,51 lek per euro. The cities of Tirana and Durrës constitute the economic and financial heart of Albania due to their high population, modern infrastructure and strategic geographical location. The country's most important infrastructure facilities take course through both of the cities, connecting the north to the south as well as the west to the east. Among the largest companies are the petroleum Taçi Oil, Albpetrol, ARMO and Kastrati, the mineral AlbChrome, the cement Antea, the investment BALFIN Group and the technology Albtelecom, Vodafone, Telekom Albania and others. In 2012, Albania's GDP per capita stood at 30% of the European Union average, while GDP (PPP) per capita was 35%.<sup id="cite_ref-179">[178]  Albania were one of three countries in Europe to record an economic growth in the first quarter of 2010 after the global financial crisis.<sup id="cite_ref-180">[179] <sup id="cite_ref-181">[180]  The International Monetary Fund predicted 2.6% growth for Albania in 2010 and 3.2% in 2011.<sup id="cite_ref-182">[181]  According to the Forbes as of December 2016, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was growing at 2.8%. The country had a trade balance of −9.7% and unemployment rate of 14.7%.<sup id="cite_ref-183">[182]  The 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 economy is expected to expand in the near term, driven by a recovery in consumption and robust investments. Growth is projected to be 3.2% in 2016, 3.5% in 2017, and 3.8% in 2018. ===Primary sector=== Main article: Agriculture in Albania Grapes in Berat. Due to the mediterranean climate, wine, olives and citrus fruits are mostly produced in Southern Albania. Agriculture in the country is based on small to medium-sized family-owned dispersed units. It remains a significant sector of the economy of Albania. It employs 41%<sup id="cite_ref-184">[183]  of the population, and about 24.31% of the land is used for agricultural purposes. One of the earliest farming sites in Europe has been found in the southeast of the country.<sup id="cite_ref-185">[184]  As part of the pre-accession process of Albania to the European Union, farmers are being aided through IPA funds to improve Albanian agriculture standards.<sup id="cite_ref-186">[185] Albania produces significant amounts of fruits (apples, olives, grapes, oranges, lemons, apricots, peaches, cherries, figs, sour cherries, plums, and strawberries), vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, maize, onions, and wheat), sugar beets, tobacco, meat, honey, dairy products, traditional medicine and aromatic plants. Further, the country is a worldwide significant producer of salvia, rosemary and yellow gentian.<sup id="cite_ref-187">[186]  The country's proximity to the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea give the underdeveloped fishing industry great potential. The World Bank and European Community economists report that, Albania's fishing industry has good potential to generate export earnings because prices in the nearby Greek and Italian markets are many times higher than those in the Albanian market. The fish available off the coasts of the country are carp, trout, sea bream, mussels and crustaceans. Albania has one of Europe's longest histories of viticulture.<sup id="cite_ref-winealbania1_188-0">[187]  The today's region was one of the few places where vine was naturally grown during the ice age. The oldest found seeds in the region are 4,000 to 6,000 years old.<sup id="cite_ref-Stevenson2011_189-0">[188]  In 2009, the nation produced an estimated 17,500 tonnes of wine.<sup id="cite_ref-190">[189]  During the communist era, the production area expanded to some 20,000 hectares (49,000 acres).<sup id="cite_ref-191">[190] ===Secondary sector=== See also: Category:Mines in Albania The Antea factory in Fushë-Krujë The secondary sector of Albania have undergone many changes and diversification, since the collapse of the communist regime in the country. It is very diversified, from electronics, manufacturing,<sup id="cite_ref-192">[191]  textiles, to food, cement, mining,<sup id="cite_ref-193">[192]  and energy. The Antea Cement plant in Fushë-Krujë is considered as one of the largest industrial greenfield investments in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-194">[193]  Albanian oil and gas is represents of the most promising albeit strictly regulated sectors of its economy. Albania has the second largest oil deposits in the Balkan peninsula after Romania, and the largest oil reserves<sup id="cite_ref-195">[194]  in Europe. The Albpetrol company is owned by the Albanian state and monitors the state petroleum agreements in the country. The textile industry has seen an extensive expansion by approaching companies from the European Union (EU) in Albania. According to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) as of 2016, the textile production marked an annual growth of 5.3% and an annual turnover of around 1.5 billion euros.<sup id="cite_ref-196">[195] Albania is a significant minerals producer and is ranked among the world's leading chromium producers and exporters.<sup id="cite_ref-197">[196]  The nation is also a notable producer of copper, nickel and coal.<sup id="cite_ref-198">[197]  The Batra mine, Bulqizë mine, and Thekna mine are among the most recognised Albanian mines that are still in operation. ===Tertiary sector=== See also: Banking, Telecommunications, and Tourism in Albania The Islands of Ksamil in the south of the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast. The tertiary sector represents the fastest growing sector of the country's economy. 36% of the population work in the service sector which contributes to 65% of the country's GDP.<sup id="cite_ref-DSSA_199-0">[198]  Ever since the end of the 20th century, the banking industry is a major component of the tertiary sector and remains in good conditions overall due to privatization and the commendable monetary policy.<sup id="cite_ref-200">[199] <sup id="cite_ref-DSSA_199-1">[198] Previously one of the most isolated and controlled countries in the world, telecommunication industry represents nowadays another major contributor to the sector. It developed largely through privatization and subsequent investment by both domestic and foreign investors.<sup id="cite_ref-DSSA_199-2">[198]  Eagle, Vodafone and Telekom Albania are the leading telecommunications service providers in the country. Tourism is recognised as an industry of national importance and has been steadily increasing since the beginnings of the 21st century.<sup id="cite_ref-201">[200] <sup id="cite_ref-202">[201]  It directly accounted for 8.4% of GDP in 2016 though including indirect contributions pushes the proportion to 26%.<sup id="cite_ref-203">[202]  In the same year, the country received approximately 4.74 million visitors mostly from across Europe and the United States as well.<sup id="cite_ref-204">[203] The narrow gorges and high rocks of Lake of Koman, within the Albanian Alps, remind sometimes of the Scandinavian fjords. The increase of foreign visitors has been dramatic. Albania had only 500,000 visitors in 2005, while in 2012 had an estimated 4.2 million, an increase of 740 percent in only 7 years. In 2015, tourism in summer increased by 25 percent in contrast the previous year according to the country's tourism agency.<sup id="cite_ref-205">[204]  In 2011, Lonely Planet named as a top travel destination,<sup id="cite_ref-Lonely_Planet's_top_10_206-0">[205] [failed verification] while The New York Times placed Albania as number 4 global touristic destination in 2014.<sup id="cite_ref-207">[206] The bulk of the tourist industry is concentrated along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea in the west of the country. However, the Albanian Riviera in the southwest has the most scenic and pristine beaches, and is often called the pearl of the Albanian coast. Its coastline has a considerable length of 446 kilometres (277 miles).<sup id="cite_ref-208">[207]  The coast has a particular character because it is rich in varieties of virgin beaches, capes, coves, covered bays, lagoons, small gravel beaches, sea caves and many landforms. Some parts of this seaside are very clean ecologically, which represent in this prospective unexplored areas, which are very rare within the Mediterranean.<sup id="cite_ref-209">[208]  Other attractions include the mountainous areas such as the Albanian Alps, Ceraunian Mountains and Korab Mountains but also the historical cities of Berat, Durrës, Gjirokastër, Sarandë, Shkodër and Korçë. ===Transport=== Main article: Transport in Albania The A1 connects the Adriatic Sea in the western lowland with the Albanian Alps in the north. Transportation in Albania has undergone significant changes and improvements in the past two decades. Continual improvements to the public transport, road and rail infrastructure, water and air travel have all led to a vast enhancement in transportation. The international airport of Tirana serves as the premier gateway to the country, and it is the main hub for Albania's national flag carrier, Air Albania. The airport carries almost 2.5 million passengers per year with connections to many destinations in other countries around Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-210">[209] <sup id="cite_ref-211">[210]  The country plans to progressively increase the number of airports especially in the south with possible locations in Sarandë, Gjirokastër and Vlorë.<sup id="cite_ref-212">[211] Tirana International Airport is named in honour of the Albanian nun and missionary Mother Teresa. The highways and motorways in Albania are properly maintained and often still under construction. The A1 represents a major transportation corridor in Albania and the longest motorway of the country. It will prospectively link Durrës on the Adriatic Sea across Pristina in Kosovo with the Pan-European Corridor X in Serbia.<sup id="cite_ref-SEETO_213-0">[212] <sup id="cite_ref-214">[213]  The A2 is part of the Adriatic–Ionian Corridor as well as the Pan-European Corridor VIII and connects Fier with Vlorë.<sup id="cite_ref-SEETO_213-1">[212]  The A3 is currently under construction and will connect, after its completion, Tirana and Elbasan with the Pan-European Corridor VIII. When all three corridors are completed, Albania will have an estimated 759 kilometres (472 mi) of highway linking it with all of its neighboring countries. The highly advantageous location of Durrës makes its port the busiest in Albania and among the largest in the Adriatic Sea. Durrës is the busiest and largest seaport in the country followed by Vlorë, Shëngjin and Sarandë. As of 2014, it is as one of the largest passenger ports on the Adriatic Sea with annual passenger volume of approximately 1.5 million. The principal ports serve a system of ferries connecting numerous islands and coastal cities in Croatia, Greece and Italy. The rail network is administered by the national railway company Hekurudha Shqiptare which was extensively promoted by the dictator Enver Hoxha. There has been a considerable increase in private car ownership and bus usage while rail use decreased since the end of communism. However, a new railway line from Tirana and its airport to Durrës is currently planned. The specific location of this railway, connecting the most populated urban areas in Albania, merely makes it an important economic development project.<sup id="cite_ref-215">[214] <sup id="cite_ref-216">[215] ==Infrastructure== ===Education=== Main article: Education in Albania The University of Arts is the largest higher education institute dedicated to the study of arts. In the country, education is secular, free, compulsory and based on three levels of education which is segmented in primary, secondary and tertiary education.<sup id="cite_ref-Official_217-0">[216] <sup id="cite_ref-Epnuffic_218-0">[217]  The academic year is apportioned into two semesters beginning in September or October and ending in June or July. The use of the Albanian language serves as the primary language of instruction in all academic institutions across the country.<sup id="cite_ref-Epnuffic_218-1">[217] Compulsory primary education is divided into two levels, elementary and secondary school, from grade one to five and six to nine, respectively.<sup id="cite_ref-Official_217-1">[216]  Pupils are required to attend school from the age of six until they turn 16. Upon successful completion of primary education, all pupils are entitled to attend high schools with specializing in any particular field including arts, sports, languages, sciences or technology.<sup id="cite_ref-Official_217-2">[216] The country's tertiary education, an optional stage of formal learning following secondary education, has undergone a thorough reformation and restructuring in compliance with the principles of the Bologna Process. There is a significant number of private and public institutions of higher education well dispersed in the major cities of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-219">[218] <sup id="cite_ref-Epnuffic_218-2">[217]  Studies in tertiary education are organized at three successive levels which include the bachelor, master and doctorate. The study of a first foreign language is mandatory and are taught most often at elementary and bilingual schools.<sup id="cite_ref-foreign_languages_220-0">[219]  The languages taught in schools are English, Italian, French and German.<sup id="cite_ref-foreign_languages_220-1">[219]  The country has a school life expectancy of 16 years and a literacy rate of 98.7%, with 99.2% for males and 98.3% for females.<sup id="cite_ref-221">[220] <sup id="cite_ref-cia_8-1">[7] ===Energy=== Main articles: Renewable energy and Oil fields in Albania Lake Koman was formed as a result of the construction of the Koman Hydroelectric Power Station in 1985. Albania is mostly dependent on hydroelectricity.<sup id="cite_ref-222">[221]  Almost 94.8% of the country's electricity consumption comes from hydroelectrical stations and ranks 7th in the world by percentage.<sup id="cite_ref-CIAAlbania_223-0">[222] <sup id="cite_ref-224">[223]  There are six hydroelectric power stations, including Fierza, Koman, Skavica and Vau i Dejës situated within the Drin River. Further, there are two stations under construction, namely Banjë and Moglicë located in the Devoll River. Both are expected to be completed between 2016 and 2018. Albania has considerably large deposits of oil. It has the 10th largest oil reserves in europe and the 58th in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-225">[224]  The country's main petroleum deposits are located around the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast and Myzeqe Plain within the Western Lowlands, where the country's largest reserve is located. Although, Patos-Marinza, also located within the area, is the largest onshore oil field in Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-226">[225] In 2015, 498 kilometres (309 mi) of natural gas pipelines and 249 kilometres (155 mi) of oil pipelines spanned the country's territory.<sup id="cite_ref-CIAAlbania_223-1">[222]  The planned Trans Adriatic Pipeline, a major trans Adriatic Sea gas pipeline, will delivers natural gas from Azerbaijan to Albania and Western Europe through Italy and will be completed in 2020.<sup id="cite_ref-227">[226] Further, Albania and Croatia have discussed the possibility of jointly building a nuclear power plant at Lake Shkodër, close to the border with Montenegro, a plan that has gathered criticism from Montenegro due to seismicity in the area.<sup id="cite_ref-228">[227]  In 2009, the company Enel announced plans to build an 800 MW coal-fired power plant in the country, to diversify electricity sources.<sup id="cite_ref-diversify_229-0">[228] ===Technology and media=== Main articles: Science and technology and Media in Albania In 1938, King Zog and Queen Geraldine launched Radio Televizioni Shqiptar. With the political and economic changings in 1993, human resources in sciences and technology have drastically decreased. As of various reports, during 1991 to 2005 approximately 50% of the professors and scientists of the universities and science institutions in the country have left Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-dfid_230-0">[229]  In 2009, the government approved the National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Albania covering the period 2009 to 2015.<sup id="cite_ref-231">[230]  It aims to triple public spending on research and development to 0.6% of GDP and augment the share of GDE from foreign sources, including the framework programmes for research of the European Union, to the point where it covers 40% of research spending, among others. Albania has an estimated 257 media outlets, including 66 radio stations and 67 television stations, with 65 national and more than 50 cable television stations. Radio began officially in 1938 with the founding of Radio Televizioni Shqiptar, while television broadcasting began in 1960. 4 regional radio stations serve in the four extremities of the country. The international service broadcasts radio programmes in Albanian including seven other languages through medium wave and short wave, using the theme from the song "Keputa një gjethe dafine" as its signature tune.<sup id="cite_ref-232">[231]  The international television service through satellite was launched since 1993 and aims at Albanian communities in the neighboring countries and the Albanian diaspora. Nowadays, the country has organized several shows as a part of worldwide series like Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, Got Talent, The Voice and X Factor. ===Health=== Main article: Health in Albania The Albanian cuisine from the Mediterranean, which is characterized by the use of fruits, vegetables and olive oil, contributes to the good nutrition of the country's population.<sup id="cite_ref-233">[232] The constitution of Albania guarantees equal, free and universal health care for all its citizens.<sup id="cite_ref-234">[233]  The health care system of the country is currently organized in three levels, among others primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare, and is in a process of modernisation and development.<sup id="cite_ref-cod_235-0">[234] <sup id="cite_ref-hospitals_236-0">[235] The life expectancy at birth in Albania is at 77.8 years and ranks 37th in the world outperforming several developed countries.<sup id="cite_ref-237">[236]  The average healthy life expectancy is at 68.8 years and ranks as well 37th in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-238">[237]  The country's infant mortality rate is estimated at 12 per 1,000 live births in 2015. In 2000, the country had the 55th best healthcare performance in the world, as defined by the World Health Organization.<sup id="cite_ref-239">[238] Cardiovascular disease remain the principal cause of death in the country accounting 52% of total deaths.<sup id="cite_ref-cod_235-1">[234]  Accidents, injuries, malignant and respiratory diseases are other primary causes of death.<sup id="cite_ref-cod_235-2">[234]  Neuropsychiatric disease has also increased due to recent demographic, social and economic changes in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-cod_235-3">[234] In 2009, the country had a fruit and vegetable supply of 886 grams per capita per day, the fifth highest supply in Europe.<sup id="cite_ref-240">[239]  In comparison to other developed and developing countries, Albania has a relatively low rate of obesity probably thanks to the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.<sup id="cite_ref-241">[240] <sup id="cite_ref-242">[241]  According to World Health Organisation data from 2016, 21.7% of adults in the country are clinically obese, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) score of 25 or more.<sup id="cite_ref-243">[242] ==Demography== Main article: Demographics of Albania See also: Albanian people The Albanian population development in the last sixty years The population of Albania, as defined by Institute of Statistics, was estimated in 2016 at 2,886,026.<sup id="cite_ref-244">[243]  The country's total fertility rate of 1.51 children born per woman is one of the lowest in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-CIA_demography_245-0">[244]  Its population density stands at 259 inhabitants per square kilometre. The overall life expectancy at birth is 78.5 years; 75.8 years for males and 81.4 years for females.<sup id="cite_ref-CIA_demography_245-1">[244]  The country is the 8th most populous country in the Balkans and ranks as the 137th most populous country in the world. The population of the country rose steadily from 2,5 million in 1979 until 1989, when it peaked at 3.1 million.<sup id="cite_ref-246">[245]  It is forecasted that the population will continue shrinking for the next decade at least, depending on the actual birth rate and the level of net migration.<sup id="cite_ref-247">[246] The explanation for the recent population decrease is the fall of communism in Albania. It was marked by large economic mass emigration from Albania to Greece, Italy and the United States. 40 years of isolation from the world, combined with its disastrous economic, social and political situation, had caused this exodus. The external migration was prohibited outright during the communist era, while internal migration was quite limited, hence this was a new phenomenon. At least, 900,000 people left Albania during this period, about 600,000 of them settling in Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-248">[247]  The migration affected the country's internal population distribution. It decreased particularly in the north and south, while it increased in the center within the cities of Tirana and Durrës.[citation needed] According to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) as of 1 January 2015, the population of Albania is 2,893,005.<sup id="cite_ref-Statistics_249-0">[248] About 53.4% of the country's population is living in cities. The three largest counties by population account for half of the total population. Almost 30% of the total population is found in Tirana County followed by Fier County with 11% and Durrës County with 10%.<sup id="cite_ref-250">[249]  Over 1 million people are concentrated in Tirana and Durrës, making it the largest urban area in Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-251">[250]  Tirana is one of largest cities in the Balkan Peninsula and ranks 7th with a population about 800,000.<sup id="cite_ref-census15_252-0">[251]  The second largest city in the country by population is Durrës, with a population of 201.110, followed by Vlorë with a population of 141.513. {| ! colspan="8"|The country's largest urban areas by population as of 2011.<sup id="cite_ref-253">[252] |- ! rowspan="23"|  Tirana  Durrës !# !City !Population !# !City !Population ! rowspan="23"|  Gjirokastër  Sarandë |- |1 | align="left"|Tirana |418,495 |11 | align="left"|Kavajë |20,192 |- |2 | align="left"|Durrës |113,249 |12 | align="left"|Gjirokastër |19,836 |- |3 | align="left"|Vlorë |79,513 |13 | align="left"|Sarandë |17,233 |- |4 | align="left"|Shkodër |78,703 |14 | align="left"|Laç |17,086 |- |5 | align="left"|Elbasan |77,075 |15 | align="left"|Kukës |16,719 |- |6 | align="left"|Fier |55,845 |16 | align="left"|Patos |15,937 |- |7 | align="left"|Korçë |51,152 |17 | align="left"|Lezhë |15,510 |- |8 | align="left"|Berat |32,606 |18 | align="left"|Peshkopi |13,251 |- |9 | align="left"|Lushnjë |31,105 |19 | align="left"|Kuçovë |12,654 |- |10 | align="left"|Pogradec |20,848 |20 | align="left"|Krujë |11,721 |- | colspan="6"| |} ===Minorities=== {| role="presentation" | | It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Minorities of Albania. (Discuss) (October 2019) |} Issues of ethnicity are a delicate topic and subject to debate. Contrary to official statistics that show an over 97 per cent Albanian majority in the country, minority groups (such as Greeks, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Roma and Aromanians) have frequently disputed the official numbers, asserting a higher percentage of the country's population. According to the disputed 2011 census, ethnic affiliation was as follows: Albanians 2,312,356 (82.6% of the total), Greeks 24,243 (0.9%), Macedonians 5,512 (0.2%), Montenegrins 366 (0.01%), Aromanians 8,266 (0.30%), Romani 8,301 (0.3%), Balkan Egyptians 3,368 (0.1%), other ethnicities 2,644 (0.1%), no declared ethnicity 390,938 (14.0%), and not relevant 44,144 (1.6%).<sup id="cite_ref-Population_and_Housing_Census_2011_2-1">[2]  On the quality of the specific data the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities stated that "the results of the census should be viewed with the utmost caution and calls on the authorities not to rely exclusively on the data on nationality collected during the census in determining its policy on the protection of national minorities.".<sup id="cite_ref-254">[253] Albania recognizes nine national or cultural minorities: Greek, Macedonian, Wallachian, Montenegrin, Serb, Roma, Egyptian, Bosnian and Bulgarian peoples.<sup id="cite_ref-255">[254]  Other Albanian minorities are Gorani, Aromanians and Jews.<sup id="cite_ref-256">[255]  Regarding the Greeks, "it is difficult to know how many Greeks there are in Albania". The estimates vary between 60,000 and 300,000 ethnic Greeks in Albania. According to Ian Jeffries, most of Western sources put the number at around 200,000. The 300,000 mark is supported by Greek government as well.<sup id="cite_ref-RFE/RL_Research_Report:_Weekly_Analyses_from_the_RFE/RL_Research_Institute_257-0">[256] <sup id="cite_ref-BideleuxJeffries2006_258-0">[257] <sup id="cite_ref-Ramet1998_259-0">[258] <sup id="cite_ref-Jeffries2002_260-0">[259] <sup id="cite_ref-Publications2008_261-0">[260]  The CIA World Factbook estimates the Greek minority at 0.9%<sup id="cite_ref-262">[261]  of the total population. The US State Department uses 1.17% for Greeks and 0.23% for other minorities.<sup id="cite_ref-263">[262]  The latter questions the validity of the census data about the Greek minority, due to the fact that measurements have been affected by boycott.<sup id="cite_ref-264">[263] Macedonian and some Greek minority groups have sharply criticized Article 20 of the Census law, according to which a $1,000 fine will be imposed on anyone who will declare an ethnicity other than what is stated on his or her birth certificate. This is claimed to be an attempt to intimidate minorities into declaring Albanian ethnicity, according to them the Albanian government has stated that it will jail anyone who does not participate in the census or refuse to declare his or her ethnicity.<sup id="cite_ref-265">[264]  Genc Pollo, the minister in charge has declared that: "Albanian citizens will be able to freely express their ethnic and religious affiliation and mother tongue. However, they are not forced to answer these sensitive questions".<sup id="cite_ref-266">[265]  The amendments criticized do not include jailing or forced declaration of ethnicity or religion; only a fine is envisioned which can be overthrown by court.<sup id="cite_ref-267">[266] <sup id="cite_ref-268">[267] Greek representatives form part of the Albanian parliament and the government has invited Albanian Greeks to register, as the only way to improve their status.<sup id="cite_ref-EUDO_269-0">[268]  On the other hand, nationalists, various organizations and political parties in Albania have expressed their concern that the census might artificially increase the numbers of the Greek minority, which might be then exploited by Greece to threaten Albania's territorial integrity.<sup id="cite_ref-EUDO_269-1">[268] <sup id="cite_ref-Maria_Karathanos,_Constantine_Callaghan_270-0">[269] <sup id="cite_ref-271">[270] <sup id="cite_ref-BalkanChronicle_272-0">[271] <sup id="cite_ref-273">[272] <sup id="cite_ref-274">[273] <sup id="cite_ref-275">[274] Regions with a traditional presence of ethnic groups other than Albanian. Distribution of ethnic groups within Albania, as of the 2011 census. Districts colored gray are those where a majority of people did not declare an ethnicity (the question was optional). The census was criticized and boycotted by minorities in Albania. Traditional locations of linguistic and religious communities in Albania. ===Language=== Main article: Languages of Albania See also: Albanian language The dialects of the Albanian language in Albania. The official language of the country is Albanian which is spoken by the vast majority of the country's population.<sup id="cite_ref-276">[275]  Its standard spoken and written form is revised and merged from the two main dialects, Gheg and Tosk, though it is notably based more on the Tosk dialect. The Shkumbin river is the rough dividing line between the two dialects. Also a dialect of Greek that preserves features now lost in standard modern Greek is spoken in areas inhabited by the Greek minority. Other languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Albania include Aromanian, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Gorani, and Roma.<sup id="cite_ref-277">[276]  Macedonian is official in the Pustec Municipality in East Albania. According to the 2011 population census, 2,765,610 or 98.767% of the population declared Albanian as their mother tongue (mother tongue is defined as the first or main language spoken at home during childhood).<sup id="cite_ref-Population_and_Housing_Census_2011_2-2">[2]  One road sign in Albanian and a minority language (Macedonian) and one in Albanian and a foreign language for tourists (English) in Pustec (left) Road sign in Albanian and a minority language (Greek) in Goranxi (right) In recent years, the shrinking number of pupils in schools dedicated to the Greek minority has caused problems for teachers.<sup id="cite_ref-278">[277]  The Greek language is spoken by an important percentage in the southern part of the country, due to cultural and economic links with adjacent Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-279">[278]  In a 2017 study carried out by Instat, the Albanian government statistical agency, 39.9% of the 25–64 years old is able to use at least one foreign language, with English first at 40.0%, followed by Italian with 27.8% and Greek with 22.9%.<sup id="cite_ref-280">[279]  Among young people aged 25 or less, English, German and Turkish have seen a rising interest after 2000. Italian and French have had a stable interest, while Greek has lost most of the interest. The trends are linked with cultural and economic factors.<sup id="cite_ref-Shkurtaj2017_281-0">[280] Greek is the second most-spoken language in the country, with 0.5 to 3% of the population speaking it as first language,<sup id="cite_ref-282">[281] <sup id="cite_ref-SecondMostSpokenLanguage_283-0">[282] <sup id="cite_ref-kathimerini_284-0">[283]  and with two-thirds of mainly Albanian families having at least one member that speaks Greek, most having learned it in the post communist era (1992–present) due to private schools or migration to Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-kathimerini_284-1">[283]  Outside of the small designated "minority area" in the south the teaching of Greek was banned during the communist era.<sup id="cite_ref-285">[284]  As of 2003 Greek is offered at over 100 private tutoring centers all over Albania and at a private school in Tirana, the first of its kind outside Greece.<sup id="cite_ref-kathimerini_284-2">[283] The young people have shown a growing interest in German language in recent years. Some of them go to Germany for studying or various experiences. Albania and Germany have agreements for cooperating in helping young people of the two countries know both cultures better.<sup id="cite_ref-286">[285]  Due to a sharp rise in economic relations with Turkey, interest in learning Turkish, in particular among young people, has been growing on a yearly basis. Young people, attracted by economic importance of Turkish investments and common values between the two nations, gain from cultural and academic collaboration of universities.<sup id="cite_ref-287">[286]  In 2011 Turkish-owned Epoka University, where Turkish along with English and French is taught, was chosen the best foreign-owned university in Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-288">[287] ===Religion=== Main article: Religion in Albania Mirahori Mosque in Korçë is a monument of cultural heritage. Albania is a secular state without an official religion, with the freedom of religion being a constitutional right.<sup id="cite_ref-289">[288]  The 2011 census, for the first time since 1930, included an optional open-ended question on religion; the census recorded a majority of Muslims (58.79%), which include Sunni (56.70%) and Bektashi Muslims (2.09%).<sup id="cite_ref-290">[289] [citation needed] Christians, making up 16.92% of the population, include Catholics (10.03%), Orthodox (6.75%) and evangelical Protestants (0.14%).<sup id="cite_ref-Religion_291-0">[290]  Atheists accounted for 2.5% of the population and 5.49% were non-affiliated believers, while 13.79% preferred not to answer.<sup id="cite_ref-Religion_291-1">[290] The preliminary results of the 2011 census seemed to give widely different results, with 70% of respondents refusing to declare belief in any of the listed faiths.<sup id="cite_ref-292">[291] <sup id="cite_ref-293">[292]  The Albanian Orthodox Church officially refused to recognize the results, claiming that 24% of the total population adhered to its faith.<sup id="cite_ref-294">[293] <sup id="cite_ref-295">[294]  Some Muslim Community officials expressed unhappiness with the data claiming that many Muslims were not counted and that the number of adherents numbered some 70% of the Albanian population.<sup id="cite_ref-296">[295] <sup id="cite_ref-Jazexhi22_297-0">[296]  The Albanian Catholic Bishops Conference also cast doubts on the census, complaining that many of its believers were not contacted.<sup id="cite_ref-298">[297]  The Muslim Albanians are spread throughout the country. Orthodox and Bektashis are mostly found in the south, whereas Catholics mainly live in the north.<sup id="cite_ref-International_Religious_Freedom_Report_2007_299-0">[298]  In 2008, there were 694 Catholic churches and 425 orthodox churches, 568 mosques and 70 bektashi tekkes in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-300">[299] <sup id="cite_ref-301">[300] The Resurrection Cathedral of Tirana is the third largest Orthodox church in Europe. Eastern orthodoxy was first introduced during the Roman period. Religious tolerance is one of the most important values of the tradition of the Albanians. It is widely accepted that Albanians generally value a peaceful coexistence among the believers of different religious communities in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-302">[301] <sup id="cite_ref-303">[302]  During an official visit in Tirana, Pope Francis hailed Albania as model of religious harmony, due to the long tradition of religious coexistence and tolerance.<sup id="cite_ref-304">[303]  The country is ranked among the least religious countries in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-305">[304]  Furthermore, religion plays an important role in the lives of only 39% of the country's population.<sup id="cite_ref-306">[305]  In the WIN/Gallup International Report of 2016, 56% of the Albanian people considered themselves religious, 30% considered themselves non-religious, while 9% defined themselves as convinced atheists; 80% believed in God and 40% believed in life after death. However, 40% believed in hell, while 42% believed in heaven.<sup id="cite_ref-307">[306] During classical times, there are thought to have been about seventy Christian families in Durrës, as early as the time of the Apostles.<sup id="cite_ref-308">[307]  The Archbishopric of Durrës was purportedly founded by Paul the Apostle, while preaching in Illyria and Epirus.<sup id="cite_ref-ChHistory_309-0">[308] <sup id="cite_ref-310">[309]  Meanwhile, in medieval times, the Albanian people first appeared within historical records from the Byzantines. At this point, they were mostly Christianized. Islam arrived for the first time in the late 9th century to the region, when Arabs raided parts of the eastern banks of the Adriatic Sea.<sup id="cite_ref-311">[310]  It later emerged as the majority religion, during the centuries of Ottoman Period,<sup id="cite_ref-Merdjanova673940_312-0">[311]  though a significant Christian minority remained. During modern times, the Albanian republican, monarchic and later communist regimes followed a systematic policy of separating religion from official functions and cultural life. The country has never had an official religion either as a republic or as a kingdom. The Monastery of Rubik. In the 20th century, the clergy of all faiths was weakened under the monarchy and ultimately eradicated during the 1950s and 1960s, under the state policy of obliterating all organized religion from the territories of Albania. The communist regime persecuted and suppressed religious observance and institutions and entirely banned religion. The country was then officially declared to be the world's first atheist state. Although, the country's religious freedom has returned, since the end of communism. Islam survived communist era persecution and reemerged in the modern era as a practiced religion in Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-Merdjanova673940_312-1">[311]  Some smaller Christian sects in Albania include Evangelicals and several Protestant communities including Seventh-day Adventist Church, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah's Witnesses.<sup id="cite_ref-313">[312] <sup id="cite_ref-314">[313] <sup id="cite_ref-315">[314] <sup id="cite_ref-316">[315]  The first recorded Protestant of Albania was Said Toptani, who traveled around Europe and returned to Tirana in 1853, where he preached Protestantism. Due to that, he was arrested and imprisoned by the Ottoman authorities in 1864. First evangelical Protestants appeared in the 19th century and the Evangelical Alliance was founded in 1892. Nowadays, it has 160 member congregations from different Protestant denominations. Albania was the only country in Europe where the Jewish population increased significantly during the Holocaust.<sup id="cite_ref-317">[316] <sup id="cite_ref-318">[317] <sup id="cite_ref-319">[318]  Following the mass emigration to Israel, since the fall of communism, only 200 Albanian Jews are left in the country.<sup id="cite_ref-320">[319] <sup id="cite_ref-321">[320] ==Culture== Main article: Culture of Albania ===Symbols=== Main article: National symbols of Albania The double-headed eagle on the walls of the St. Anthony Church. Albania shares many symbols associated with its history, culture and belief. These include the colours red and black, animals such as the golden eagle living across the country, costumes such as the fustanella, plis and opinga which are worn to special events and celebrations, plants such as the olive and red poppy growing as well across the country. The flag of Albania is a red flag with a black double-headed eagle in the centre.<sup id="cite_ref-Flamuri_322-0">[321]  The red colour symbolizes the bravery, strength and valour of the Albanian people and the black colour appears as a symbol of freedom and heroism.<sup id="cite_ref-Flamuri_322-1">[321]  The eagle has been used by Albanians since the Middle Ages including the establishment of the Principality of Arbër and by numerous noble ruling families such as the Kastrioti, Muzaka, Thopia and Dukagjini.<sup id="cite_ref-323">[322]  Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, who fought and began a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire which halted Ottoman advance into Europe for nearly 25 years, placed the double-headed eagle on his flag and seal.<sup id="cite_ref-324">[323] <sup id="cite_ref-325">[324] The country's national motto, Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar, finds its origins in the early 19th century. The first to express this motto was Naim Frashëri in his poem Ti Shqipëri më jep nder.<sup id="cite_ref-326">[325]  This poem is notable as refers to the values and ambitions of the Albanian people to remain separate from and independent of, those neighbouring countries around it, which have tried to dominate it. The duart e kryqëzuara, also referred to as the eagle gesture, is a gesture performed particularly by the Albanian people around the world in order to visually illustrate the double-headed eagle, the symbol of Albania. ===Cuisine=== Main article: Albanian cuisine Roasted peppers served with Pite, a traditional and prominent layered Albanian pie. In the course of the centuries, Albanian cuisine has been widely influenced by the culture, geography and history of Albania and therefore different parts of the country enjoy a specific regional cuisine. The cooking traditions vary especially between the north and the south owing to differing topography and climate that essentially contribute to the excellent growth conditions for a wide array of herbs, fruits and vegetables.<sup id="cite_ref-327">[326] Albanians produce and use many varieties of fruits such as lemons, oranges, figs and most notably olives which is perhaps the most important element of Albanian cooking. Spices and other herbs such as basil, lavender, mint, oregano, rosemary and thyme are widely used, as are vegetables such as garlics, onions, peppers, potatoes and tomatoes as well as legumes of all types. Having a coastline along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean Sea, fish, crustaceans and seafood are a popular and an integral part of the Albanian diet. Otherwise lamb is the traditional meat for different holidays and religious festivals for both Christians and Muslims, and poultry, beef, and pork are also in plentiful supply. Tavë Kosi is a national dish in Albania and consists of garlicky lamb and rice baked under a thick, tart veil of yogurt. Fërgesë is another national dish in the country and is made up with peppers, tomatoes and cottage cheese. Another beloved dish is Pite which is generally a filled and baked pastry with a filling of a mixture of spinach and gjizë or mish as it is known in Albania. Bukë Misri is a staple on the Albanian table. Petulla, a traditionally fried dough, is as well a popular speciality and is served with powdered sugar or feta cheese and different sorts of fruit jams. Also popular is Flia consisting of multiple crepe-like layers brushed with cream and served with sour cream. Krofne, similar to Berliner, are filled with jam, or chocolate and often eaten during the cold winter months. Coffee is very much a part of the people's lifestyle in Albania. Different variations of coffee is best enjoyed within the family or friends but also outside at cafés or bars. A small country in size, Albania ranked first with the most coffee houses per capita in the world.<sup id="cite_ref-328">[327] Tea is enjoyed both at home or outside at cafés, bars or restaurants. Çaj Mali is enormously beloved and is part of a daily routine for most of the Albanians. It is cultivated across Southern Albania and noted for its medicinal properties. Black tea with a slice of lemon and sugar, milk or honey is also a popular type of tea. Wine drinking is popular throughout the Albanians. The country has a long and ancient history of wine production, as it belongs to the old world of wine producing countries.<sup id="cite_ref-329">[328] <sup id="cite_ref-330">[329]  Its wine is characterized for its sweet taste and traditionally indigenous varieties. ===Arts=== Main articles: Albanian art and architecture Butrint has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1992. The artistic history of Albania has been particularly influenced by a multitude of ancient and medieval people, traditions and religions. It covers a broad spectrum with mediums and disciplines that include painting, pottery, sculpture, ceramics and architecture all of them exemplifying a great variety in style and shape, in different regions and period. The rise of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire in the Middle Ages was accompanied by a corresponding growth in Christian and Islamic art in the lands of Albania which are apparent in examples of architecture and mosaics throughout the country.<sup id="cite_ref-331">[330] <sup id="cite_ref-www.albanianart.net_index_al_332-0">[331]  Centuries later, the Albanian Renaissance proved crucial to the emancipation of the modern Albanian culture and saw unprecedented developments in all fields of literature and art whereas artists sought to return to the ideals of Impressionism and Romanticism.<sup id="cite_ref-333">[332]  However, Onufri, Kolë Idromeno, David Selenica, Kostandin Shpataraku and the Zografi Brothers are the most eminent representatives of Albanian art. The Codices of Berat are eminently important for the global community and the development of ancient biblical, liturgical and hagiographical literature.<sup id="cite_ref-334">[333]  In 2005, it was inscribed on the UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. The architecture of Albania reflects the legacy of various civilizations tracing back to the classical antiquity. Major cities in Albania have evolved from within the castle to include dwellings, religious and commercial structures, with constant redesigning of town squares and evolution of building techniques. Nowadays, the cities and towns reflect a whole spectrum of various architectural styles. In the 20th century, many historical as well as sacred buildings bearing the ancient influence were demolished during the communist era.<sup id="cite_ref-335">[334] Ancient architecture is found throughout Albania and most visible in Byllis, Amantia, Phoenice, Apollonia, Butrint, Antigonia, Shkodër and Durrës. Considering the long period of rule of the Byzantine Empire, they introduced castles, citadels, churches and monasteries with spectacular wealth of visible murals and frescos. Perhaps the best known examples can be found in the southern Albanian cities and surroundings of Korçë, Berat, Voskopojë and Gjirokastër. Involving the introduction of Ottoman architecture there was a development of mosques and other Islamic buildings, particularly seen in Berat and Gjirokastër. The Fortress of Bashtovë is on the tentative list for inscribing it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<sup id="cite_ref-336">[335] A productive period of Historicism, Art Nouveau and Neoclassicism merged into the 19th century, best exemplified in Korçë. The 20th century brought new architectural styles such as the modern Italian style, which is present in Tirana such as the Skanderbeg Square and Ministries. It is also present in Shkodër, Vlorë, Sarandë and Durrës. Moreover, other towns received their present-day Albania-unique appearance through various cultural or economic influences. Socialist classicism arrived during the communist era in Albania after the Second World War. At this period many socialist-styled complexes, wide roads and factories were constructed, while town squares were redesigned and numerous of historic and important buildings demolished. Notable examples of that style include the Mother Teresa Square, Pyramid of Tirana, Palace of Congresses and so on. Three Albanian archaeological sites are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include the ancient remains of Butrint, the medieval Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastër, and Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region site shared with North Macedonia since 2019.<sup id="cite_ref-337">[336] <sup id="cite_ref-338">[337]  Furthermore, the royal Illyrian tombs, the remains of Apollonia, the ancient Amphitheatre of Durrës and the Fortress of Bashtovë has been included on the tentative list of Albania. ===Music=== Main articles: Albanian music and traditional clothing The Albanian iso-polyphony is UNESCO's Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.<sup id="cite_ref-339">[338] The Albanian folk music is a prominent section of the national identity and continues to play a major part in Albanian music. Although, it can be divided into two stylistic groups, as performed by the northern Ghegs and southern Labs and Tosks. The northern and southern traditions are contrasted by the rugged tone of the north and the relaxed form of the south. Many of the songs are about events from history and culture, including the traditional themes about honour, hospitality, treachery and revenge. The first compilation of Albanian folk music was made by two Himariot musicians Neço Muka and Koço Çakali in Paris, during their interpretations with the song Diva Tefta Tashko Koço. Several gramophone compilations were recorded in those years by this genial trio of artists which eventually led to the recognition of the Himariot Isopolyphonic Music as an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.<sup id="cite_ref-340">[339] The Albanian dancers wearing Fustanellas, the national costume of Albania The contemporary music artists Rita Ora, Bebe Rexha, Era Istrefi, Dua Lipa, Ava Max, Bleona, Elvana Gjata, Ermonela Jaho and Inva Mula have achieved international recognition for their music.<sup id="cite_ref-341">[340]  soprano Ermonela Jaho has been described by The Economist as the World's most acclaimed Soprano.<sup id="cite_ref-342">[341]  One widely recognized musician from Elbasan is Saimir Pirgu, an Albanian international opera singer. He was nominated for the 2017 Grammy Award.<sup id="cite_ref-343">[342] Every cultural and geographical region of Albania has its own specific variety of costume that vary in style, material, color, shape, detail and form.<sup id="cite_ref-344">[343]  Presently, the national costumes are most often worn with connection to special events and celebrations, mostly at ethnic festivals, religious holidays, weddings and by dancing groups as well. Some conservative old men and women mainly from the high northern as well as southern regions and wear traditional clothing in their daily lives. The clothing was made mainly of products from the local agriculture and livestock such as leather, wool, linen, hemp fiber and silk. Nowadays, the traditional textiles are still embroidered in very collaborate ancient patterns. ===Literature=== {| role="presentation" | | This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Albania" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (October 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) |} Main article: Albanian literature See also: Albanian language An excerpt from the Meshari (The Missal) written by Gjon Buzuku. (1555) The Albanian language comprises an independent branch within the Indo-European family of languages. It is a language isolate to any other known living language in Europe and indeed no other language in the world has been conclusively associated to its branch. Its origin is conclusively unknown but it is believed it has descended from an ancient Paleo-Balkan language.<sup id="cite_ref-345">[344] <sup id="cite_ref-346">[345] <sup id="cite_ref-347">[346] The cultural renaissance was first of all expressed through the development of the Albanian language in the area of church texts and publications, mainly of the Catholic region in the northern of Albania, but also of the Orthodox in the south. The Protestant reforms invigorated hopes for the development of the local language and literary tradition, when cleric Gjon Buzuku brought into the Albanian language the Catholic liturgy, trying to do for the Albanian language, what Martin Luther did for the German language. Meshari (The Missal) written by Gjon Buzuku was published in 1555 and is considered as one of the first literary work of written Albanian during the Middle Ages. The refined level of the language and the stabilised orthography must be the result of an earlier tradition of written Albanian, a tradition that is not well understood. However, there is some fragmented evidence, pre-dating Buzuku, which indicates that Albanian was written from at least the 14th century. The earliest evidence dates from 1332 AD with a Latin report from the French Dominican Guillelmus Adae, Archbishop of Antivari, who wrote that Albanians used Latin letters in their books although their language was quite different from Latin. Other significant examples include: a baptism formula (Unte paghesont premenit Atit et Birit et spertit senit) from 1462, written in Albanian within a Latin text by the Bishop of Durrës, Pal Engjëlli; a glossary of Albanian words of 1497 by Arnold von Harff, a German who had travelled through Albania, and a 15th-century fragment of the Bible from the Gospel of Matthew, also in Albanian, but written in Greek letters. Parashqevi Qiriazi teacher and feminist (1880–1970) Albanian writings from these centuries must not have been religious texts only, but historical chronicles too. They are mentioned by the humanist Marin Barleti, who in his book Siege of Shkodër (Rrethimi i Shkodrës) from 1504, confirms that he leafed through such chronicles written in the language of the people (in vernacula lingua) as well as his famous biography of Skanderbeg Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis (History of Skanderbeg) from 1508. The History of Skanderbeg is still the foundation of Skanderbeg studies and is considered an Albanian cultural treasure, vital to the formation of Albanian national self-consciousness. During the 16th and the 17th centuries, the catechism (E mbësuame krishterë) (Christian Teachings) from 1592 written by Lekë Matrënga, (Doktrina e krishterë) (The Christian Doctrine) from 1618 and (Rituale romanum) 1621 by Pjetër Budi, the first writer of original Albanian prose and poetry, an apology for George Castriot (1636) by Frang Bardhi, who also published a dictionary and folklore creations, the theological-philosophical treaty Cuneus Prophetarum (The Band of Prophets) (1685) by Pjetër Bogdani, the most universal personality of Albanian Middle Ages, were published in Albanian. The most famous Albanian writer in the 20th and 21st century is probably Ismail Kadare. He has been mentioned as a possible recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. ===Cinema=== Main article: Cinema of Albania Albanian-American actress Eliza Dushku produced the documentary Dear Albania<sup id="cite_ref-348">[347]  with a crew from Travel Channel and Lonely Planet, promoting tourism in Albania. Cinematography became popular in the 20th century, when foreign films and documentaries were shown in the cities of Shkodër and Korçë.<sup id="cite_ref-349">[348]  The first public showing to occur in Albania was a little-known title, Paddy the Reliable a comical story. The first Albanian films were mostly documentaries; the first was about the Monastir Congress that sanctioned the Albanian alphabet in 1908. During communism, the Albanian Film Institute that later became known as Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re was founded with Soviet assistance, focusing mostly on propaganda of wartime struggles. After 1945, the communist government founded the Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re in 1952. This was followed by the first Albanian epic film, the Great Warrior Skanderbeg, a cooperation with Soviet artists chronicling the life and fight of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg. In addition the film was awarded the International Prize at the 1954 Cannes Film Festival. By 1990, about 200 movies had been produced, and Albania had over 450 theaters. With the economic transition after the collapse of communism in the 1990s, the Kinostudio was broken up and privatised. A new National Center of Cinematography was established, while cities built modern cinema theatres showing mostly American movies. The Tirana International Film Festival was established in 2003 and has become the premier and largest film festival in the country as well as in the Balkans. Durrës hosts the International Film Summerfest of Durrës, the second largest international film festival in the country which takes place every year in late August or early September in Durrës Amphitheatre. Notable Albanian film directors include Andamion Murataj, Besim Sahatçiu, Xhanfize Keko, Dhimitër Anagnosti, Kujtim Çashku, Luljeta Hoxha, Saim Kokona, Saimir Kumbaro, Kristaq Mitro, Leon Qafzezi and Gjergj Xhuvani. Famous actors in Albania include Nik Xhelilaj, Klement Tinaj, Masiela Lusha, Blerim Destani, Aleksandër Moisiu, Tinka Kurti, Pjetër Malota, Sandër Prosi and Margarita Xhepa. There are internationally renowned actors in the Albanian diaspora, such as the Albanian-Americans Eliza Dushku, Jim and John Belushi, Kosovo-Albanians Bekim Fehmiu and Arta Dobroshi and Turkish-Albanian Barish Arduç. ===Sports=== See also: Albania at the Olympics and Albania at the Mediterranean Games Lorik Cana is Albania's most capped player of all time. He captained the French Olympique de Marseille, as well as the Albanian national team. Albania participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 for the first time. The country made their Winter Olympic Games debut in 2006. Albania missed the next four games, two of them due to the 1980 and 1984 boycotts, but returned for the 1992 games in Barcelona. Since then, Albania have participated in all games. Albania normally competes in events that include swimming, athletics, weightlifting, shooting and wrestling. The country have been represented by the National Olympic Committee of Albania since 1972. The nation has participated at the Mediterranean Games since the games of 1987 in Syria. The Albanian athletes have won a total of 43 (8 gold, 17 silver and 18 bronze) medals from 1987 to 2013. Air Albania Stadium in central Tirana Popular sports in Albania include Football, Weightlifting, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, Swimming, Rugby, and Gymnastics. Football is by far the most popular sport in Albania. It is governed by the Football Association of Albania (Albanian: Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit, F.SH.F.), which was created in 1930 and has membership in FIFA and UEFA. Football arrived in Albania early in the 20th century when the inhabitants of the northern city of Shkodër were surprised to see a strange game being played by students at a Christian mission. The Albania national football team, ranking 51st in the World in 2017 (highest 22nd on 22 August 2015) have won the 1946 Balkan Cup and the Malta Rothmans International Tournament 2000, but had never participated in any major UEFA or FIFA tournament, until UEFA Euro 2016, Albania's first ever appearance at the continental tournament and at a major men's football tournament. Albania scored their first ever goal in a major tournament and secured their first ever win in European Championship when they beat Romania by 1–0 in a UEFA Euro 2016 match on 19 June 2016.<sup id="cite_ref-350">[349] <sup id="cite_ref-351">[350]  The most successful football clubs in the country are Skënderbeu, KF Tirana, Dinamo Tirana, Partizani and Vllaznia. Weightlifting is one of the most successful individual sport for the Albanians, with the national team winning medals at the European Weightlifting Championships and the rest international competitions. Albanian weightlifters have won a total of 16 medals at the European Championships with 1 of them being gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze. In the World Weightlifting Championships, the Albanian weightlifting team has won in 1972 a gold in 2002 a silver and in 2011 a bronze medal. ===Diaspora=== Main articles: Albanian diaspora and Albanian communities Historically, the Albanian people have established several communities in many regions throughout Southern Europe. The Albanian diaspora has been formed since the late Middle Ages, when they emigrated to places such as Italy, especially in Sicily and Calabria, and Greece to escape either various socio-political difficulties or the Ottoman conquest of Albania.<sup id="cite_ref-352">[351]  Following the fall of communism, large numbers of Albanians have migrated to countries such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Scandinavia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States. Albanian minorities are present in the neighboring territories such as the west of North Macedonia, the east of Montenegro, Kosovo in its entirety and southern Serbia. In Kosovo, Albanians make up the largest ethnic group in the country. Altogether, the number of ethnic Albanian living abroad its territory is estimated to be higher than the total population inside the territory of Albania. ==See also== *Outline of Albania *Index of Albania-related articles *Bibliography of Albania * ==Notes== #^ Jump up to:a b Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Kosovo is currently recognized as an independent state by 98 out of the 193 United Nations member states. In total, 112 UN member states recognized Kosovo at some point, of which 14 later withdrew their recognition. ==References== #^ "404". Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018. #^ Jump up to:a b c "Population and Housing Census 2011". INSTAT (Albanian Institute of Statistics). Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. #^ Jump up to:a b c d "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects". IMF. 20 October 2018. #^ "Income Gini coefficient". World Bank. UNDP. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2015. #^ Jump up to:a b "Human Development Report 2019". United Nations Development Programme. 2019. Retrieved 24 December 2019. #^ Giacomo Jungg (1 January 1895). Fialuur i voghel scc...p e ltinisct mle...un prei P. Jak Junkut t' Scocniis ... N'Sckoder t' Scc...pniis. Retrieved 23 July 2016 – via Internet Archive. #^ Jump up to:a b "Albania". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 21 June 2013. #^ Zolo, D. (27 August 2002). Invoking Humanity: War, Law and Global Order. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 180. ISBN 9780826456564 – via Google Books. #^ "Albania". The World Bank. Archived from the original on 21 September 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2014. #^ Reports: Poverty Decreases in Albania After Years of Growth. Dow Jones Newswires, 201-938-5500 201-938-5500 201-938-5500.Nasdaq.com #^ Albania plans to build three hydropower plants. People's Daily #^ Strong GDP growth reduces poverty in Albania-study. Reuters.Forbes.com Archived 17 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine #^ "Albania applies for EU membership". BBC News. 28 April 2009. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2009. #^ Madrugearu A, Gordon M. The wars of the Balkan Peninsula. Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. p. 146. #^ Richard Talbert, Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World, (ISBN 0-691-03169-X), Map 49 & notes. #^ The Illyrians by J. J. Wilkes, 1992, ISBN 978-0-631-19807-9, page 279,"We cannot be certain that the Arbanon of Anna Comnena is the same as Albanopolis of the Albani, a place located on the map of Ptolemy (3.12)" #^ Robert Elsei. ''The Albanian lexicon of Dion Von Kirkman. Earliest reference to the existence of the Albanian language'', pp. 113–122. #^ "www.pinocacozza.it". www.pinocacozza.it. #^ Casanova. "Radio-Arberesh.eu". Radio-Arberesh. Archived from the original on 2 April 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2014. #^ Jump up to:a b Matasović, Ranko (2019). A Grammatical Sketch of Albanian for Students of Indo European (PDF). Zagreb. p. 39. #^ Lloshi, Xhevat (1999). "Albanian". In Hinrichs, Uwe; Büttner, Uwe (eds.). Handbuch der Südosteuropa-Linguistik. Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 277. ISBN 9783447039390. #^ Kristo Frasheri. History of Albania (A Brief Overview). Tirana, 1964. #^ Lloshi, Xhevat. "The Albanian Language" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. Archived from the original(PDF) on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2010. #^ Jump up to:a b F. Prendi, "The Prehistory of Albania", The Cambridge Ancient History, 2nd edn., vol. 3, part 1: The Prehistory of the Balkans; and the Middle East and the Aegean World, Tenth to Eighth Centuries B.C., ed. John Boardman et al. (Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1982), 189–90. #^ Hammond, N. G. L. (1974). Grave circles in Albania and Macedonia. Bronze Age Migrations in the Aegean: Archaeological and Linguistic Problems in Greek Prehistory. 4. British Association for Mycenaean Studies. pp. 189–198. ISBN 978-0-7156-0580-6. Retrieved 16 March 2011. #^ Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond, Guy Thompson Griffith A History of Macedonia: Historical geography and prehistory. Clarendon Press, 1972, p. 290 #^ Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière Hammond. Studies: Further studies on various topics. A.M. Hakkert, 1993, p. 231: "The leading dans of both groups buried their dead under a circular tumulus of soil in the second millennium BC The main reservoir of the Greek speakers was central Albania and Epirus, and it was from there that the founders of Mycenaean civilization came to Mycenae, c. 1600 BC, and buried their nobles in Grave Circle B. Further waves of immigrants passing through and from Epirus people the Greek peninsula and islands the last wave, called Dorians, settling from 1100 onwards. The lands they left in central Albania were occupied during the so-called Dark Age (U10-800BC) by Illyrians, whose main habitat was in the area now called Bosnia," #^ Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (2010), A Companion to Ancient Macedonia, John Wiley and Sons, ISBN 978-1-4051-7936-2 #^ John Boardman. The prehistory of the Balkans and the Middle East and the Aegean world. Cambridge University Press, 1982. ISBN 978-0-521-22496-3, p. 629: "... the southernmost outliers of the tribes which held the Zeta valley, as such they may have been the immediate neighbours of Greek-speaking tribes in the Bronze Age." #^ Wilkes John. The Illyrians. Wiley-Blackwell, 1995, ISBN 978-0-631-19807-9, p. 92: "Illyrii was once no more than the name of a single people... astride the modern frontier between Albania and Yugoslav Montenegro" #^ The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes, 1996, ISBN 978-0-631-19807-9, page 92, "Appian's description of the Illyrian territories records a southern boundary with Chaonia and Thesprotia, where ancient Epirus began south of river Aoous (Vjose)" also map #^ Cambridge University Press. The Cambridge ancient history. 2000. ISBN 0-521-23447-6, page 261,"... down to the mouth of Aous" #^ The Illyrians (The Peoples of Europe) by John Wilkes, 1996, page 94 #^ Hammond 1998; Lewis & Boardman 1994, pp. 430, 434; Boardman & Hammond 1982, p. 284; Wilkes 1995, p. 104; Encyclopædia Britannica ("Epirus") 2013 #^ Wilkes 1995, p. 96; Wilson 2006, p. 594; Chamoux 2003, p. 97 #^ Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière; Walbank, Frank William (1 January 1972). A History of Macedonia: 336–167 B.C. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814815-9. #^ Jackson-Laufer, Guida Myrl (1 January 1999). Women Rulers Throughout the Ages: An Illustrated Guide. ABC-CLIO. pp. 382–383. ISBN 978-1-57607-091-8. #^ The History of Rome. D. Appleton & Company. 1 January 1846. p. 259. #^ Wilkes, John (9 January 1996). The Illyrians. Wiley. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-631-19807-9. #^ Marjeta Šašel Kos, "The Illyrian King Ballaeus – Some Historical Aspects", Épire, Illyrie, Macédoine: Mélanges offerts au professeur Pierre Cabanes, ed. Danièle Berranger (Clermont-Ferrand: Presses Universitaires Blaise Pascal, 2007), 127. #^ Bideleux, Robert; Jeffries, Ian (24 January 2007). Balkans: A Post-Communist History. Routledge. p. 25. ISBN 978-1-134-58328-7. From AD 548 onward, the lands now known as Albania began to be overrun from the north by ever-increasing ... #^ Schaefer, Richard T. (2008), Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Society, SAGE Publications, ISBN 978-1-4129-2694-2 #^ Nicol, Donald MacGillivray (1986). Studies in late Byzantine history and prosopography. Variorum Reprints. ISBN 9780860781905. #^ Jireček, Konstantin; Thopia (1916). Illyrisch-albanische Forschungen. p. 239. Griechen Gregorios Kamonas #^ Abulafia, David; McKitterick (21 October 1999). The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 5, C.1198-c.1300. p. 786. ISBN 978-0-521-36289-4. Greco-Albanian lord Gregorios Kamonas #^ The Genealogist. 1980. p. 40. #^ Clements, John (1992), Clements encyclopedia of world governments, Vol. 10. Political Research, Inc. p. 31: "By 1190, Byzantium's power had so receded that the archon Progon succeeded in establishing the first Albanian state of the Middle Ages, a principality" #^ Pickard, Rob; Çeliku, Florent (2008). Analysis and Reform of Cultural Heritage Policies in South-East Europe. Strasbourg: Council of Europe Publishing. p. 16. ISBN 978-92-871-6265-6. #^ Norris, H. T. (1993). Islam in the Balkans: religion and society between Europe and the Arab world. University of South Carolina Press. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-87249-977-5. #^ Pipa, Arshi; Repishti, Sami (1984). Studies on Kosova. East European Monographs #155. pp. 7–8. ISBN 978-0-88033-047-3. #^ Jump up to:a b Zickel, Raymond; Iwaskiw, Walter R., eds. (1994). ""The Barbarian Invasions and the Middle Ages," Albania: A Country Study". Retrieved 9 April 2008. #^ Madgearu, Alexandru; Gordon, Martin (2008). The wars of the Balkan Peninsula: Their medieval origins. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810858466. #^ Etleva, Lala (2008). Regnum Albaniae, the Papal Curia, and the Western Visions of a Borderline Nobility (PDF). Cambridge University Press. #^ Licursi, Emiddio Pietro (2011). "Empire of Nations: The Consolidation of Albanian and Turkish National Identities in the Late Ottoman Empire, 1878–1913". New York: Columbia University: 19. hdl:10022/AC:P:10297. By 1415, after a chaotic interregnum, Sultan Mehmet I sent the military to erect the first Ottoman garrisons throughout southern Albania, establishing direct military authority in the region ... l jurisdiction over most of Albania ... #^ The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism by D. Hupchick, page 110 #^ Gjonça, Arjan (2001). Communism, Health and Lifestyle: The Paradox of Mortality Transition in Albania, 1950–1990. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 7–. ISBN 978-0-313-31586-2. #^ Norris, H. T. (1993). Islam in the Balkans: religion and society between Europe and the Arab world. University of South Carolina Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-87249-977-5. #^ Raymond Zickel and Walter R. Iwaskiw (1994). "Albania: A Country Study ("Albanians under Ottoman Rule")". Retrieved 9 April 2008. #^ Rob Pickard (2008). Analysis and Reform of Cultural Heritage Policies in South-East Europe (Europarat ed.). p. 16. ISBN 978-92-871-6265-6. #^ "Albania :: The decline of Byzantium – Encyclopædia Britannica". britannica.com. Retrieved 3 October 2014. #^ Jump up to:a b "Arnawutluḳ." in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online, 2012. #^ Jump up to:a b c Clayer, Nathalie (2012). "Albania" in Encyclopaedia of Islam, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, Rokovet, John Nawas, Everett Rowson (eds.). Brill Online. #^ Babinger, Franz (1992). Mehmed the Conqueror and His Time. Princeton University Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-691-01078-1. #^ Peirce, Leslie P. (1993). The Imperial Harem: Women and Sovereignty in the Ottoman Empire. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc. p. 94. ISBN 0-19-507673-7. #^ Sarah Amsler (2007). Theorising Social Change in Post-Soviet Countries: Critical Approaches (Balihar Sanghera, Sarah Amsler, Tatiana Yarkova ed.). Peter Lang, 2007. p. 96105. ISBN 9783039103294. #^ Observator Cultural. "Dor de Dunăre şi alte nostalgii cosmopolite". observatorcultural.ro (in Romanian). #^ Kopecek, Michal; Ersoy, Ahmed; Gorni, Maciej; Kechriotis, Vangelis; Manchev, Boyan; Trencsenyi, Balazs; Turda, Marius (2006), Discourses of collective identity in Central and Southeast Europe (1770–1945), 1, Budapest, Hungary: Central European University Press, p. 348, ISBN 978-963-7326-52-3, retrieved 18 January 2011, The position of the League in the beginning was based on religious solidarity. It was even called Komiteti i Myslimanëve të Vërtetë (The Committee of the Real Muslims) ... decisions are taken and supported mostly by landlords and people closely connected with Ottoman administration and religious authorities.. #^ Kopeček, Michal; Ersoy, Ahmed; Gorni, Maciej; Kechriotis, Vangelis; Manchev, Boyan; Trencsenyi, Balazs; Turda, Marius (2006), "Program of the Albanian League of Prizren", Discourses of collective identity in Central and Southeast Europe (1770–1945), 1, Budapest, Hungary: Central European University Press, p. 347, ISBN 978-963-7326-52-3, retrieved 18 January 2011, there were no delegates from Shkodra villayet and a few Bosnian delegates also participated. Present was also mutasarrif (administrator of sandjak) of Prizren as representative of the central authorities #^ Elsie, Robert. "1878 The Resolutions of the League of Prizren". albanianhistory.net. Archived from the original on 8 September 2010. Retrieved 20 February 2011. On 10 June 1878, ... The League of Prizren, Alb. Lidhja e Prizrenit, ... On 13 June 1878, the League submitted an eighteen-page memorandum to Benjamin Disraeli, the British representative at the Congress of Berlin #^ "Albanian League". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 5 January 2012. #^ Giaro, Tomasz (2007). "The Albanian legal and constitutional system between the World Wars". Modernisierung durch Transfer zwischen den Weltkriegen. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Vittorio Klosterman GmbH. p. 185. ISBN 978-3-465-04017-0. Retrieved 24 January 2011. From its own members congress elected a senate (Pleqësi), composed of 18 members, which assumed advisory role to the government. #^ Qemali, Ismail. "Ismail Kemal bey Vlora: Memoirs". Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2011. 15th–28th November 1912 ... #^ Qemali, Ismail. "Ismail Kemal bey Vlora: Memoirs". Archived from the original on 17 June 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2011. On the resumption of the sitting, I was elected President of the Provisional Government, with a mandate to form a Cabinet ... #^ Giaro, Tomasz (2007). "The Albanian legal and constitutional system between the World Wars". Modernisierung durch Transfer zwischen den Weltkriegen. Frankfurt am Main, Germany: Vittorio Klosterman GmbH. p. 185. ISBN 978-3-465-04017-0. Retrieved 24 January 2011. a provisional government, consisting of ten members and led by Vlora, was formed on 4 December. #^ Elsie, Robert. "1913 The Conference of London". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2012. #^ Jelavich, Barbara (1999) [1983], "The end of Ottoman rule in Europe", History of the Balkans: Twentieth century, 2, Cambridge, United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge, p. 101, ISBN 978-0-521-27459-3, retrieved 21 January 2011, the International Commission ... had headquarters in Vlorë #^ Zaharia, Perikli (24 March 2003). "The post – 1989 constitutional course of south east Europe". Athens: Centre for European Constitutional Law. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011. #^ Seton-Watson, R.W.; J. Dover Wilson; Alfred E. Zimmern; Arthur Greenwood (10 January 2004) [1915], "III Germany", The War and Democracy (1st ed.), London: MacMillan, archived from the original on 13 November 2012, Prince William of Wied, the first Prince of Albania #^ Elsie, Robert. "Albania under prince Wied". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011. pro-Ottoman forces ... were opposed to the increasing Western influence ... In November 1913, these forces, ... had offered the vacant Albanian throne to General Izzet Pasha ... War Minister who was of Albanian origin. #^ Jelavich, Barbara (1999) [1983], History of the Balkans: Twentieth century, 2, Cambridge, United Kingdom: The Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge, p. 103, ISBN 978-0-521-27459-3, retrieved 25 January 2011, peasants..willing listeners to Ottoman propaganda ... attached the new regime as a tool of the beys and Christian powers #^ Bowden, William (2003). Epirus Vetus : the archaeology of a late antique province. London: Duckworth. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7156-3116-4. the Greek Epirote population of the area refused to be incorporated into the new Albanian state and in February 1914 declared the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus ... in 1921 Albania was recognised as an independent sovereign state, with its borders established on their present lines. #^ ed, Gregory C. Ference (1994). Chronology of 20th century eastern European history. Detroit [u.a.]: Gale Research. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-8103-8879-6. February 28 George Zographos, a former foreign minister of Greece, proclaims at Gjirokaster the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus, with Zographos as president. He notifies the International Commission that his government has been established because the Great Powers have not provided the Greeks in southern Albania any guarantees for the protection of the life, property and religious freedom, and ethnic existence. #^ "The Efforts to settle amputated Albania state". albaniainbrief.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011. Thousands of muslim peasants, ... were exploited by their leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi, ... to rebel #^ Vickers, Miranda (1999). The Albanians: a modern history. I.B. Tauris. p. 81. ISBN 978-1-86064-541-9. He gathered round him a group of discontented Muslim priests ... and proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and the Champion of Islam. #^ Elsie, Robert. "Albania under prince Wied". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011. mostly volunteers from Kosova under their leader Isa Boletini #^ Elsie, Robert. "Albania under prince Wied". Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2011. Panic broke out in Durrës, and the royal family sought refuge on an Italian vessel ... #^ Springer, Elisabeth; Leopold Kammerhofer (1993). Archiv und Forschung. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. p. 346. ISBN 978-3-486-55989-7. #^ Vickers, Miranda (1 January 1999). The Albanians: A Modern History. I.B. Tauris. p. 118. ISBN 978-1-86064-541-9. #^ Vickers, Miranda (1 January 1999). The Albanians: A Modern History. I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-86064-541-9. #^ Bogdani, Mirela; Loughlin, John (15 March 2007). Albania and the European Union: The Tumultuous Journey Towards Integration and Accession. I.B. Tauris. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-84511-308-7. #^ Morrock, Richard (11 October 2010). The Psychology of Genocide and Violent Oppression: A Study of Mass Cruelty from Nazi Germany to Rwanda. McFarland. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7864-5628-4. The nationalist Balli Kombetar, which had fought against Italy, made a deal with the German invaders, and formed a "neutral" government in Tirana which ... #^ Edwin E. Jacques (1995). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present. McFarland, 1995. p. 431. ISBN 9780899509327. Retrieved 15 February 2014. #^ Zef Pllumi (2008). Live to Tell: A True Story of Religious Persecution in Communist Albania. iUniverse. ISBN 9780595452989. Retrieved 15 February 2014. #^ Jump up to:a b c "Albanian Nationalism". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 November 2016. #^ "Envery Hoxha". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 22 November 2016. #^ 40 Years of Socialist Albania, Dhimiter Picani #^ Qori, Arlind (22 February 2019). "From Faculty to Factory". Jacobin. Retrieved 14 March 2019. #^ Dalakoglou, Dimitris (2012). "The Road from Capitalism to Capitalism". Mobilities. 7 (4): 571–586. doi:10.1080/17450101.2012.718939. Retrieved 11 November2012. #^ Prybyla, Jan S. (1 January 1969). Comparative Economic Systems. Ardent Media. pp. 294–. ISBN 9780390719003. #^ Pano, Aristotel. "Panorama of the Economic-Social Development of Socialist Albania". Retrieved 11 April 2012. #^ "Hapet dosja, ja harta e bunkerëve dhe tuneleve sekretë". #^ Library of Congress Country Studies, Albania: Hoxha's Antireligious Campaign #^ Kombësia dhe feja në Shqipëri, 1920–1944 / Roberto Morocco dela Roka; e përktheu nga origjinali Luan Omari. #^ Jump up to:a b Elsie, Robert (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Historical Dictionaries of Europe, No. 75 (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD, and Plymouth: The Scarecrow Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-8108-6188-6. #^ "Report: The Elections in Albania". 27 May 2016. #^ Jarvis, Christopher (2000). "The Rise and Fall of the Albanian Pyramid Schemes". Finance and Development. 37 (1): 1. #^ Bezemer, Dirk (2001). "Post-socialist Financial Fragility: The Case of Albania" (PDF). Cambridge Journal of Economics. 25 (1): 1–25. doi:10.1093/cje/25.1.1. hdl:10419/85494. JSTOR 23599718. #^ Musaraj, Smoki (2011). "Tales from Albarado: The Materiality of Pyramid Schemes in Post-socialist Albania". Cultural Anthropology. 26 (1): 84–110. doi:10.1111/j.1548-1360.2010.01081.x. #^ For the most part, the Albanian refugees emigrated to Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, or North America. #^ "Significant Earthquake". www.ngdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 1 December 2019. #^ Brandon Burden (December 2016). "NATO's small states: Albania as a case study" (PDF). calhoun.nps.edu. pp. 44–60. #^ "Ceremony marks the accession of Albania and Croatia to NATO". nato.int. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). 7 April 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2019. #^ "Albania in NATO". ambasadat.gov.al. Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Albania to NATO. #^ "Albania – EU-Albania relations". European Commission. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2019. #^ "EU candidate status for Albania". European Commission. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2019. #^ Shqip, Gazeta. "Ahmetaj: Premtimi për 300 mijë vende punë është mbajtur – Gazeta SHQIP Online". gazeta-shqip.com. #^ "PM Rama at "Global Leader Woman" Summit". ambasadat.gov.al. #^ "Foreign affairs MEPs assess reform efforts in Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina". European Parliament. European Parliament. 31 January 2017. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017. Albania needs to implement EU-related reforms credibly, and ensure that its June parliamentary elections are free and fair, if it is to start EU accession negotiations #^ Culbertson, Alix (1 February 2017). "Albania and Bosnia fail to impress at EU membership meeting over democratic value concerns". Express. Retrieved 8 February 2017. Albania and Bosnia have stumbled at the first hurdle of becoming fully-fledged European Union (EU) members after MEPs questioned the credibility of their democratic values. #^ ANSS. "Albania 2019: M 6.4 – 16km WSW of Mamurras, Albania". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 1 December 2019 #^ "Very Strong earthquake – Albania – November 26, 2019". Earthquake-Report. 26 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December2019. #^ Eftimi, R. "Some Considerations on Seawater-freshwater Relationship in Albanian Coastal Area" (PDF). ITA Consult. #^ "Tregues Sipas Qarqeve Indicators by Prefectures" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2010. #^ Bolevich, Maria (3 January 2017). "Largest lake in southern Europe under threat from "eco-resort"". newscientist.com. #^ "Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region". whc.unesco.org. pp. UNESCO. Situated on the shores of Lake Ohrid, the town of Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in Europe; Lake Ohrid is a superlative natural phenomenon, providing refuge for numerous endemic and relict freshwater species of flora and fauna dating from the tertiary period. As a deep and ancient lake of tectonic origin, Lake Ohrid has existed continuously for approximately two to three million years. #^ "Lake Ohrid; Invest in Macedonia – Agency for Foreign Investments of the Republic of Macedonia". InvestInMacedonia.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2008. Retrieved 3 June 2017. #^ United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. "Environmental Performance Reviews Albania" (PDF). unece.org. p. 30. #^ Jump up to:a b Ministry of Environment of Albania. "The First National Communication of the Republic of Albania to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)" (PDF). unfccc.int/. Tirana. pp. 33–34. #^ Jump up to:a b Ministry of Environment of Albania. "Albania's Second National Communication to the Conference of Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change" (PDF). unfccc.int. Tirana. p. 28. #^ Jump up to:a b c d Alban Kuriqi. "Climate and climate change data for Albania" (PDF). drinkadria.fgg.uni-lj.si. Tirana. pp. 3–5. #^ "PERGATITJA E PROFILIT KOMBETAR SHQIPETAR PER TE VLERESUAR STRUKTUREN KOMBETARE NE MENAXHIMIN E KIMIKATEVE DHE ZBATIMIN E UDHEZIMEVE TE SAICM"(PDF). #^ "Moti, regjistrohet temperatura rekord në Shqipëri, – 29 gradë në Librazhd". #^ Hughes, Philip D. (30 November 2009). "Twenty-first Century Glaciers and Climate in the Prokletije Mountains, Albania". Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 41 (4): 455–459. doi:10.1657/1938-4246-41.4.455. Archived from the original on 7 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2010. #^ "Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot" (PDF). cepf.net. July 2017. pp. 1–339. #^ "BIODIVERSITY IN ALBANIA REPORT ON NATIONAL SITUATION OF BIODIVERSITY IN ALBANIA" (PDF). macfungi.webs.com. p. 2. #^ Ministry of Tourism and Environment. "FIFTH NATIONAL REPORT OF ALBANIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD)" (PDF). cbd.int. p. 4. #^ UNECE. "Albania Environmental Performance Reviews" (PDF). unece.org. p. 141. #^ "On the status and distribution of the large carnivores (Mammalia: Carnivora) in Albania" (PDF). catsg.org. Tirana. p. 4. #^ "Die potentielle Verbreitung der Wildkatze (Felis silvestris silvestris) in Österreich als Entscheidungsgrundlage für weitere Schutzmaßnahmen" (PDF). wildkatze-in-oesterreich.at (in German). Salzburg. p. 19. #^ Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania. "Albanian Nature". ppnea.org. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019. #^ NaturAL. "Albania towards NATURA 2000". natura.al. Tirana. p. 1. #^ "The National Parks of Albania The fifteen national parks in Albania encompass an area of 210,668.48 hectares which accounts for about 3.65% of the overall territory of the country". worldatlas.com. The territory of Albania can be divided into four ecoregions: Dinaric Alpine (mixed forests in the far north). Balcanic (mixed forest in the north-east). Pindus mountain (mixed forests covering the central and southeast mountains). Illyrian deciduous (forest covering the rest of the country). #^ Ministry of Environment. "GAP ANALYSIS FOR NATURE PROTECTION LEGAL ACTS ON WILD FAUNA CONSERVATION AND HUNTING (Albania)" (PDF). al.undp.org. pp. 86–99. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019. #^ University of Yale. "2010 Environmental Performance Index"(PDF). epi.yale.edu. p. 4.[permanent dead link] #^ University of Yale. "2012 Environmental Performance Index"(PDF). wbc-rti.info. p. 11. #^ "2005 Environmental Sustainability Index" (PDF). earth.columbia.edu. p. 3. #^ "Happy Planet Index Score". happyplanetindex.org. #^ "Albania's Biodiversity and Protected Areas An Executive Summary" (PDF). al.undp.org. #^ "PËRSHKRIMI I RRJETIT AKTUAL TË ZONAVE TË MBROJTURA" (PDF). mjedisi.gov.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2015. Retrieved 10 September2019. #^ Government of Albania. "REFORMA ADMINISTRATIVO-TERRITORIALE" (PDF). parlament.al (in Albanian). p. 8. #^ Fletorja Zyrtare e Republikës së Shqipërisë. "STRATEGJIA NDËRSEKTORIALE PËR DECENTRALIZIMIN DHE QEVERISJEN VENDORE 2015–2020" (PDF). qbz.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017. #^ "A Brief History of the Administrative-territorial Organization in Albania". reformaterritoriale.al. Archived from the original on 9 June 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017. #^ "A Brief History of the Administrative-territorial Organization in Albania". Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. #^ "Ndarja administrative, njësitë vendore në lagje dhe fshatra". Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2018. #^ "Ndarja e re, mbeten 28 bashki, shkrihen komunat – Shekulli Online". Shekulli.com.al. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2016. #^ "On the Organization and Functioning of the Local Government, Republic of Albania, 2000" (PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 15 February 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010. #^ "Ndarja e re, mbeten 28 bashki, shkrihen komunat | Shekulli Online". Shekulli.com.al. 10 January 2014. Archived from the original on 13 January 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014. #^ "Reforma Territoriale – KRYESORE". Reformaterritoriale.al. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 15 August2014. #^ Jump up to:a b c d "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA" (PDF). osce.org. pp. 1–3. #^ "LAW Nr. 8436, dated 28 December 1998 ON THE ORGANIZATION OF THE JUDICIAL POWER IN THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA" (PDF). osce.org. pp. 1–12. #^ "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA"(PDF). osce.org. pp. 17–19. #^ "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA"(PDF). osce.org. pp. 19–21. #^ "Arbëreshët kërkojnë ndihmë nga Tirana (Video)". telegrafi.com(in Albanian). Retrieved 4 April 2017. #^ Konferencë për shtyp e Ministrit të Punëve të Jashtme z. Panariti lidhur me vizitën e fundit në Greqi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, 6 October 2012 (in Albanian) #^ "U.S. Relations With Albania". state.gov. #^ Jump up to:a b Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Albania and the United Nations 60 Years of Partnership" (PDF). punetejashtme.gov.al. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017. #^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Albania and the United Nations 60 Years of Partnership" (PDF). punetejashtme.gov.al. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 26 September 2017. #^ Jump up to:a b Article 169, Section 1 of the Constitution of Albania (28 November 1998) #^ "Albania to end conscription by 2010". wri-irg.org. 22 August 2008. #^ "Albania Military 2017". theodora.com. #^ Ministry of Defence. "Engagement Policy and evidence of AAF participation in PK missions". mod.gov.al. #^ sues/active_endeavour/index.html Operation Active Endeavour. nato.int Archived 30 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine #^ "Albania membership Nato". NATO. Archived from the originalon 28 July 2011. #^ "Albania sells off its military hardware". BBC News. 17 April 2002. #^ "Albania to abolish conscription by 2010". SETimes.com. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2009. #^ "Albanian military expenditure as % of GDP". World Bank. #^ "Albania". World Diplomacy. Retrieved 1 August 2014. #^ "GDP per capita in purchasing power standards in 2012"(PDF). Eurostat. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2013. #^ Business: Albania, Cyprus register economic growth SEtimes.com #^ Strong economic growth potential puts Albania and Panama top of long term investment list, Propertywire.com Archived 14 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine #^ International Monetary Fund (IMF), 9 October 2010. Albania and the IMF #^ "Instituti i Statistikave" (PDF). Instituti i Statistikave – Tiranë. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016. #^ "Albanian employment rate increases in agriculture, services sector in Q1 2016". fdi.gov.cn. Retrieved 15 June 2016. #^ "UC Research Reveals One of the Earliest Farming Sites in Europe". University of Cincinnati. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2016. #^ "IPA National Programme 2011 for Albania Project Fiche 7: Support to Agriculture and Rural Development" (PDF). ec.europa.eu. #^ Dhimitër Doka. "Albaniens vergessener Exportschlager". humboldt-foundation.de (in German). Retrieved 10 May 2016. #^ winealbania.com Archived 8 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Wine Albania Portal #^ Tom Stevenson (2011). The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-1-4053-5979-5. #^ "Wine production (tons)". Food and Agriculture Organization. p. 28. Archived from the original on 20 May 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011. #^ name="winealbania1"winealbania.com Archived 8 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine Wine Albania Portal #^ "Manufacturing & garment industry". 1 June 2014. #^ "Mining sector". 1 June 2014. #^ "ANTEA, the company with the highest working standards". anteacement.com. #^ "UPDATE 1-Bankers Petroleum's key Albanian oilfield output jumps in Q1". Reuters. 7 April 2011. #^ "Textile industry in Albania is unprepared for a potential influx of import orders". balkaneu.com. 24 August 2014. #^ Europe Review 2003/04: The Economic and Business Report. 2003. pp. 3–7. ISBN 9780749440671. #^ "Albania – Mining and Minerals". 15 August 2016. #^ Jump up to:a b c Oltiana Muharremi, Filloreta Madani, Erald Pelari. "The Development of the Service Sector in Albania and Its Future"(PDF). researchgate.net. pp. 2–9. #^ "Analysis of the Albanian Banking System in the Transition Years" (PDF). ijbcnet.com. #^ "TOURISM AND EMPLOYMENT IN ALBANIA – IS THERE A STRONG CORRELATION?" (PDF). asecu.gr. pp. 1–9. #^ Eglantina Hysa – Epoka University. "INFLUENCE OF TOURISM SECTOR IN ALBANIAN GDP: ESTIMATION USING MULTIPLE REGRESSION METHOD" (PDF). researchgate.net. Tirana. pp. 1–6. #^ World Travel & Tourism Council. "Travel & Tourism: Economic Impact 2017: Albania" (PDF). wttc.org. London. p. 12.[dead link] #^ "Arrivals of foreign citizens by Lëvizjet e shtetasve shqiptarë dhe të huaj and Month". databaza.instat.gov.al.[dead link] #^ "Number of tourists to Albania up 25 pct during summer 2015". Travel Gazette. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.[dead link] #^ "Lonely Planet's top 10 countries for 2011 – travel tips and articles – Lonely Planet". Retrieved 7 August 2013. #^ "52 Places to Go in 2014". The New York Times. 5 September 2014.[dead link] #^ Sustainable Development of Sea-Corridors and Coastal Waters: The TEN ECOPORT project in South East Europe (Chrysostomos Stylios, Tania Floqi, Jordan Marinski, Leonardo Damiani ed.). Springer. 7 April 2015. p. 85. ISBN 9783319113852. #^ "Coastline | Visit Albania | The Official website of Albanian Tourism". Albania.al. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2014. #^ Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT). "Statistikat e transportit Dhjetor 2017" (PDF). instat.gov.al. Tirana. p. 2. #^ Institute of Statistics of Albania (INSTAT). "Statistikat e transportit Gusht, 2018" (PDF). instat.gov.al (in Albanian). Tirana. p. 2. #^ Tirana Times (17 January 2018). "Turkish consortium bids to build Vlora airport as Albania prepares to launch national carrier". tiranatimes.com. #^ Jump up to:a b South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO). "THE CORE TRANSPORT NETWORK South-East Europe Transport Observatory SEETO" (PDF). ec.europa.eu. p. 2. #^ "Serbia and Kosovo Only Beginning to Form Infrastructural Links: Peace Highway to Connect the Region". kossev.info. 15 April 2018. #^ Rabeta, Lorenc. "Trenat e rinj Tiranë-Durrës-Rinas me 222 pasagjerë, 112 të ulur". dailynews.al. Retrieved 12 January 2017. #^ "Hekurudha Tiranë-Rinas-Durrës, Haxhinasto: Projekti përfundon në 2019". top-channel.tv (in Albanian). 25 June 2016. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 4 January2019. #^ Jump up to:a b c  (PDF). rm.coe.int. Tirana. October 2016. #^ Jump up to:a b c "The Albanian education system described and compared with the Dutch system" (PDF). epnuffic.nl. 1 January 2015. #^ "Overview of the Higher Education System Albania" (PDF). eacea.ec.europa.eu. February 2017. pp. 12–16. #^ Jump up to:a b "Language Education Policy Profile 2015 – 2017 ALBANIA"(PDF). rm.coe.int. Tirana. pp. 13–18. #^ "SCHOOL LIFE EXPECTANCY". world.bymap.org. 31 January 2017. #^ "Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total) | Data". data.worldbank.org. #^ Jump up to:a b The World Factbook. "Albania". cia.gov. p. 1. #^ Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy of Albania. "Albania Renewable Energy Progress Reports 2014–2015" (PDF). energy-community.org. p. 2. #^ Energy Information Administration (3 September 2016). "Crude Oil Proved Reserves 2016". eia.gov. p. 1. #^ Dr. Lorenc Gordani (21 June 2017). "Albania, from the largest continental onshore oil reserves in Europe, to the new bridge between the Balkans and Italy, by Dr Lorenc Gordani". esc.albaniaenergy.org. p. 1.[permanent dead link] #^ "Trans Adriatic Pipeline" (PDF). tap-ag.com. Tirana. p. 8. #^ "Albania, Croatia plan nuclear power plant". Balkaninsight.com. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 27 August2010. #^ Enel Albanian Joint Venture Introduces Coal In Albania's Power Mix, Business Monitor Online, 24 February 2009 Archived 19 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine #^ "Research for Development". DFID. Retrieved 13 September2014. #^ "Strategy of Science, Technology and Innovation 2009–2015"(PDF). Retrieved 27 August 2010. #^ "Radio Tirana's Broadcasting Schedule  – RadioTirana.org". Picasaweb.google.es. 25 October 2008. Archived from the original on 17 November 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2013. #^ "Health Care Systems in Transition Albania 2002" (PDF). euro.who.int. p. 17. #^ "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA"(PDF). osce.org. p. 10. #^ Jump up to:a b c d "Albania Demographic and Health Survey 2008–09"(PDF). dhsprogram.com. March 2010. p. 37. #^ "Albania-prel.pmd" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 December 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2009. #^ "Life Expectancy at Birth". CIA – The World Factbook. #^ WHO. "Healthy life expectancy at birth, 2000–2015". gamapserver.who.int. #^ World Health Organization. "Measuring overall health system performance for 191 countries" (PDF). New York University. #^ "Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity Albania" (PDF). euro.who.int. p. 3. #^ "The World Is Getting Fatter and No One Knows How to Stop It". bloomberg.com. 6 April 2016. #^ "Living Smart, the Mediterranean Way of Being Albanian". agroweb.org. 1 May 2017. #^ "Prevalence of obesity, ages 18+, 2010–2014". WHO. World Health Organisation. Retrieved 26 February 2016. #^ "Population of Albania" (PDF). Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017. #^ Jump up to:a b "Albania". cia.gov. #^ Institute of Statistics of Albania. "Albania Population and Population dynamics new demographic horizons?" (PDF). unstats.un.org. p. 25. #^ Institute of Statistics of Albania. "Albania Population Projections 2011–2031" (PDF). instat.gov.al. p. 37. #^ "Albania: Looking Beyond Borders". Migration Policy Institute. #^ "Population of Albania 1 January 2016". Republic of Albania Institute of Statistics. Archived from the original on 13 July 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017. #^ Institute of Statistics of Albania. "Population of Albania 1 January 2017" (PDF). instat.gov.al. Tirana. p. 4. #^ "Popullsia e Shqipërisë" (PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2016. #^ "Population". INSTAT. Archived from the original on 16 March 2013. #^ INSTAT. "POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS 2011"(PDF). instat.gov.al (in Albanian and English). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2017. #^ "Third Opinion on Albania adopted on 23 November 2011". Advisory Committee on the Framework for the Protection of National Minorities. Retrieved 29 June 2017. #^ staff (12 October 2017). "Albania has Recognized the Bulgarian Minority in the Country". novinite.com. Sofia News Agency. Retrieved 4 December 2017. #^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (11 May 2005). "World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples – Albania : Overview". UNHCR. Retrieved 5 May 2013. #^ RFE/RL Research Report: Weekly Analyses from the RFE/RL Research Institute. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Incorporated. 1993. Retrieved 22 December 2012. Albanian officials alleged that the priest was promoting irredentist sentiments among Albania's Greek minority – estimated at between 60,000 and 300,000. #^ Robert Bideleux; Ian Jeffries (15 November 2006). The Balkans: A Post-Communist History. Routledge. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-203-96911-3. Retrieved 6 September 2013. The Albanian government claimed that there were only 60,000, based on the biased 1989 census, whereas the Greek government claimed that there were upwards of 300,000. Most Western estimates were around the 200,000 mark ... #^ Sabrina P. Ramet (1998). Nihil Obstat: Religion, Politics, and Social Change in East-Central Europe and Russia. Duke University Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-8223-2070-8. Retrieved 6 September 2013. that between 250,000 and 300,000 Orthodox Greeks reside in Albania #^ Ian Jeffries (2002). Eastern Europe at the Turn of the Twenty-first Century: A Guide to the Economies in Transition. Routledge. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-415-23671-3. Retrieved 6 September 2013. It is difficult to know how many ethnic Greeks there are in Albania. The Greek government, it is typically claimed, says that there are around 300,000 ethnic Greeks in Albania, but most Western estimates are around the 200,000 mark. #^ Europa Publications (24 June 2008). The Europa World Year Book 2008. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-85743-452-1. Retrieved 22 December 2012. and Greece formally annulled claims to North Epirus (southern Albania), where there is a sizeable Greek minority. ... strained by concerns relating to the treatment of ethnic Greeks residing in Albania (numbering an estimated 300,000) ... #^ "Albania". CIA. Retrieved 13 September 2014. #^ "Albania". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 13 September2014. #^ "International Religious Freedom Report for 2014: Albania"(PDF). www.state.gov. United States Department of State. p. 5. Retrieved 20 October 2015. Ethnic Greek minority groups had encouraged their members to boycott the census, affecting measurements of the Greek ethnic minority and membership in the Greek Orthodox Church. #^ "Macedonians and Greeks Join Forces against Albanian Census". balkanchronicle. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2011. #^ "Albania passes census law". MINA. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012. #^ "census.al". census.al. #^ "ÿþMicrosoft Word – Law Nr 10442 date 07.07.2011.doc"(PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013. #^ Jump up to:a b "The politics of numbers and identity in Albania". EUDO Observatory on Citizenship. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2012. #^ Maria Karathanos; Constantine Callaghan. "Ethnic tensions in Albania". Athensnews. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2013. in line with Albanian nationalist sentiment alleging that the census poses a threat to Albanian territorial integrity #^ Likmeta, Besar. "Albania Nationalist Leader Resigns from Top Justice Job". Balkannsight. Retrieved 7 January 2013. #^ "Census stirs Balkan melting pot". 20 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013. nationalist critics are up in arms at efforts to provide an accurate picture of Albania's ethnic breakdown, seeing a plot to weaken the state ... The group has denounced the ethnicity section of the national census, and Spahiu warns the results could upset Albania's "good model" of ethnic and religious tolerance ... #^ "Some Albanians consider changing nationality for profit". SETimes. #^ "Courts in Albania suspend changing nationality to Greek". SETimes. #^ "Greek Consul Statement Angers Albanian MPs". BalkanInsight. #^ "Constitution of the Republic of Albania". osce.org. p. 3. The official language in the Republic of Albania is Albanian. #^ "Languages of Albania". Archived from the original on 23 January 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2010. #^ "Përqëndrimi shkollave të minoritetit dhe kundërshtitë e saj". DW. 2010. #^ Nitsiakos, Vasilēs G. (2011). Balkan Border Crossings: Second Annual of the Konitsa Summer School. LIT Verlag Münster. p. 150. ISBN 9783643800923. in the Albanian south... The Greek language is spoken by an important percentage of the Albanians of the south. #^ "Press release of the Adult Education Survey" (PDF). Albanian Institute of Statistics. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018. #^ Gjovalin Shkurtaj (2017). Urgjenca gjuhësore: -huazime të zëvendësueshme me fjalë shqipe- : (fjalorth). Naimi. pp. 15–16. ISBN 9789928234049. Sic u permend me lart, per shkak te shkaqeve kulturore dhe ekonomike, trendet e mesimit te gjuheve nga te rinjte (grupmosha deri ne 25 vjec) ndryshojne. Keto trende jane percaktues i nje sere fenomeneve shoqerore, sic do te shohim me tej. Keshtu nga viti 2000 e ketej, gjuha angleze, gjermane dhe ajo turke kane pasur nje rritje te interest. Gjuha italiane, por edhe ajo franceze kane pasur nje stabilitet, pra as rritje dhe as ulje te interesit te pergjithshem nga ana e grupmoshes te siperpermendur. Vihet re se gjuha greke ka pesuar nje renie te forte te interesit. Ne fakt, shumica e interesit ka rene per kete gjuhe. Arsyet per kete gjuhe specifike do ti trajtojme me tej ne kapitulin e trete. #^ "What Languages Are Spoken in Albania?". WorldAtlas. #^ "The Second Most Spoken Languages Around the World". Kathimerini. Retrieved 12 June 2017. .5% speak it as first language. #^ Jump up to:a b c "The Greek language is widely spoken in Albania (H Ελληνική γλώσσα γίνεται καθομιλουμένη στην Αλβανία)". Kathimerini. Retrieved 12 June 2017. #^ Bugajski, Janusz (1995). Ethnic politics in Eastern Europe : a guide to nationality policies, organizations, and parties (With a new postscript. ed.). Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe. p. 268. ISBN 9781563242823. The stalinist regime of Enver Hoxha imposed a ruthless dictatorship in the country the lasted with little respite ... #^ "Gjuha gjermane, shumë e kërkuar në Shqipëri". albinfo.ch. albinfo. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2018. #^ "Në Shqipëri vazhdon të rritet interesi për gjuhën turke". voal.ch. voal. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2018. #^ Bledi Mane (17 September 2011). "10 universitetet me cilesore te shqiperise". gazetatema.net. TemA. Retrieved 26 May 2018. #^ "1998 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA"(PDF). osce.org. p. 2. #^ "Third Opinion on Albania adopted on 23 November 2011". Strasbourg. 4 June 2012. #^ Jump up to:a b "Presentation of the main results of the Census of Population and Housing 2011" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2014. #^ "Regjistrimi: 70% e banorëve nuk kanë deklaruar besimin fetar". Ateistët. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2012. #^ "Censusi permbys fete, 70 per qind refuzojne ose nuk e deklarojne besimin". Shqiperia.com. Retrieved 30 March 2016. #^ "Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë – Deklaratë zyrtare". Peshku pa uje. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017. #^ "Kisha Ortodokse: Censusi fshehu 17% të besimtarëve". Shqiptarja.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016. #^ "Fete kunder censusit, bektashinjte: Nuk u pyetem". Panorama. Retrieved 8 December 2017. #^ Jazexhi, Olsi (2013). "Albania". In Nielsen, Jørgen; Akgönül, Samim; Alibašić, Ahmet; Racius, Egdunas (eds.). Yearbook of Muslims in Europe: Volume 5. Leiden: Brill. pp. 21–36. ISBN 9789004255869. "Some officials from the Muslim community of Albania have expressed their unhappiness with the census result, claiming that according to their calculations the percentage of the Muslims was 70%. They have also claimed that many members of the Muslim Community were not counted in the census." #^ "Katolikët kundër Censusit: Do të regjistrojmë besimtarët – Arkiva Shqiptare e Lajmeve". www.arkivalajmeve.com. Retrieved 8 December 2017. #^ "Albania: International Religious Freedom Report 2007". U.S. State Department. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2010. #^ "Korrieri online – Shqip". 23 May 2005. Archived from the original on 23 May 2005. Retrieved 17 November 2015. #^ "Në Shqipëri P. ka 1119 kisha dhe 638 xhami". Ateistët. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015. #^ UNESCO. "Island of Peace: Documentary on Religious Coexistence in Albania". unesco.org. p. 1. Retrieved 22 July 2011. #^ BBC. "The country that's famous for tolerance". bbc.com. p. 1. #^ The Telegraph. "Pope Francis hails Albania as model of religious harmony in attack on religious extremism". The Daily Telegraph. p. 1. #^ "Gallup Global Reports". Gallup. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013. #^ The Telegraph. "Mapped: The world's most (and least) religious countries". The Daily Telegraph. p. 1. #^ Worldwide Independent Network/Gallup International Association. "Religion prevails in the world" (PDF). wingia.com. p. 4 & 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018. #^ "ALBANIA" (PDF). religion-freedom-report.org.uk. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017. #^ BERNHARD TONNES. "Religious Persecution in Albania"(PDF). biblicalstudies.org.uk. #^ "Early Christianity – Albania – Reformation Christian Ministries – Albania & Kosovo". reformation.edu. #^ Jørgen Nielsen; Samim Akgönül; Ahmet Alibašić; Egdunas Racius (2013). "Albania". Yearbook of Muslims in Europe. 5. Leiden, Boston, New York: Brill. p. 23. ISBN 9789004255869. Retrieved 12 March 2016. #^ Jump up to:a b Merdjanova, Ina (2013). Rediscovering the Umma: Muslims in the Balkans between nationalism and transnationalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 6–7, 39–40. ISBN 9780190462505. #^ "Albania". TED Adventist. Archived from the original on 24 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013. #^ "Famous British celebrity visits ADRA Albania – Albania". ReliefWeb. #^ "LDS Newsroom-Country Profile-Albania". The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Archived from the original on 25 August 2010. #^ 2015 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses. Watch Tower Society. p. 178. #^ Samer, Haroey (1997), "Rescue in Albania: One Hundred Percent of Jews in Albania Rescued from Holocaust", The Jews of Albania, California: Brunswick Press, archived from the original on 2008-05-10, retrieved 21 October 2012 #^ "THE ALBANIAN ETHNOTYPE AND THE SAVING OF THE JEWS DURING WAR" (PDF). maximilian-kolbe-stiftung.de. pp. 1–5. #^ "The Rescue of Jews in Albania Through the Perspective of the Yad Vashem Files of the Righteous Among the Nations" (PDF). yadvashem.org. pp. 1–11. #^ "1st chief rabbi inaugurated in Albania – Israel Jewish Scene, Ynetnews". Ynetnews. Retrieved 15 February 2014. #^ Ariel Scheib. "Albania Virtual Jewish Tour". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 15 February 2014. #^ Jump up to:a b Fletorja zyrtare e Republikës së Shqipërisë. "PËR FORMËN DHE PËRMASAT E FLAMURIT KOMBËTAR, PËRMBAJTJEN E HIMNIT KOMBËTAR, FORMËN DHE PËRMASAT E STEMËS SË REPUBLIKËS TË SHQIPËRISË DHE MËNYRËN E PËRDORIMIT TË TYRE" (PDF). qbz.gov.al (in Albanian). Tirana. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2019. #^ Historia e popullit shqiptar (in Albanian) (Instituti i Historisë (Akademia e Shkencave e RSH) ed.). Tirana: Botimet Toena, 2002. pp. 294–298, 433–434. #^ Paulist Fathers (1876). Catholic World, Band 23. Paulist Fathers, 1876. p. 235. #^ Francis Tapon (8 December 2011). The Hidden Europe: What Eastern Europeans Can Teach Us. SonicTrek, Inc., 2011. p. 441. ISBN 9780976581222. #^ "Bagëti e Bujqësia (analizë)". letersia.fajtori.com (in Albanian). p. 1. #^ "Albania Mania". agroweb.org. #^ "Albania ranked first in the World for the number of Bars and Restaurants per inhabitant". #^ "Why Albania Is A Great Destination For Wine Drinkers". epicureandculture.com. Retrieved 5 January 2017. #^ "Wines of Albania". winesofbalkans.com. p. 1. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2019. #^ L. Shumka from Agricultural University of Tirana. "Considering Importance of Light in the PostByzantine Church in Central Albania" (PDF). ijirset.com. Tirana. #^ "Robert Elsie: Arti Shqiptar". www.albanianart.net. Retrieved 22 November 2015. #^ MaryLee Knowlton (2005). Albania – Band 23 von Cultures of the world. Marshall Cavendish, 2004. pp. 102–103. ISBN 9780761418528. #^ UNESCO Memory of the World Programme. "MEMORY OF THE WORLD REGISTER NOMINATION FORM Codex Beratinus 1 and 2" (PDF). unesco.org. #^ Karin Myhrberg – University of Gothenburg. "Heritage from the Communist Period in Albania – An Unwanted Heritage Today?"(PDF). gupea.ub.gu.se. p. 12. #^ UNESCO. "The Castle of Bashtova". whc.unesco.org. #^ UNESCO. "Butrint". whc.unesco.org. #^ UNESCO. "Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra". whc.unesco.org. #^ UNESCO. "Albanian folk iso-polyphony". ich.unesco.org. #^ "Kujtimet për Koço Çakalin, themeluesin e këngës himariote". shekulli.com.al. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2016. #^ "Era Istrefi requires Albanian citizenship, meets with President Nishani". ocnal. Retrieved 12 November 2016. #^ "How Ermonela Jaho became the world's most acclaimed soprano". The Economist. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016. #^ "Tenori shqiptar Saimir Pirgu nominohet në "Grammy Awards"! (Foto)". Telegrafi. Retrieved 7 December 2016. #^ Leyla Belkaid (2013), "Albania", in Jill Condra (ed.), Encyclopedia of National Dress: Traditional Clothing Around the World, I, ABC-CLIO, p. 16, ISBN 9780313376368 #^ Fortson IV, Benjamin W. (2011). Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction (2nd ed.). Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4443-5968-8. #^ Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture By J. P. Mallory, Douglas Q. Adams Edition: illustrated Published by Taylor & Francis, 1997 ISBN 978-1-884964-98-5, ISBN 978-1-884964-98-5 ("Although there are some lexical items that appear to be shared between Romanian (and by extension Dacian) and Albanian, by far the strongest connections can be argued between Albanian and Illyrian." page 11) Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World By Keith Brown, Sarah Ogilvie Contributor Keith Brown, Sarah Ogilvie Edition: illustrated Published by Elsevier, 2008 ISBN 978-0-08-087774-7, ISBN 978-0-08-087774-7 (''"Albanian constitutes a single branch of the Indo-European family of languages. It is often held to be related to Illyrian, a poorly attested language spoken in the Western Balkans in classical times"'' page 22) #^ "The Thracian language". The Linguist List. Archived from the original on 3 February 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2008. An ancient language of Southern Balkans, belonging to the Satem group of Indo-European. This language is the most likely ancestor of modern Albanian (which is also a Satem language), though the evidence is scanty. 1st Millennium BC – 500 AD. #^ Dushku, Eliza (2 September 2011). "Why You Must Visit Albania". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 11 March 2012. #^ "AQSHF". www.aqshf.gov.al. #^ "Euro 2016: Albania 0–1 Romania – Armando Sadiku scores the only goal to seal his country's first ever win at a major competition". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 June 2016. #^ "Romania 0–1 Albania – Sadiku scores landmark goal to provide last 16 hope". Daily Mirror. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June2016. #^ Stafi i Akedemise se Shkencave (2003). Historia e popullit shqiptar. Botimet Toena. p. 252–254. ==Further reading== *History of the Party of Labor of Albania. Tirana: Institute of Marxist–Leninist Studies, 1971. 691 p. *Abrahams, Fred (2015). Modern Albania: From Dictatorship to Democracy in Europe. NYU Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-8147-0511-7. ==External links== show Albaniaat Wikipedia's sister projects {| role="presentation" | |The Wikibook Wikijunior:Countries A-Z has a page on the topic of: Albania |} *Official website *"Albania". The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. *Albania from UCB Libraries GovPubs * Wikimedia Atlas of Albania *Albania at Curlie * Geographic data related to Albania at OpenStreetMap *Key Development Forecasts for Albania from International Futures Coordinates: 41°N 20°E {| ! scope="col" colspan="3"|show *v *t *e Albania articles |} {| ! scope="col" colspan="2"|show Related articles |} {| ! id="Authority_control_frameless_|text-top_|10px_|alt=Edit_this_at_Wikidata_|link=https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q222|Edit_this_at_Wikidata" scope="row"|Authority control  | *BNE: XX450686 *BNF: cb11952716p (data) *GND: 4001028-4 *HDS: 003348 *ISNI: 0000 0001 1544 7102 *LCCN: n83221467 *MusicBrainz: 1c69b790-b46b-3e92-b6b4-93b4364badbc *NARA: 10045353 *NDL: 00560328 *NKC: ge128651 *SELIBR: 139070 *SUDOC: 027501302 *VIAF: 130228708 *WorldCat Identities (via VIAF): 130228708 |} Categories:  *Albania *Albanian-speaking countries and territories *Southern European countries *Southeastern European countries *Balkan countries *Member states of NATO *Member states of the Council of Europe *Member states of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie *Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation *Member states of the Union for the Mediterranean *Member states of the United Nations *Republics *States and territories established in 1912 *Countries in Europe ==Navigation menu== *Not logged in *Talk *Contributions *Create account *Log in *Article *Talk *Read *View source *View history ===Search=== *Main page *Contents *Featured content *Current events *Random article *Donate to Wikipedia *Wikipedia store ===Interaction=== *Help *About Wikipedia *Community portal *Recent changes *Contact page ===Tools=== *What links here *Related changes *Upload file *Special pages *Permanent link *Page information *Wikidata item *Cite this page ===In other projects=== *Wikimedia Commons *Wikinews *Wikiquote *Wikivoyage ===Print/export=== *Download as PDF *Printable version ===Languages=== 252 more *Bosanski *Deutsch *Esperanto *Français *Italiano *Shqip *Suomi *Татарча/tatarça *ייִדיש Edit links *This page was last edited on 19 January 2020, at 20:20 (UTC). *Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. *Privacy policy *About Wikipedia *Disclaimers *Contact Wikipedia *Developers *Statistics *Cookie statement *Mobile view * *help me