Albania

Broadcast media

3 public TV networks, one of which transmits by satellite to Albanian-language communities in neighboring countries; more than 60 private TV stations; many viewers can pick up Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 25 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2010)

Internet country code

.al

Internet users

total: 1.916 million | percent of population: 63.2% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Telephone system

general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, teledensity remains low with roughly 10 fixed lines per 100 people; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective | domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed-line capacity, mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; by 2011, multiple companies were providing mobile services, and mobile teledensity had reached 100 per 100 persons; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005, but growth has been slow; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital | international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 226,718 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 3.401 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 112 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Agriculture - products

wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products; sheep

Budget

revenues: $3.019 billion | expenditures: $3.472 billion (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.9% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Central bank discount rate

2.25% (31 December 2014) | 3% (31 December 2013) | country comparison to the world: 112

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8.7% (31 December 2015 est.) | 8.66% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Current account balance

-$1.311 billion (2015 est.) | -$1.71 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Debt - external

$7.716 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $8 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114

Distribution of family income - Gini index

29 (2012 est.) | 30 (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Economy - overview

Albania, a formerly closed, centrally-planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy. Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, more recently, the negative effects of the crisis have caused a significant economic slowdown. Close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone. | Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.7% of GDP in 2014, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy. The agricultural sector, which accounts for almost half of employment but only about one-fifth of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land. Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult. | Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries. Technical and non-technical losses in electricity - including theft and non-payment - continue to undermine the financial viability of the entire system, although the government has taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid. Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long standing barrier to sustained economic growth. | Inward FDI 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 government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support. Albania’s IMF program may be at risk, however, because the government has not collected sufficient tax revenue needed to reduce the budget deficit. The country continues to face increasing public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 73% in 2015.

Exchange rates

leke (ALL) per US dollar - | 125.96 (2015 est.) | 105.48 (2014 est.) | 105.48 (2013 est.) | 108.19 (2012 est.) | 100.9 (2011 est.)

Exports

$854.7 million (2015 est.) | $1.241 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160

Exports - commodities

textiles, footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Exports - partners

Italy 43.4%, Kosovo 9.8%, US 7.7%, China 6.2%, Greece 5.3%, Spain 4.8% (2015)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.54 billion (2015 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$32.65 billion (2015 est.) | $31.81 billion (2014 est.) | $31.18 billion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | unreported output may be as large as 50% of official GDP | country comparison to the world: 127

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 85.8% | government consumption: 10.6% | investment in fixed capital: 27.7% | investment in inventories: 1.7% | exports of goods and services: 36.7% | imports of goods and services: -62.5% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 21.9% | industry: 14.9% | services: 63.3% | (2015 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,900 (2015 est.) | $11,400 (2014 est.) | $11,000 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 129

GDP - real growth rate

2.6% (2015 est.) | 2% (2014 est.) | 1.1% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Gross national saving

18.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | 14% of GDP (2014 est.) | 17.7% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 122

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.1% | highest 10%: 20.5% (2012)

Imports

$3.402 billion (2015 est.) | $4.17 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Imports - partners

Italy 33.5%, China 10.1%, Greece 9%, Turkey 6.7%, Germany 5.2% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate

2.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Industries

food and tobacco products; textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.9% (2015 est.) | 1.6% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 118

Labor force

1.122 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 41.8% | industry: 11.4% | services: 46.8% (December 2014 est)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

14.3% (2012 est.)

Public debt

71.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | 69.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.139 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $2.665 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Stock of broad money

$5.72 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $6.269 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$5.557 billion (31 December 2013) | $4.994 billion (31 December 2012) | country comparison to the world: 98

Stock of domestic credit

$7.18 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $8.231 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 113

Stock of narrow money

$3.054 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $3.066 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Taxes and other revenues

26.2% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Unemployment rate

17.3% (2015 est.) | 17.5% (2014 est.) | note: these official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming | country comparison to the world: 162

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

4.3 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Crude oil - exports

23,320 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 57

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 79

Crude oil - production

20,160 bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 70

Crude oil - proved reserves

200 million bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 63

Electricity - consumption

7.793 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Electricity - exports

288.5 million kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Electricity - from fossil fuels

5.2% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

94.8% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 40

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Electricity - imports

3.355 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Electricity - installed generating capacity

1.9 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Electricity - production

4.7 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

32 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 155

Natural gas - production

32 million cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 89

Natural gas - proved reserves

821.2 million cu m (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 105

Refined petroleum products - consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Refined petroleum products - exports

614.1 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Refined petroleum products - imports

28,330 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Refined petroleum products - production

753.2 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107

Area

total: 28,748 sq km | land: 27,398 sq km | water: 1,350 sq km | country comparison to the world: 145

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Maryland

Climate

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Coastline

362 km

Elevation

mean elevation: 708 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m | highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Irrigated land

3,310 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 691 km | border countries (4): Greece 212 km, Kosovo 112 km, Macedonia 181 km, Montenegro 186 km

Land use

agricultural land: 43.8% | arable land 22.7%; permanent crops 2.7%; permanent pasture 18.4% | forest: 28.3% | other: 27.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land

Population - distribution

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Terrain

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Administrative divisions

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore

Capital

name: Tirana (Tirane) | geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998; amended several times, last in 2012 | amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Assembly members; approval required by at least two-thirds vote of members; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2012 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Albania | conventional short form: Albania | local long form: Republika e Shqiperise | local short form: Shqiperia | former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania | etymology: the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the eagles"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Donald LU (since 13 January 2015) | embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, 103, Tirana | mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 | telephone: [355] (4) 2247-285 | FAX: [355] (4) 2232-222

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015) | chancery: 1312 18th Street NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 | FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President of the Republic Bujar NISHANI (since 24 July 2012) | head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Niko PELESHI | cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly | elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds during the period 30 May-11 June 2012 (next election to be held in 2017); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly | election results: Bujar NISHANI elected president; Assembly vote - 73 of 140 in fourth round

Flag description

red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into 4 divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members including the court president); note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts | judge selection and term of office: Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years; chairman elected by the People's Assembly for a single 3-year term; Court of Cassation judges, including the chairman, appointed by the president with the consent of the Assembly to serve single 9-year terms) | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance

Legal system

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" prevails

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 23 June 2013 (next to be held in 2017) | election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.36%, PD 30.63%, LSI 10.46%, PR 3.02%, PDIU 2.61%, other 11.92%; seats by party - PS 65, PD 50, LSI 16, PDIU 4, PR 3, other 2; seats by parliamentary group as of April 2015 - ASHE 88, APMI 50, 2 - outside of the majority and opposition groups

National anthem

name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag) | lyrics/music: Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU | note: adopted 1912

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day

National symbol(s)

double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA] | Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA] | Movement for National Development of LZHK [Dashamir SHEHI] | Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU] | Christian Democratic Party of PKD [Mark FRROKU] | Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (formerly part of APMI) | Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META] | Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA] | Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE] | New Democratic Spirit or FRD [Bamir TOPI] | note: only the major parties of each coalition are listed

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kol NIKOLLAJ] | Omonia [Vasil BOLLANO] | Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. | Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became a candidate for EU accession. Albania in November 2016 received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations conditioned upon implementation of a judicial reform package passed the same year. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.

Military branches

Land Forces Command, Navy Force Command, Air Forces Command (2013)

Military expenditures

0.85% of GDP (2015) | 1.04% of GDP (2014) | 1.5% of GDP (2013) | 1.47% of GDP (2012) | 1.52% of GDP (2011) | country comparison to the world: 112

Military service age and obligation

19 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 18 is the legal minimum age in case of general/partial compulsory mobilization (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18.37% (male 295,022/female 263,141) | 15-24 years: 18.09% (male 284,201/female 265,530) | 25-54 years: 40.73% (male 589,707/female 648,021) | 55-64 years: 11.23% (male 168,500/female 172,587) | 65 years and over: 11.58% (male 165,076/female 186,809) (2016 est.)

Birth rate

13.1 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 72,818 | percentage: 12% (2005 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

6.3% (2009) | country comparison to the world: 80

Contraceptive prevalence rate

69.3% (2008/09)

Death rate

6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 44.8% | youth dependency ratio: 26.9% | elderly dependency ratio: 18% | potential support ratio: 5.6% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 84.3% of population | rural: 81.8% of population | total: 83.6% of population | urban: 15.7% of population | rural: 18.2% of population | total: 16.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

3.54% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 130

Ethnic groups

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.04% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

5.9% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 111

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.3 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Languages

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Roma, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.3 years | male: 75.7 years | female: 81.2 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 97.6% | male: 98.4% | female: 96.9% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

TIRANA (capital) 454,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

29 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128

Median age

total: 32.5 years | male: 31.2 years | female: 33.8 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 96

Mother's mean age at first birth

25 (2010 est.)

Nationality

noun: Albanian(s) | adjective: Albanian

Net migration rate

-3.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 184

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

18.1% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 88

Physicians density

1.15 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

3,038,594 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Population growth rate

0.31% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Religions

Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% | note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 95.5% of population | rural: 90.2% of population | total: 93.2% of population | urban: 4.5% of population | rural: 9.8% of population | total: 6.8% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 16 years | male: 16 years | female: 16 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.91 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.51 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 197

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 30.2% | male: 32.5% | female: 26.1% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Urbanization

urban population: 57.4% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.21% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and expanding cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 7,442 (2015)

Airports

4 (2016) | country comparison to the world: 183

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2012)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ZA (2016)

Heliports

1 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 17 | by type: cargo 16, roll on/roll off 1 | foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) | registered in other countries: 5 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Panama 4) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 99

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 1 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 151,632 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)

Pipelines

gas 331 km; oil 249 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Railways

total: 677 km | standard gauge: 677 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 104

Roadways

total: 18,000 km | paved: 7,020 km | unpaved: 10,980 km (2002) | country comparison to the world: 116

Waterways

41 km (on the Bojana River) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 103