The 1996 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency
that the population was 3,120,000 in 1993 and that it has fallen
since 1990
Age structure:
0–14 years: 34% (male 570,978; female 529,147)
15–64 years: 60% (male 910,873; female 1,049,662)
65 years and over: 6% (male 77,799; female 110,677) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.34% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 22.21 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 7.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: −1.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.92 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 49.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.92 years male: 64.91 years female: 71.17 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Ethnic divisions: Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs,
Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Religions: Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
note: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious
observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing
private religious practice
Languages: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Literacy: age 9 and over can read and write (1955 est.)
total population: 72%
male: 80%
female: 63%
Government—————
Name of country:
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
Data code: AL
Type of government: emerging democracy
Capital: Tirane
Administrative divisions: 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth);
Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje,
Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet,
Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane,
Tropoje, Vlore; note - some new administrative units may have been
created
Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution: an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a draft constitution was rejected by popular referendum in the fall of 1994 and a new draft is pending
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9
April 1992) was elected for a five-year term by the People's Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers
Aleksander Gabriel MEKSI (since 10 April 1992) was appointed by the
president
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the president
Legislative branch: unicameral
People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor): elections last held 22 March
1992; results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP
2.92%, other 1.74%; seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1,
UHP 2
note: six members of the Democratic Party defected, making the
present seating in the Assembly DP 86, ASP 38, SDP 7, DAP 6, RP 1,
UHP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is
elected by the People's Assembly
Political parties and leaders: there are at least 28 political
parties; most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP;
formerly the Albania Workers Party), Fatos NANO, first secretary;
Democratic Party (DP); Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO;
Omonia (Greek minority party), Sotir QIRJAZATI, first secretary;
Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI; Democratic Alliance
Party (DAP), Neritan CEKA, chairman; Unity for Human Rights Party
(UHP), Vasil MELO, chairman; Ecology Party (EP), Namik HOTI, chairman
International organization participation: BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lublin DILJA
chancery: Suite 1000, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 223–4942, 8187
FAX: [1] (202) 628–7342
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LAKE embassy: Rruga E. Labinoti 103, Tirane mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624 telephone: [355] (42) 328–75, 335–20 FAX: [355] (42) 322–22
Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
Economy———
Economic overview: An extremely poor country by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993–95 after a severe depression accompanying the collapse of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. Stabilization policies - including a strict monetary policy, public sector layoffs, and reduced social services - have improved the government's fiscal situation and reduced inflation. The recovery has been spurred by the remittances of some 20% of the labor force which works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Foreign assistance and humanitarian aid also supported the recovery. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. Albania's industrial sector ended its five-year, 78% decline in 1995, recording roughly 6% growth. A sharp fall in chromium prices has reduced hard