29 Important Facts About Albania

Last updated on April 13th, 2019

23. Sex-selective abortion is also very common in Albania. In fact, the country is one of just two in the world to practice such a thing.

24. Tirana, the capital of Albania, is devoid of McDonalds restaurants, unlike many other European capital cities.

25. In Albania, people like to walk in the evening. Some of the roads in some towns are even closed for the local population to take strolls (safely).

26. There is a castle in the city of Berat, locally known as the kala, which was built in the 13th century.

27. An international airport in Albania—Nene Tereza—is named after Mother Teresa.

28. To say yes in Albanian, use the word ‘po’; and to say no, use the word ‘jo.’

29. The capital city of Albania, Tirana, is undergoing a facelift.

Albania – country at a glance

Independence28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Capital CityTirana
(41°20′N 19°48′E)
Largest CityTirana
(41°20′N 19°48′E)
Areatotal: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
Population3,095,344 (2022 est.)
Official LanguageAlbanian
BordersMontenegro, Serbia (Kosovo), the Republic of Macedonia and Greece.
CurrencyLek (ALL)
ReligionIslam and Christianity
DemonymAlbanian
Mean elevation708 m
Life expectancy at birth79.47 years (2022)
Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life.
Literacy97.6%
National anthem"Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)
Government typeparliamentary republic
PresidentBajram Begaj
Prime MinisterEdi Rama
National symboldouble-headed eagle
National colorsred, black
National holidayIndependence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day
Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land
Suffrage18 years of age; universal
Climatemild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrainmostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Mean elevation708 m
Lowest pointAdriatic Sea 0 m
Highest pointMaja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Agricultural land43.8%
Birth rate12.69 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Sex ratio0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Industriesfood; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Exports$3.47 billion (2020 est.)
leather footwear and parts, crude petroleum, iron alloys, clothing, electricity, perfumes (2019)
Imports$5.67 billion (2020 est.)
refined petroleum, cars, tanned hides, packaged medical supplies, footwear parts (2019)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$13,300 (2020 est.)
Internet country code.al
Calling Code+355
Time ZoneCET (UTC+1)
Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Drives on theRight
Table last updatedAugust 01, 2022