Albania
Name
| Official name | Republic of Albania |
|---|---|
| In Albanian | Republika e Shqipërisë |
| Short name | Albania — Shqipëria in Albanian, "the land of the eagles" in popular etymology |
| Demonym | Albanian — shqiptar |
| Meaning of the name | "Albania" descends from Albanoi, an Illyrian tribe named by Ptolemy in the 2nd century; the native Shqipëria has been in use since the 16th century |
Quick facts
| Capital | Tirana (Tiranë) — also the largest city, about 110 m (360 ft) above sea level; the capital since 1920 |
|---|---|
| Official language | Albanian — a branch of Indo-European all its own; the standard is based on the southern Tosk dialect, Gheg is spoken in the north |
| Currency | Lek — ISO code ALL, symbol L; issued by the Bank of Albania (1925); the old qindarka subunit is no longer used |
| Time zone | Central European Time, UTC+1; summer time UTC+2 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October |
| Calling code | +355 |
| Internet domain | .al |
| ISO 3166 codes | AL · ALB · 008 |
| Vehicle registration code | AL |
| Driving side | Right |
| Electricity | 230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and F |
| Independence | 28 November 1912 — proclaimed at Vlorë by Ismail Qemali, from the Ottoman Empire |
| National days | 28 November, Flag Day and Independence Day; 29 November, Liberation Day (1944) |
| Republic | Proclaimed 1925; monarchy 1928–1939; People's Republic 1946–1991; the present constitution adopted 28 November 1998 |
| Population | 2.36 million on 1 January 2025 (INSTAT, the national office); the 2023 census counted 2.40 million; the UN's estimate, which counts differently, is about 2.8 million |
| Area | 28,748 km² (11,100 sq mi) — land 27,398 km², inland water 1,350 km²; a little smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland |
Flag & national symbols
| National flag | A black double-headed eagle centered on a red field — Skanderbeg's emblem, the national flag since independence in 1912; 5:7 by Law No. 8926 of 2002.Flag of Albania |
|---|---|
| National colors | Red and black — Kuq e Zi; the colors of the League of Lezhë (1444) |
| Coat of arms | The black double-headed eagle on a red shield, with the golden helmet of Skanderbeg above — adopted 1992, standardized 2002 |
| National anthem | "Himni i Flamurit" ("Hymn to the Flag") — words by Asdreni (Aleksandër Stavre Drenova), 1912; music by the Romanian composer Ciprian Porumbescu |
| National motto | "Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar" — "You, Albania, give me honor, give me the name Albanian," from Naim Frashëri's poem; traditional rather than enacted |
| National hero | Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg (1405–1468), who held off the Ottomans for 25 years from Krujë |
| National bird | Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) — the eagle on the flag; the one natural symbol the state itself uses |
| National dish | Tavë kosi — baked lamb and rice under yogurt and eggs, from Elbasan — widely cited; byrek is the everyday pastry |
| National drink | Raki (rakia), a grape brandy — widely cited |
| National instrument | Çifteli, the two-stringed lute of the north — widely cited |
| Flag Day | 28 November — Dita e Flamurit, the National Holiday of the Republic under the Constitution |
| Mother Teresa | Born to Albanian parents in Skopje in 1910; Tirana's airport bears her name, and 19 October is a public holiday in her honor |
| Symbol status | The flag, coat of arms, anthem and colors are fixed by the Constitution and Law No. 8926; the dish, drink and instrument are widely cited, not designated |
Geography
| Location | Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, with the Adriatic to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest; Italy lies 72 km (45 mi) across the Strait of Otranto |
|---|---|
| Coastline | 362 km (225 mi) by the Factbook count — Albanian sources measure 476 km (296 mi) — on the Adriatic and Ionian seas; the Albanian Riviera runs south of Vlorë |
| Land borders | 691 km (429 mi) with four countries |
| Border with Greece | 212 km (132 mi), to the south |
| Border with Montenegro | 186 km (116 mi), to the northwest |
| Border with North Macedonia | 181 km (112 mi), to the east |
| Border with Kosovo | 112 km (70 mi), to the northeast |
| Highest point | Mount Korab (Maja e Korabit), 2,764 m (9,068 ft), on the border with North Macedonia |
| Highest peak entirely in Albania | Jezerca (Maja e Jezercës), 2,694 m (8,839 ft), in the Albanian Alps |
| Lowest point | The Adriatic Sea, 0 m |
| Mean elevation | 708 m (2,323 ft) — mountains and hills cover about 70% of the country |
| Longest river | Drin — about 285 km (177 mi) in Albania, some 335 km (208 mi) from the source of its Black Drin branch at Lake Ohrid; the Vjosa, about 272 km (169 mi), is the longest free-flowing river in Europe outside Russia |
| Other rivers | Vjosa, Shkumbin, Seman, Mat, Devoll, Osum, Erzen, Ishëm |
| Largest lake | Lake Shkodër (Scutari), shared with Montenegro — 370 to 530 km² (143 to 205 sq mi) as it rises and falls, the largest lake in Southern Europe |
| Other lakes | Lake Ohrid, shared with North Macedonia — among Europe's oldest and deepest, 288 m (945 ft), a UNESCO site; Lake Prespa, shared with two neighbors; the Koman and Fierza reservoirs on the Drin |
| Mountain ranges | The Albanian Alps (Prokletije) in the north; the Korab range in the east; the Pindus in the south; Mount Tomorr, 2,416 m (7,927 ft), the holy mountain of Bektashi pilgrimage |
| Largest island | Sazan, about 5.7 km² (2.2 sq mi), off Vlorë — uninhabited, a former naval base |
| Natural wonders | The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër), a karst spring more than 50 m (164 ft) deep; the Karaburun–Sazan marine park; the Vjosa valley |
| Climate | Mediterranean on the coast — hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters; continental in the mountains |
| Natural hazards | Earthquakes — the 26 November 2019 quake killed 51; floods; drought |
| Natural resources | Petroleum and natural gas, chromite, copper, nickel, bauxite, coal, iron ore, salt, timber, hydropower |
| Oil and chrome | Patos-Marinza, near Fier, is the largest onshore oil field in Europe; Albania has long ranked among the leading producers of chromium ore |
| Land use | Agricultural land 42.8%, forest 28.8% (2018 est.) |
| National parks | About 15 — Butrint, Divjakë-Karavasta, Llogara, Dajti, Theth, Valbonë Valley, Prespa, Shebenik-Jabllanicë, Tomorr, Karaburun-Sazan (marine) among them; the Vjosa Wild River National Park (2023) was the first of its kind in Europe |
| UNESCO World Heritage | 4 — Butrint (1992); the historic centers of Berat and Gjirokastër (2005, 2008); the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region (extended to Albania 2019); the ancient beech forests of Gashi and Rrajca (2017) |
| Administrative divisions | 12 counties (qarqe) and 61 municipalities (since 2015) |
People
| Population | 2.36 million (INSTAT, 1 January 2025), down 1.2% in a year; the 2023 census counted 2,402,113; the UN estimates about 2.8 million |
|---|---|
| Population density | About 82 per km² (213 per sq mi), on the INSTAT figure |
| Population trend | Falling — low births and emigration; the peak was about 3.3 million in 1990 |
| Median age | About 37 years |
| Life expectancy | 79.6 years (2023) |
| Fertility rate | 1.35 births per woman (2023) — among the lowest in Europe |
| Urban population | About 70% (2025) |
| Adult literacy | About 98% |
| Ethnic groups | Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, others including Aromanian (Vlach), Roma, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Egyptian 1%, unspecified 15.5% (2011 census) |
| Languages | Albanian 98.8%; Greek, Macedonian, Aromanian, Romani and Serbo-Croatian among minorities (2011 census) |
| Religion | Muslim 56.7% (including 2.1% Bektashi), Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, others and unspecified the rest (2011 census) — the world's only officially atheist state from 1967 to 1990 |
| Largest cities | Tirana, Durrës, Vlorë, Shkodër, Elbasan, Fier, Korçë |
| Human Development Index | 0.81 (2023 data, 2025 report) — very high human development |
| Diaspora | Emigration since 1990 has been among the heaviest in Europe — more than a million Albanians live abroad, chiefly in Italy and Greece, with large communities in the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom |
Government
| Form of government | Unitary parliamentary republic under the Constitution of 28 November 1998 |
|---|---|
| President | Bajram Begaj, since 24 July 2022 — elected by Parliament for a five-year term |
| Prime Minister | Edi Rama, since 15 September 2013 — a fourth term after the election of 11 May 2025 |
| Parliament | The Assembly (Kuvendi), 140 seats, unicameral, elected for four years |
| Legal system | Civil law; a Constitutional Court and a High Court |
| Administrative divisions | 12 counties, 61 municipalities |
| NATO | Member since 1 April 2009 |
| European Union | Candidate since June 2014; accession negotiations opened July 2022; the government's stated target is membership by 2030 |
| United Nations | Member since 14 December 1955; a non-permanent Security Council seat in 2022–23 |
| Other memberships | World Trade Organization (2000), Council of Europe (1995), OSCE, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (1992), CEFTA |
Economy
| GDP (nominal) | About US$30 billion (2025, IMF April 2026) |
|---|---|
| GDP per capita | About US$11,200 (2025) |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | About US$26,000 (2025) |
| GDP growth | About 3.8% (2025) |
| Economy by sector | Services about 47%, industry about 21%, agriculture about 19% (2022) |
| Currency | Lek (ALL) — one of Europe's strongest currencies against the euro in the 2020s |
| Main exports | Textiles and footwear made for Italian brands, chromium ore, crude oil, metals, cement, fruit and vegetables |
| Main trading partner | Italy — about two-fifths of Albania's trade; Greece, China, Turkey, Germany and Kosovo follow |
| Tourism | A record of more than 11 million foreign visitors in 2024 (INSTAT) — several times the resident population |
| Electricity | Almost entirely hydropower — the Drin cascade at Fierza, Koman and Vau i Dejës |
| Remittances | Money sent home by emigrants is worth several percent of GDP |
| Income classification | Upper-middle income (World Bank); an EU candidate economy |
Transport & infrastructure
| Main airport | Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (Mother Teresa), at Rinas |
|---|---|
| Main port | Durrës — the largest, with ferries to Bari and Ancona; Vlorë, Sarandë and Shëngjin follow |
| Roads | The SH1 and SH2 trunk roads; the A1 motorway (Rruga e Kombit) links Durrës with Kosovo through the Kalimash tunnel |
| Railways | A sparse network run by Hekurudha Shqiptare; the Tirana–Durrës line is being rebuilt |
| Border crossings | Kakavijë and Kapshticë to Greece; Hani i Hotit and Muriqan to Montenegro; Qafë Thanë to North Macedonia; Morinë to Kosovo |
| Llogara Pass | 1,027 m (3,369 ft), the mountain road between the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, now bypassed by a tunnel |
History in dates
| c. 1000 BC | Illyrian tribes settle the western Balkans |
|---|---|
| 168 BC | Rome conquers Illyria; Durrës (Dyrrachium) becomes the start of the Via Egnatia |
| 1190 | The Principality of Arbanon, the first Albanian state |
| 1443 | Skanderbeg raises his standard at Krujë; the League of Lezhë follows in 1444 |
| 1478–79 | Krujë and Shkodër fall; four centuries of Ottoman rule begin |
| 1912 | Independence proclaimed at Vlorë, 28 November |
| 1928 | Zog I crowned king |
| 1939 | Italy invades; Germany occupies in 1943 |
| 1944 | Communist partisans take power under Enver Hoxha, 29 November |
| 1967 | Albania declares itself the world's first atheist state |
| 1991 | The first multiparty elections; the communist regime ends |
| 1997 | Pyramid-scheme collapse and unrest |
| 2009 | Albania joins NATO |
| 2014 | EU candidate status; accession talks open in 2022 |
| 2023 | The Vjosa becomes Europe's first wild river national park |
Records & firsts
| Europe's largest onshore oil field | Patos-Marinza, near Fier |
|---|---|
| Southern Europe's largest lake | Lake Shkodër, shared with Montenegro |
| One of Europe's oldest lakes | Lake Ohrid — more than a million years old, 288 m (945 ft) deep |
| Europe's first wild river national park | The Vjosa, 2023 |
| The world's first atheist state | Albania, 1967–1990 |
| The bunkers | More than 170,000 concrete bunkers built under Enver Hoxha — one for every dozen or so Albanians |
| A language of its own | Albanian forms its own branch of the Indo-European family, with no close living relative |
| Nobel laureate | Mother Teresa, the Nobel Peace Prize of 1979 |
| The eagle on the flag | Among the oldest flag designs still flown — Skanderbeg's standard of 1443 |
| Butrint | Albania's first UNESCO World Heritage site (1992), an ancient city inhabited since prehistory |
| Visitors | More than 11 million foreign visitors in 2024 — over four for every resident |
Frequently asked questions
What is the official name of Albania?
The Republic of Albania — Republika e Shqipërisë in Albanian. Albanians call their country Shqipëria, a name popularly linked to shqiponja, the eagle, which is why Albania is often called the Land of the Eagles.
What is the capital of Albania?
Tirana (Tiranë), in the center of the country, about 40 km (25 mi) from the Adriatic coast. It is also the largest city, home to roughly a quarter of Albanians, and has been the capital since 1920.
What are the highest and lowest points of Albania?
Mount Korab (Maja e Korabit), 2,764 m (9,068 ft), on the border with North Macedonia, is the highest point; the Adriatic Sea, at sea level, is the lowest. Jezerca, 2,694 m (8,839 ft), in the Albanian Alps, is the highest peak entirely inside the country.
What is the longest river in Albania?
The Drin, about 285 km (177 mi) inside Albania and some 335 km (208 mi) from the source of its Black Drin branch in Lake Ohrid, flows north and west to the Adriatic near Shkodër. The Vjosa, about 272 km (169 mi) in all, is Europe’s last big wild river and the heart of a national park since 2023.
What currency and time zone does Albania use?
The lek (ISO code ALL, symbol L), issued by the Bank of Albania; the euro is widely accepted in tourist areas. Albania keeps Central European Time, UTC+1, with summer time at UTC+2 from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October.
What are the national symbols of Albania?
The red flag with the black double-headed eagle, the coat of arms with Skanderbeg’s helmet above that eagle, the anthem Himni i Flamurit, and red and black as the national colors are set by the Constitution and by law. The golden eagle is the national bird; tavë kosi as the national dish, raki as the drink and the çifteli as the instrument are widely cited rather than designated.
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