In General: In 1990 Albania
ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established
a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult
as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high
unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread
gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International
observers judged local elections in 2001 to be acceptable
and a step toward democratic development, but identified
serious deficiencies which should be addressed through
reforms in the Albanian electoral code.
Area
Comparative: Slightly smaller than Maryland
Climate: Mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet
winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler
and wetter
Terrain: Mostly mountains
and hills; small plains along coast
Population:
3,544,841 (July 2002 est.)
Ethnic Groups:
Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy,
Serb, and Bulgarian) (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 recently began
allowing private religious practice.
Language: Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect),
Greek
Governmental Type: Emerging democracy
Capital:
Tirana
Legal System: Has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Economic Overview:
Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is
making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market
economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent
crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The
economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600
million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy. Agriculture,
which accounts for 52% of GDP, is held back because
of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment
and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages
are forcing small firms out of business, increasing
unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring
inflation.
Communication/ Telephone System: Albania has the
poorest telephone service in Europe.
Environmental
Issues: Deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
from industrial and domestic effluents.
Places
of interest: The Botanical Gardens are looked after
only marginally well and are quite spartan and almost
dreary. There is a small fee. What is most interesting,
perhaps, is watching the wedding parties come through
for corny photo opportunities every Sunday. If you want
to be amused just hang out there on Sunday and watch
the brides and grooms cavort around for the video cameras
and watch as the bride strikes goofy poses for the still
photographers.
The National Museum of History is open Monday-Saturday
from 8 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm. It has shorter hours
on Saturday. They charge 300 Lek or US$3 for entry.
It is a very well organized and equipped museum that
presents Albanian history from the Illyrians up to and
(now) through the Communist era (until 1992). The museum
creatively displays ancient votives and stella, original
costumes, weapons and documents and recently created
panoramas and statues. There are numerous detailed battle
chronologies depicted on maps for those interested in
the military history of Albania through the Illyrian,
Ottoman and fascist eras. There is also an entire exhibit
devoted to Christian icons. This is truly a superior
display of original Christian iconography. The pieces
come from Albania's ancient churches and are a must-see
for anyone interested in these artifacts.
Travel
Tips: Stay away!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
