y 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, a dilapidated physical 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. International observers judged elections to be largely free
and fair since the restoration of political stability following the
collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections,
the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on
pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth,
and decreasing the size of government. The election, and
particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an
important step forward. Although Albania's economy continues to
grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by
a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation
infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in
managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is
continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with
troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the
global war on terrorism.

Geography
Albania

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total: 717 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172
km, Kosovo 112 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

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

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Natural resources:

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