Simple directory > Regional > Albania

Country : Albania Official name: Republika ë Shqipërisë (Republic of Albania) Head of State: President Alfred Moisiu (elected by the People's Assembly; sworn in 24 Jul 2002) Head of government: Prime Minister Sali Berish (elected in 3 Jul 2005) Ruling party: Coalition government, led by the Partia Demokratike ë Shqipërisë (PDS) (The Democratic Party of Albania) (DP), with the Partia Agrare Ambientaliste (AAP) Agrarian Environmentalist Party (AAP), the Partia Republikane e Shqipërisë (RP) Republican Party, the Partia Demokrate e Re (PDR) the New Democratic Party and the Partia Bashkimi për të Drejtat e Njeriut (UHRP) Union for Human Rights Party Area: 28,748 square km Population: 3.16 million (2004) Capital: Tirana Official language: Since 1945, the official language has been based on Tosk Albanian. The Albanian language is divided into two dialects – Gheg, north of the river Shkumbinit, and Tosk in the south. Currency: Lek (L) = 100 qindarka Exchange rate: L98.15 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$1,958 (2003) GDP real growth: 6.00% (2003) Labour force: 1.28 million (2003) Unemployment: 15.00% (2003) Inflation: 3.30% (2003) Oil production: 5,952 bpd (2003) Balance of trade: -US$1.37 billion (2003) Foreign debt: US$1.24 billion (2003) Annual FDI: US$140.00 million (2003)

Historical profile

1385–1878 Albania was ruled by the Ottoman Empire.

1878–1919 Regions of Albanian territory were occupied by neighbouring countries, notably Austria, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Serbia, Greece and, for a longer period Italy.

1920 Italy withdrew and agreed to recognise Albania's independence. Tirana was declared the capital city. Political instability ensued.

1924–28 Ahmet Beg Zogu was elected Albanian president, later proclaiming himself as King Zog I.

1939 Albania was invaded by Italy again and King Zog fled.

1941 The Albanian Communist Party (ACP) was formed, later renamed the Party of Labour of Albania (PLA).

1945–46 Enver Hoxha of the ACP was elected as president and the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed.

1960s Relations with the USSR soured when Albania supported China in the Sino-Soviet dispute on ideology. Albania withdrew from the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon) and the Warsaw Pact.

1976 A new consititution was adopted. Albania declared itself the independent Peoples' Socialist Republic of Albania and reaffirmed its policy of self-reliance.

1985 Hoxha died and Ramiz Alia replaced him as first secretary of the PLA.

1990 The PLA was renamed the Partia Socialiste ë Shqipërisë (PSS) (Socialist Party of Albania) and pursued a more liberal democratic ideology.

1991 The PSS won the first multi-party elections for six decades. Alia was elected to the new post of executive president in April. Fatos Nano headed the government but was forced to resign due to a deteriorating political and economic situation in the country. Ylli Bufi was eventually appointed prime minister but was also forced to resign. A caretaker government took power.

1992 The opposition Partia Demokratike ë Shqipërisë (PDS) (Democratic Party of Albania) won an overwhelming victory in the elections, ending five decades of communist rule. Sali Berisha was elected president. Former President Alia and several others from the old communist regime were arrested and charged with corruption.

1997 The PDS resigned and lost a snap election to a PSS coalition after violent protests swept the country following the pyramid investment scheme collapse. Rexhep Meidani became president. Fatos Nano was again appointed prime minister.

1998 Nano resigned due to protests over the economy, and was succeeded by Pandeli Majko.

2000 Albania joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

2001 Ilir Meta and the PSS won another term in office in the general elections.

2002 Prime Minister Ilir Meta resigned and Sali Berisha's opposition coalition announced that they would end their six-month boycott of Albania's parliament. The President asked Pandeli Majko to form a new cabinet. Alfred Moisiu was elected president by the People's Assembly. Prime Minister Pandeli Majko resigned. Parliament approved a new government with Fatos Nano as prime minister.

2003 In January, Albania and the EU began Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) talks.

2004 In February, the opposition led a demonstration in Tirana protesting against the government's failure to improve living standards and demanding Prime Minister Nano's resignation.

2005 On 29 March, Albania signed a US$15 million deal with the US Occidental Petroleum Corporation for oil and natural gas drilling.

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