Albania Quik Facts

Albania is a southern European country which shares borders with Greece, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. It has coasts on the Adriatic Sea and on the Ionian Sea.

In 1912 Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire but was conquered by Italy in 1939. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944 and Albania allied itself with the USSR until 1960 and then with China until 1978.

Albania Fast Facts

1. Full name: The Republic of Albania
2. Capital: Tirana
3. Government: Parlimentary democracy
4. Population: 3,619,778 (2008 est.)1
5. Currency: Albanian Lek
6. Major religions: Islam, Christianity
7. Monetary unit: 1 lek = 100 qindars2
8. Life expectancy: 73 years (men), 80 years (women) (UN)3
9. Main exports: Chromium and chrome products, processed foodstuffs
10. International dialing code: + 355
11. Official language: Albanian
12. GNI per capita: US $3,290 (World bank, 2007)