The 1992 CIA World Factbook | Page 5

Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro) Coastline: 362 km Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specified Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: Kosovo question with Serbia and Montenegro; Northern Epirus question with Greece 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 Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel Land use: arable land 21%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and woodland 38%; other 22%; includes irrigated 1% Environment: subject to destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along southwestern coast Note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
:Albania People
Population: 3,285,224 (July 1992), growth rate 1.1% (1992) Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: --6 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 27 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 71 years male, 78 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Albanian(s); adjective - Albanian Ethnic divisions: Albanian 90%, Greeks 8%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.) Religions: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice; estimates of religious affiliation - Muslim 70%, Greek Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% Languages: Albanian (Tosk is official dialect), Greek Literacy: 72% (male 80%, female 63%) age 9 and over can read and write (1955) Labor force: 1,500,000 (1987); agriculture about 60%, industry and commerce 40% (1986) Organized labor: Independent Trade Union Federation of Albania; Confederation of Trade Unions
:Albania Government
Long-form name: Republic of Albania Type: nascent democracy Capital: Tirane Administrative divisions: 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Kore, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire); People's Socialist Republic of Albania declared 11 January 1946 Constitution: an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a new constitution is to be drafted for adoption in 1992 Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 November (1944) Executive branch: president, prime minister of the Council of Ministers, two deputy prime ministers of the Council of Ministers Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992) Head of Government: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers Aleksander MEKSI (since 10 April 1992) Political parties and leaders: there are at least 18 political parties; most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP), Fatos NANO, first secretary; Democratic Party (DP), Eduard SELAMI, chairman; Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO; Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA (ran in 1992 election as Unity for Human Rights Party (UHP)); Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI; note - in December 1990 then President ALIA allowed new political parties to be formed in addition to the then AWP for the first time since 1944 Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18 Elections: People's Assembly: last held 22 March 1992; results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP 2.92%, other 1.74%; seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1, UHP 2 Member of: CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, IMF, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Minister-Counselor, Charge d'Affaires ad interim (30 April 1991) Sazan Hyda BEJO; chancery (temporary) at 320 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10021; telephone (212) 249-2059 US: Ambassador (vacant); Embassy at Rruga Labinoti 103, room 2921, Tirane (mailing address is APO AE 09624); telephone 355-42-32875; FAX 355-42-32222
:Albania Government
Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
:Albania Economy
Overview: The Albanian economy, already providing the lowest standard of living in Europe, contracted sharply in 1991, with most industries producing at only a fraction of past levels and an unemployment rate estimated at 40%. For over 40 years, the Stalinist-type economy has operated on the principle of central planning and state ownership of the means of production. Albania began fitful economic reforms during 1991, including the liberalization of prices and trade, the privatization of shops and transport, and land reform. These reform measures were crippled, however, by the widespread civil disorder that accompanied the collapse of the Communist state. Following their overwhelming victory in the 22 March 1991 elections, the new Democratic government announced a program of shock therapy to stabilize the economy and establish a market economy. In an effort to expand international ties, Tirane has reestablished diplomatic relations with the former Soviet Union and the US and