Moving to Albania: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

3,107,100

Population Growth Rate

0.16%

Population Distribution

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Urban Population

• population: 64.6% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 1.29% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

520,000 TIRANA (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 1,531,063
• female: 1,576,037

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Age Structure

• years: 18% (male 292,296/female 267,052) 15-64
• years: 66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388) 65 years and
• over: 15.1% (male 215,252/female 253,597)

Median Age

• total: 36.3 years
• male: 34.8 years
• female: 37.8 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

12

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

7.4

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.55

Gross reproduction rate

1

Child Marriage

women married by age 15: 1.4% women married by age 18: 11.8% men married by age 18: 1.2%

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

46%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

46%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

67.2%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

26.6

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.6

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.85 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.97 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-3.2

Ethnic Groups

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5%

Language Note

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1%

Nationality Noun

• noun: Albanian(s)
• adjective: Albanian

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Literacy - total population

98.4%

Literacy - male

98.7%

Literacy - female

98.2%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

3.1%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 14 years
• male: 13 years
• female: 15 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 79.9 years
• male: 77.3 years
• female: 82.8 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 10.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 11.3 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

8

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

1.88

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

2.9

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

6.7%

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.7%

Tobacco Use

• total: 22.4%
• male: 38.8%
• female: 6%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 4.4 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 1.75 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 1.15 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 1.43 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 97.3% of population
• rural: 96.4% of population
• total: 97% of population
• unimproved: urban: 2.7% of population
• rural: 3.6% of population
• total: 3% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 99.8% of population
• rural: 100% of population
• total: 99.9% of population
• unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population
• rural: 0.5% of population
• total: 0.1% of population

Underweight - percent of children under five years

1.5%

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Economic Overview

Albania, a formerly closed, centrally-planned state, is a developing country with a modern open-market economy.

Albania managed to weather the first waves of the global financial crisis but, the negative effects of the crisis caused a significant economic slowdown.

Since 2014, Albania’s economy has steadily improved and economic growth reached 3.8% in 2017.

However, close trade, remittance, and banking sector ties with Greece and Italy make Albania vulnerable to spillover effects of possible debt crises and weak growth in the euro zone.

Remittances, a significant catalyst for economic growth, declined from 12-15% of GDP before the 2008 financial crisis to 5.8% of GDP in 2015, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy.

The agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 40% of employment but less than one-quarter of GDP, is limited primarily to small family operations and subsistence farming, because of a lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient plots of land.

Complex tax codes and licensing requirements, a weak judicial system, endemic corruption, poor enforcement of contracts and property issues, and antiquated infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment making attracting foreign investment difficult.

Since 2015, Albania has launched an ambitious program to increase tax compliance and bring more businesses into the formal economy.

In July 2016, Albania passed constitutional amendments reforming the judicial system in order to strengthen the rule of law and reduce deeply entrenched corruption.

Albania’s electricity supply is uneven despite upgraded transmission capacities with neighboring countries.

However, the government has recently taken steps to stem non-technical losses and has begun to upgrade the distribution grid.

Better enforcement of electricity contracts has improved the financial viability of the sector, decreasing its reliance on budget support.

Also, with help from international donors, the government is taking steps to improve the poor road and rail networks, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.

Inward foreign direct investment has increased significantly in recent years as the government has embarked on an ambitious program to improve the business climate through fiscal and legislative reforms.

The government is focused on the simplification of licensing requirements and tax codes, and it entered into a new arrangement with the IMF for additional financial and technical support.

Albania’s three-year IMF program, an extended fund facility arrangement, was successfully concluded in February 2017.

The Albanian Government has strengthened tax collection amid moderate public wage and pension increases in an effort to reduce its budget deficit.

The country continues to face high public debt, exceeding its former statutory limit of 60% of GDP in 2013 and reaching 72% in 2016.

Industries

• Food
• footwear, apparel and clothing
• lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,500.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.8%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$37,730,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$12,500.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.8%

GDP - official exchange rate

$13,070,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• Consumption: 78.1% Government
• Consumption: 11.5% Investment in Fixed
• Capital: 25.2% Investment in
• Inventories: 0.2% Exports of Goods and
• Services: 31.5% Imports of Goods and
• Services: -46.6%

GDP - note

Unreported output may be as large as 50% of official GDP

GDP by Sector- agriculture

21.7%

GDP by Sector- Industry

24.4%

GDP by Sector- services

54.1%

Industrial Growth Rate

6.8%

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Inflation Rate

2%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

121.9

Currency Name and Code

leke (ALL)

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

8.22%

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Labor Force

1,198,000

Unemployment Rate

13.8%

Unemployment - note

These official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming

Major Industries

• Food
• footwear, apparel and clothing
• lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Agriculture Products

• Wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, olives and olive oil, grapes
• meat, dairy products
• sheep and goats

Population Below Poverty Line

14.3%

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

72,818

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

12%

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

41.4%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

18.3%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

40.3%

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Annual Budget

$3,614,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

71.8%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-2%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

27.6%

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Full Country Name

Republic of Albania

Country Name

Albania

Local - Long

Republika e Shqiperise

Local - Short

Shqiperia

Former Name

People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Etymology- history of name

the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word "Shqiponje" ("Eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"

Independence

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1912) also known as Flag Day

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Government Type

parliamentary republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998
• amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020

Legal System:

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)
• head of government: Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Arben AHMETAJ (since 18 September 2021)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly
• elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 (next election to be held in 2027); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly
• election results: 2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted 2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open party-list proportional representation vote using the D'Hondt method; members serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3; composition as of August 2023 - men 90, women 50, percent of women 35.7%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term
• subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized
• courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)

Regions or States:

12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark) Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)
• Democratic Party or PD [Lulzim BASHA]
• Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (part of the Alliance for Change))
• Social Democratic Party or PSD [Tom DOSHI]
• Freedom Party of Albania or PL [Ilir META] (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI)
• Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania dual citizenship
• recognized: yes residency requirement for
• naturalization: 5 years

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Capital Name

Tirana (Tirane)

Capital - geographic coordinate

41 19 N, 19 49 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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International Organization Participation:

• BSEC
• CD
• CE
• CEI
• EAPC
• EBRD
• EITI (compliant country)
• FAO
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICCt
• ICRM
• IDA
• IDB
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO (correspondent)
• ITU
• ITUC (NGOs)
• MIGA
• NATO
• OAS (observer)
• OIC
• OIF
• OPCW
• OSCE
• PCA
• SELEC
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNIDO
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David WISNER (since August 2023)
• Embassy: Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana
• Mailing Address: 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510
• Telephone: [355] 4 2247-285
• FAX: [355] 4 2232-222
• Email: ACSTirana@state.gov
• Website: https://al.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)
• Chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
• FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
• Email: embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al
• Website: http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en
• Consulate(s) General: New York

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Geographic Location

Europe

Geographic Coordinates

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Total Area

11,100 Square Miles 28,748 Square Kilometers

Land Area

10,578 Square Miles 27,398 Square Kilometers

Water Area

521 Square Miles 1,350 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

446 Miles 717 Kilometers

Border Countries

Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km

Coastline

225 Miles 362 Kilometers

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Terrain

Mostly mountains and hills; small plains along the coast

Highest Point

2,764 Meters

Highest Point Location

Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m

Lowest Point Location

Adriatic Sea 0 m

Natural Resources

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

Irrigated Land

727 Square Miles 1,884 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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Climate

The plain of Albania, where the capital city Tirana is located, has a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and generally mild winters with abundant rainfall.

In the mountains, winters can be very severe with low temperatures and high snowfall.

On average, temperatures range from -3°C in January to a maximum of 35°C in July.

Parts of Albania are on a fault line and experience earthquakes and tremors.

Terrain

Mostly mountains and hills; small plains along the coast

Location

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

Total Area

11,100 Square Miles 28,748 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km

Environment - Current Issues

Deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - International Agreements

Party To: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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Exports

$900,700,000 (USD)

Imports

$4,103,000,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

• Apparel and clothing, footwear
• asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil
• cement and construction materials, vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Major Imports

Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Top Export Partners

Italy 53.4%, Kosovo 7.7%, Spain 5.6%, Greece 4.2%

Top Import Partners

Italy 28.5%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 8%, Greece 8%, China 7.9%, Serbia 4%

Export Partners

Italy 53.4%, Kosovo 7.7%, Spain 5.6%, Greece 4.2%

Import Partners

Italy 28.5%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 8%, Greece 8%, China 7.9%, Serbia 4%

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Country Description

Albania is a parliamentary democracy with a market-oriented economic system.

Albania's per capita income is among the lowest in Europe, but economic conditions in the country are improving steadily.

Albania's economic integration into broader European markets is underway slowly and the Albanian economy continues to grow despite uncertainty in the region.

Tourist facilities are not highly developed in much of the country, and some goods and services taken for granted in Western European countries are not widely available.

Hotel accommodations are plentiful in Tirana and in other major cities but limited in smaller towns.

Albanian is the official language; English is limited except for Tirana’s main tourist areas.

Safety & Security

Public demonstrations occur throughout Albania, often with little or no notice, and can cause serious traffic disruptions.

Although most demonstrations are peaceful, a demonstration in January 2011 turned violent and resulted in four deaths and injuries to many others, including Albania State Police Officers.

Travelers should avoid areas where demonstrations are taking place.

The use of roadblocks and/or the blocking of public facilities has occurred.

U.S. citizens should stay up to date with media coverage of local events and be aware of their surroundings at all times.

Information regarding demonstrations in Albania can be found on the U.S.

Embassy Tirana website.

Organized criminal activity occurs in many regions of Albania.

Corruption is also a concern in many areas.

Police and news outlets often report small-scale, sporadic incidents of violence.

Although there is no direct prohibition on the travel of U.S.

Government employees within Albania, we encourage all travelers to avoid the southern town of Lazarat, where Albanian State Police and armed marijuana growers have recently engaged in violent altercations.

Police ability to protect and assist travelers in and near Lazarat is limited.

Power outages occur frequently throughout Albania.

Regular outages may also disrupt other public utilities, including water service, and interfere with traffic lights and the provision of normal business and public services.

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Crime

High unemployment and other economic factors encourage criminal activity.

Use caution and protect your valuables in Tirana, just as you would in any major U.S. city.

Violent crime aimed at U.S. citizens is rare and criminals do not appear to target U.S. citizens or other foreigners, but rather seek targets of opportunity, selecting those who appear to have anything of value.

Crime statistics indicate a steady increase in violent crime has occurred throughout Albania since 2009.

Organized crime is present in Albania; organized criminal activity occasionally results in violent confrontations between members of rival organizations.

Pick-pocketing, theft, and other petty street crimes are widespread, particularly in areas where tourists and foreigners congregate.

Pickpockets use various diversionary tactics to distract victims, and panhandlers – particularly children – may become aggressive.

U.S. citizens have reported the theft of their passports and portable electronic devices by pick-pockets.

Victims of pick-pocketing should report the crime to the police and cancel their credit cards as soon as possible.

Exercise caution in bars and clubs in Tirana, where violent incidents, some involving the use of firearms, have occurred in the past.

Vehicle theft and theft from vehicles are not uncommon in Albania.

Carjacking can also occur.

You should avoid leaving valuables, including cell phones and electronic items, in plain view in unattended vehicles.

You should lock the windows and doors of your residence securely when it is not occupied.

In the event you are a victim of carjacking, you should surrender your vehicle without resistance.

Travelers should take standard safety precautions when using Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

Try to use ATMs located inside banks and check for any evidence of tampering with the machine before use.

Be cautious when using publicly available Internet terminals, such as in Internet cafes, as sensitive personal information, account passwords, etc., may be subject to compromise.

Theft of personal items from hotel rooms can also occur.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods.

Doing so is illegal in both the United States and Albania.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Albania, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen.

Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.

For instance, it is illegal to take pictures of certain physical structures in Albania.

Be alert for signage and guidance by security personnel.

There are some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.

If you break local laws in Albania your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.

It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go.

In Albania, you may be taken in for questioning if you are not carrying your passport.

We encourage U.S. citizens to carry a copy of their U.S. passport with them at all times to show proof of identity and U.S. citizenship if questioned by local officials.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children is also a crime in Albania, as is the production and distribution of child pornography.

Under Albanian law, police can detain any individual for up to 10 hours without filing formal charges.

Although this is not a common occurrence reported by U.S. citizens, the possibility remains.

Persons violating Albanian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.

Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Albania are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Languages Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1%

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Medical Facilities

Medical care at private hospitals and clinics in Tirana has improved in recent years but still remains below western standards.

Medical facilities outside Tirana have very limited capabilities.

Emergency and major medical care requiring surgery and hospital care outside Tirana are often inadequate because of a lack of medical specialists, diagnostic aids, medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

There are very few ambulances in Albania; therefore, injured or seriously ill U.S. citizens may be required to take taxis or other immediately available vehicles to the nearest major hospital rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive.

If you have been previously diagnosed with (a) medical condition(s), you may wish to consult your personal health care provider before travel.

As some prescription drugs may not be available locally, you may also wish to bring extra supplies of required medications.

Electricity shortages result in sporadic blackouts throughout the country, which can affect the food storage capabilities of restaurants and shops.

While some restaurants and food stores have generators to store food properly, you should take care that food is cooked thoroughly to reduce the risk of food-borne illness.

Tap water is not considered potable or safe to drink.

You should purchase bottled water or drinks while in-country.

Air pollution is also a problem throughout Albania, particularly in Tirana.

Travelers should consult their doctor prior to travel and consider the impact seasonal smog and heavy particulate pollution may have on them.

Traffic Safety

While in Albania you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The most dangerous aspect of living and working in Albania is the unsafe driving regularly encountered on roads nationwide, and the generally poor condition of the roads.

Road conditions are especially poor in rural areas in the winter months and at other times of inclement weather.

Sporadic electricity shortages sometimes result in blackouts affecting road lighting and traffic signals.

Traveling at night and outside the main urban areas is particularly dangerous as road hazards are unpredictable and can be more difficult to see.

Disregarding traffic laws is widespread.

Traffic accidents are frequent occurrences and often result in serious injury or death.

If you choose to drive in Albania, please exercise strong caution and drive as defensively as possible.

Buses travel between most major cities almost exclusively during the day, but they do not always run according to schedule and can be uncomfortable relative to buses in the United States.

No public bus routes exist between cities; travelers seeking intra-city transit may use privately owned vans, which function as an unofficial system of bus routes and operate almost entirely without schedules or set fares.

These privately owned vehicles may not have permission to operate as a bus service and may not adhere to accepted safety and maintenance standards or driver training; you should consider the condition of the van before you choose to travel in one.

In January 2013, vans carrying passengers were robbed at gunpoint near the city of Tepelene on the route from Saranda to Tirana.

Personal vehicles have been robbed in the same fashion.

There are no commercial domestic flights and the rail conditions are poor, connections limited, and service unreliable.

You can only use an international driver’s license for one year in Albania.

If you wish to drive in Albania for a period of time in excess of one year, you must apply for an Albanian driver’s license.

It is illegal to drive under the influence of alcohol and, if caught, the police may seize your driver’s license and vehicle and impose additional penalties such as a fine or up to six months in prison.

Using a cell phone while driving is only permitted when the driver utilizes a Bluetooth or other hands-free device and failure to use such a device can result in a fine.

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Airports - total

4

Airports with Paved Runways

4

Heliports

1

Roadways- total

11,185 Miles 18,000 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

4,362 Miles 7,020 Kilometers

Waterways

25 Miles 41 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

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Pipelines: Gas

206 Miles 331 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

155 Miles 249 Kilometers

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Telephones

363,000

Cell Phones

4,162,000

Internet Users

471,200

Internet Country Code

.al

Internet Hosts

15,098

Telephone System

• Assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, teledensity remains low with roughly 10 fixed lines per 100 people; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective
• Domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed-line capacity, mobile-cellular phone service has been available since 1996; by 2011 multiple companies were providing mobile services and mobile teledensity had reached 100 per 100 persons; Internet broadband services were initiated in 2005 but growth has been slow; Internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital
• International: Country Code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

6,593,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

1,884,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

5,201,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

30,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

849,500,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

38,390

Oil Exports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

23,320

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

3,600

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

172,400,000

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Anthem History

When Albania first gained independence as a monarchy in 1912 from Italy, "Hymni i Flamurit" was adopted, and has been kept as the anthem through its period as a Communist/Marxist state and now as a democratic nation.

The original title of the hymn was "Betimi mi flamur," or "Pledge to the Flag." The hymn was first published as a poem in Liri e Shqipërisë (Freedom of Albania), an Albanian newspaper in Sofia, Bulgaria, in its issue of 21 April 1912.

Later that year it appeared in a volume of collected poems by Drenova, under the title ëndra e lot (Dreams and Tears), which was published in Bucharest.

The official anthem is two verses shorter than the original poem.

The music was composed by the same person (a Romanian) who wrote the Romanian anthem in use from 1966-1989.

Anthem Lyrics

Hymni Kombëtar ( Hymni i Flamurit) Rreth flamurit të përbashkuar, Me një dëshirë dhe një qëllim, Të gjithë Atij duke iu betuar, Të lidhim besën për shpëtim.

Prej lufte veç ay largohet, Që është lindur tradhëtor, Kush është burrë nuk friksohet, Po vdes, po vdes si një dëshmor.

Në dorë armët do t'i mbajmë, Të mbrojmë Atdheun në çdo vend, Të drejtat tona ne s'i ndajmë, Këtu armiqtë s'kanë vend.

Se Zoti vet e tha me gojë, Që kombe shuhen përmbi dhè, Po Shqipëria do të rrojë, Për te, për te luftojmë ne.

Anthem Lyrics English

The National Anthem United around the flag, With one desire and one goal, Let us pledge our word of honor To fight for our salvation Only he who is a born traitor Averts from the struggle.

He who is brave is not daunted, But falls - a martyr to the cause.

With arms in hand we shall remain, To guard our fatherland round about.

Our rights we will not bequeath, Enemies have no place here.

For the Lord Himself has said, That nations vanish from the earth, But Albania shall live on, Because for her, it is for her that we fight.