Geographic Position
Relief
Climate
Natural Riches
A Brief History of Albania
Visa system for foreigners traveling to Albania
Geographic Position
Albania lies on the west of the Balkan Peninsula. It is situated between latitude 39° 38’ ÷ 42° 39’ north and longitude 19° 16’ ÷ 21° 4’ east. Albania borders Montenegro to the northwest and north, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the southeast and south. To the southwest and the west it is washed by Ionian and Adriatic seas.
Albania extends over an area 28.748 square kilometers.
Relief
Albania is one of the most mountainous countries of Europe. Mountains and hills cover 76,6 percent of its territory. The average altitude of Albania is 708 meters, or twice that of Europe. The highest mountain peak is 2751 meters. On the western part of the country, along the Adriatic seaboard, lies the Western Lowland extending from the north to the south for about 200 km and going eastwards up to 50 km inland. There are many beautiful beaches along this part of the country, extending many-kilometers along the coastal line.
Climate
Albania lies in the Mediterranean climatic zone, characterized by a hot dry summer, strong sunshine and generally mild winter with abundant rainfalls. The weather is sunny or with few clouds most of the year. According to the geographical position, there are 2000 up to 2800 hours with sunshine. The climate is warmer in the western part of the country, because of the influence of warm air masses coming from the sea. The absolute maximal temperature registered in this zone in July, which is the warmest month of the year, is 440 C (Kuçovë, 1973). The winter is cold in the eastern part of Albania, which is under the influence of continental air masses. The absolute minimal temperature recorded in this zone is – 260 C (Sheqeras, Korçë, 1963). The annual rainfalls vary, from about 800 mm in the southeastern part of the country and 1000-1200 mm in the western lowland zone, to nearly 2500 mm in the mountainous area of the country. The annual average number of the rainy days varies from 100 to 130. The average snowy days is up to 40 days in northern and southeastern mountain areas of Albania
Natural Riches
Albania has large subterranean riches. Worth mentioning are the reserves in oil, natural gas, bitumen, lignite, iron-nickel, nickel-silicate, chromium and copper. Thanks to these riches, the extraction of minerals and their processing industry occupied a very important position in the country’s structure of industry prior to 1990. In 1970s and early 1980s, Albania occupied the third place in the world for the extraction of the chrome ore, with around 1,2 million tons a year. More than 3200 kinds of plants grow in the territory of Albania, representing the greater part of those growing in the Balkan Peninsula. Ten years ago, the forests covered nearly 40 percent of the country’s territory, but in the last years, due to uncontrolled exploitation, the forests are getting fewer rapidly. Albania is one of the ancient Mediterranean centers for the cultivation of olives.
A Brief History of Albania
Albanians are one of the most ancient populations in the region. According to historic data, they are descendants of Illyrians, who settled in the Balkan Peninsula at the end of the Neolithic period and at the beginning of the Bronze Age. In fact, the name of the country, Albania, derives from one of the Illyrian tribes called “Albanoi”. In Albanian, Albania is called Shqiperi, meaning the land of eagles.
At the end of the 14th and the beginning of the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire began its expansion towards the Balkans and Albania became a battlefield. In 1443-1468 Gjergj Kastriot Scanderbeg, today a national hero united the Albanian provinces and organized a successful revolt against the Ottoman army. For 25 years the Turks were kept out of Albania. However, after his death the Ottoman Empire gained control of the entire country for about five centuries. Albania proclaimed its independence in 1912. At the London Conference of Ambassadors in 1913, the present borders of Albania were sanctioned by the Great Powers of the time.
In 1928 Ahmet Zogu declared Albania a kingdom and became “King of Albanians”, Zogu I. He fled the country in April 1939, when Italy occupied Albania. After the capitulation of Italy, the Germans occupied Albania until the end of 1944. The Albanian Communist Party, later called the Labour Party of Albania (PPSH), led by Enver Hoxha, came into power after the defeat of the Germans at the end of World War II. For about 45 years Albania was under the rule of the most totalitarian regime in Eastern Europe. All farms and small industries were nationalized and the whole economy was centrally planned and managed through larger-scale state enterprises. Albania cut its economic and diplomatic relations, first with the Soviet Union in the early 1960s, and then with China at the end of the 1970s, remaining totally isolated from the rest of the world. Inefficiency, mismanagement of the economic system and disregard of human rights brought the country to stagnation.
With the fall of the Berlin Wall by the end of 1989 and when major political changes overwhelmed the ex-communist countries in the early 1990s, Albania, too, embarked on the road to transition towards a democratic society and a free market economy.
Supported by the international community, Albania seemed to make some progress and the economic indicators were promising. However, a lack of strong institutions, incomplete financial reforms and an undeveloped banking sector led to the development of fraudulent pyramid schemes, in which most Albanians had invested their savings (the World Bank and IMF estimate that USD 1.2 billion was lost in these schemes). Their subsequent collapse in 1997 caused severe civil disorder. Over half a million weapons were stolen from military depots.
The new government elected in June 1997 made considerable efforts to restore law and order. A new constitution was approved by a national referendum in November 1998. Nonetheless, the recovery process slowed down again in early 1999 with the outbreak of the Kosovo crisis. During this crisis, Albania, supported by the international community, hosted more than 450,000 refugees. After the conflict was resolved, with the initiative of the US and the EU, a Stability Pact for the entire Balkan region was designed with the intention of bringing economic development to the region, as well as social stability and empowerment of the democratic and legal institutions.
The new government elected in July 2005 has a quite challenging agenda. Its main targets are the development and consolidation of a democratic state by strengthening the existing institutions infrastructure, fighting widespread corruption and restoring equality before the law, encouraging a fast and well balanced economic growth, integrating Albania into the European Union and NATO.
On 18 February 2006 the government of Albania and the European Union signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Mr. Olli Rehn and Albania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Besnik Mustafaj inked the agreement on behalf of the EU and the Albanian Government, respectively. The final approval of this agreement is signed on 12 June 2006 at the EU summit in Vienna.
Visa system for foreigners traveling to Albania
Albania is relatively easy to access. Before traveling to Albania, foreigners should contact the diplomatic and consular representations of the Republic of Albania abroad to check if rules have changed. Foreign citizens can enter the Republic of Albania after presenting valid passports and entry visas issued by diplomatic or consular representations of the Republic of Albania abroad. The passport should be valid for at least six months after the validity of the visa. A visa shall be issued if the relevant person presents to the Albanian diplomatic or consular representation an invitation from an institution or private person resident in the Republic of Albania.
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