Ethnic divisions: Albanian 90%, Greeks 8%, other 2% (Vlachs,
Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)
Religion: all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and
religious observances prohibited; in November 1990 Albania began
allowing private religious practice and was considering the repeal
of the constitutional amendment banning religious activities;
estimates of religious affiliation--Muslim 70%, Greek Orthodox 20%,
Roman Catholic 10%
Language: 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: Central Council of Albanian Trade Unions, 610,000
members
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of Albania
Type: nascent democracy with strong Communist party influence;
basic law has dropped all references to socialism
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 four to six months
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, one deputy prime minister of the Council of Ministers
Chief of State--President of the Republic Ramiz ALIA (since 22
November 1982);
Head of Government--Prime Minister of the interim Council of
Ministers Ylli BUFI (since 5 June 1991);
Political parties and leaders: Albanian Workers Party (AWP),
Ramiz ALIA, first secretary;
Democratic Party (DP), Sali BERISHA, chairman and cofounder with
Gramoz PASHKO;
Albanian Republican Party, Sabri GODO;
Ecology Party, Namik HOTI;
Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA;
Agrarian Party, leader NA;
note--in December 1990 President ALIA allowed new political parties
to be formed in addition to the AWP for the first time since 1944
Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18
Elections:
President--last held 30 April 1991 (next to be held spring 1992);
results--President Ramiz ALIA was reelected with token opposition;
People's Assembly--last held 31 March 1991 (next to be held
spring 1992);
results--AWP 68%, DP 25%;
seats--(250 total) preliminary results AWP 168, DP 75, Omonia 5,
Veterans Association 1, other 1;
note--the AWP's votes came mostly from the countryside while the DP
won majorities in the six-largest cities;
Communists: 147,000 party members (November 1986); note--in
March 1991 the Albanian Workers' Party announced that it considered
itself no longer Communist but socialist
Member of: ECE, FAO, IAEA, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation: the Governments of the United States and
Albania agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations to be effective
from 15 March 1991 and to exchange diplomatic missions at the level
of ambassador
Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center below a red
five-pointed star outlined in yellow
ECONOMY
Overview: As the poorest country in Europe, Albania's development
lags behind even the least favored areas of the Yugoslav economy.
For over 40 years, the Stalinist-type economy has operated on the
principles of central planning and state ownership of the means of
production. In recent years Albania has implemented limited economic
reforms to stimulate its lagging economy, provide incentives, and
decentralize decisionmaking. In an effort to expand international
ties, Tirane has reestablished diplomatic relations with the Soviet
Union and the US. The Albanians have also passed legislation allowing
foreign investment. Albania possesses considerable mineral
resources and, until 1990, was largely self-sufficient in food;
several years of drought have hindered agricultural development.
Numerical estimates of Albanian economic activity are subject to an
especially wide margin of error because the government until recently
did not release economic information.
GNP: $4.1 billion, per capita $1,250; real growth rate NA% (1990
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $2.3 billion; expenditures $2.3 billion,
including capital expenditures of NA (1989)
Agriculture: arable land per capita among lowest in Europe;
one-half of work force engaged in farming; produces wide range of
temperate-zone crops and livestock; claims self-sufficiency in grain
output
Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA (1988) $5.8 million
Exchange rates: leke (L) per US$1--8.00 (noncommercial fixed rate
since 1986), 4.14 (commercial fixed rate since 1987)
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 543 km total; 509 1.435-meter standard gauge, single
track and 34 km narrow gauge, single track (1990); line connecting
Titograd (Yugoslavia) and Shkoder (Albania) completed August 1986
Highways: 16,700 km total; 6,700 km highway and roads, 10,000 km
forest and agricultural (1990)
Inland waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari,
Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Albanian People's Army, Albanian Coastal Defense Command,
Air and Air Defense Force, Frontier Troops, Interior Troops
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 900,723; 743,594 fit for
military service; 33,497 reach military age (19) annually
Defense expenditures: 1.0 billion leks, NA% of GDP (FY90);
note--conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the
official administratively set exchange rate would produce misleading
results
