Geographical Position
Albania is a country in South-Eastern Europe, in the West of the Balkan
Peninsula, between the geographical coordinates: 39 16' latitude and
42 39' longitude. Albania is almost midway between Equator and the
North Pole, and covers a surface of 28.748 km2. The overall length
of the borderline of the Republic of Albania is 1094 km; out of which
657-km is land-border, 316-km sea-border, 48-km river-border and 73
km lake-border. The Republic of Albania, borders in the North and
North-East with Kosovo and Montenegro, on the East with the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in the South and South-East with
the Republic of Greece. On the West, Albania is washed by the Adriatic
and Ionian seas. The average altitude is 708 m, i.e. two times higher
than that of Europe. Albania is included in the humid sub-tropical
zone of the Northern Hemisphere, and it belongs to the Mediterranean
climatic zone.
Climate
Coastal areas: Central Mediterranean, mild and wet winter, hot and
dry summer.
Alpine areas: Central Continental, cold and wild winter, wet summer.
Relieve
Lowland – Western Albania, Plain – Eastern Albania
Alpine – Northern Albania, the Highest Peak – Korabi Mountain
(2,753m)
Population
3,364,571 (June 1999)
95% Albanian, 3% Greek and 2% various
Capital City
Tirana (since 1920)
Main Cities
Durres, Vlora, Saranda, Shkodra, Berat, Korca, Gjirokastra, Elbasani,
Official Language Albanian
Albanian is an Indo-European language and it represents a separate
branch of this family on the bases of its idiosyncrasy. The Greek
geographer, Ptholemeous, has witnessed the existence of Albanians
and Albanian language in the second century AD. The name "Shqiperi"
(Albania) replaced the "old" name "Arberi" (or Arbani) by the end
of the XVII century, due to the new historical conditions created,
and aimed at giving importance to the connection between the nation
notion and the use of the Albanian language, which was by that time
called "Shqip". The Albanian language is also used (written &
spoken) in the parts of Kosovo, Serbia & Montenegro, and Macedonia,
where ethnic Albanians live.
Albania is a country in South-Eastern Europe, in the West of the Balkan
Peninsula, between the geographical coordinates: 39 16' latitude and
42 39' longitude. Albania is almost midway between Equator and the
North Pole, and covers a surface of 28.748 km2. The overall length
of the borderline of the Republic of Albania is 1094 km; out of which
657-km is land-border, 316-km sea-border, 48-km river-border and 73
km lake-border. The Republic of Albania, borders in the North and
North-East with Kosovo and Montenegro, on the East with the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and in the South and South-East with
the Republic of Greece. On the West, Albania is washed by the Adriatic
and Ionian seas. The average altitude is 708 m, i.e. two times higher
than that of Europe. Albania is included in the humid sub-tropical
zone of the Northern Hemisphere, and it belongs to the Mediterranean
climatic zone.