ALBANIA – THE
UNDISCORED EURPEAN COUNTRY Prepared by Diana Petrova-Frei, alumni of Sofia University,
for Czech tourists, Prague, May 2004
Introduction: Albania – the land of the eagles, the white spot on
the map of Europe, the land of contracts and of the living past, the
land with marvellous nature also called the unpolished diamond on the
Balkans – stands in front of you and provokes you with a lot of unanswered
questions and with its uncertain future. To be or not to be, to go to
visit it or not? Finally you will find
it difficult to describe what you have come through, because only when
you see it you can understand it, admire it and fell in love in it!
Geographical Facts:
1.
Geographical facts
1.1.
Location, area and borders
1.2.
Landscape and Geographical Regions (Topography)
1.3. Natural resources and energy
1.4.
Climate 1.5. Flora and fauna, national parks and forests
1.6. Water resources – rivers, lakes and coastal
lagoons 1.7. Natural hazards in Albania, Environmental issues
1.8. Population
1.9.
Some interesting facts – ghegs and tosks
Location, Area and Borders
The Republic of Albania
is situated in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, South-Eastern
Europe, between the 39˚38’ and 42˚39’ north of the equator
and between 19˚16’ and 21˚40’ east of the Greenwich meridian.
Albania ranks among the smallest countries in Europe with total surface
totals 28,748 sq km (11,100 sq miles), of which 27,398 sq km are land
area and the rest 1,350 sq km water area. In terms of total area covered
Albania places 149th among all the 255 countries in the world,
followed by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Israel, Slovenia,
Kuwait, Cyprus etc. That is Albania is amount three-times smaller than
the Czech Republic. North Albania shares
borders with Montenegro and the autonomy province of Kosovo (total 287
km), northeast with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (151 km),
and south and southeast with Greece (282 km). West and southwest Albania
has an outlet to the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The Albanian borders
have not changed considerable since 1913, when Albania was announce
an independent country.
Landscape and Geographical Regions (Topography)
Albania is mainly a
mountainous country with an average altitude of 708 m above the sea
level, compared to an average altitude of 300 m for the European continent.
The area with an altitude from 0 to 200 m (mainly plains) account for
23 pct and the area with an altitude from 200 to 1,000 m (hills) account
for 48 pct of Albania’s territory. The mountain areas (that is from
1,000 to 2,000 m) stood at 28 pct of Albanian landscape and those above
2,000 m accounts for 1.0 pct. The lowest point of 0 m is at the Adriatic
Sea and the highest point is the Mount Korab (Maja e Korabit) with 2,751
m (9,026 feet). The region of western littoral Lowlands, also known as the Western Depression is situated on
the western part of Albania. It stretches along the coastal line from
the Hoti Lake in north to the Vlora Bay in south and penetrates up to
50 km from the seashore to the mountain ranges. It covers an area of
6,500 sq km. A range of hills divides the depression into a number of
low altitude plains, picturesque with watersheds of the rivers of Drin,
Shkumbin, Seman, Mat and Vjosa. Along the seashore there are many lagoons
and wide sand stretches forming ideal bath beaches such as those of
Shengjin, Velipoja, Durres, Karavasta, Godulla, Vaini, Kenalle, Divjake,
etc. Characteristic for
the Albanian relief is the presence of inner plains, situated between
the mountain ranges, such as the Korca (Korça) plain (850 m above
the sea level), the Elbasan plain, the Peshkopoja plain, etc.
Natural Resources
and Energy
The small territory of Albania
contains variable and considerable natural resources, including petroleum,
natural gas, coal, asphalt, chromite, ferronickel, copper, cobalt, phosphorite,
bauxite, gold, silver, kaolin, clay, asbestos, magnesite, dolomite,
gypsum and salt. The petroleum and natural gas deposits are of most strategic and industrial
importance for the country. There are not accurate data on the performance
of Albania’s petroleum industry as the country considered it a state
secret since 1970. It is considered that Albania has significant petroleum
and natural-gas reserves, coal deposits, and hydroelectric-power capacity,
enough to make the country sufficient energy for domestic consumption
and to export fuels and electric power. Nevertheless mismanagement and
the lack of consistent economical policy led to power production shortfalls
in the 1990s, and forced the government to import both petroleum and
electric power. Known petroleum reserves at existing Albanian drill
sites are estimated at about 200 mln tons. Albania's petroleum reserves
are generally located in southwestern Albania, in the region between
Vlorë, Berat, and Durrës. Albania used to refine petroleum
in Ballsh, near Berat; Cërrik near Elbasan; and Kuçovë.
The three refineries had a capacity of 2.5 mln tons per year. After
the political changes in 1990-1991 the Albanian Government started negotiations
with U.S., German and Italian companies for petroleum exploring in Albania.
Albania's known natural-gas reserves
have been estimated at 22,400 mln cu m and lie mainly in the Kuçovë
and Patos areas. Albania's mineral resources are located primarily in the mountainous northern
half of the country. Albanian miners extract mainly chromium ore, ferronickel,
copper, bitumen, and salt. Chromite,
or chromium ore, is used for the production of stainless steel. Foreign
studies estimated that Albania had more than 20 million tons of chromite
reserves, located mainly near the towns of Korçë, Mat, Elbasan,
and Kukës. Albania has the potential to export chrome and chromium
products and thus to provide one of most important sources of hard-currency
income for the country. Yet, the Albanian chromium industry suffers
of antiquated Chinese equipment, used for the ore processing and inadequate
transportation facilities. In the late 1980s, Albania exported its chrome
products mainly to Sweden, the United States, the Federal Republic of
Germany (West Germany), Yugoslavia, and other East European countries.
The political chaos and poor economy in the beginning of 1990s forced
Albania to close its ferrochrome enterprises at Burrel and
Elbasan. The two enterprises need considerable investments for technological
upgrade, which the government has not managed to provide. Albania also produced copper,
iron, and nickel. The main copper
deposits, estimated at about 5.0 mln tons, were located near the northern
towns of Pukë, Kukës, and Shkodër. The government aimed
to export copper in a processed form and built smelters at Rubik, Kukës,
and Laç. The industry's product mix included blister copper,
copper wire, copper sulfate, and alloys. Albania's principal iron ore deposits, estimated at 20 mln tons in the 1930s, were located
near Pogradec, Kukës, Shkodër, and Peshkopi. The Elbasan Steel
Combine was Albania's largest industrial complex, outfitted with Chinese
equipment. Annual nickel
output ranged from 7,200 to 9,000 tons in the 1980s. Albanian bitumen and asphalt
deposits were located near the town of Selenicë and in the Vjosë
River valley. Geologists estimated that the Selenicë deposits would
not be exhausted until several decades into the twenty-first century
at normal production rates. Albania also possesses abundant
deposits of salt, found near
Kavajë and Vlorë. Limestone,
a principal raw material for Albania's construction industry, is quarried
throughout the country. Albania used to provide and provides
most of its electricity needs from hydropower plants. The main hydropower plants were built after 1947.
The Koman hydroelectric plant on the Drin River is the largest power
station in Albania and is outfitted with French-built turbines. It had
a capacity of about 600 megawatts. The hydroelectric stations at Fierzë
and Dejas, also on the Drin River, use Chinese-built turbines. Albanian
officials estimated country’s electricity output at 3,984,000 megawatt
hours in 1988. Now the Albanian government implements a lot of projects
for modernising its existing power plants and finances research projects
on the construction of new ones. Albania is considered to not have a
capacity to generate nuclear power, but in the early 1990s a research
nuclear reactor was reportedly under construction with United Nations
funds. Albania used to export electricity
to Yugoslavia and Greece, yet droughts in the late 1980s and in 1990
brought an energy crisis and a sharp drop in earnings from electric-power
exports. In 1991 heavy rainfall allowed Albania to resume electric-power
exports, but the global heating of climate since mid-1990s caused serious
power crisis and urged the country to import electricity in the beginning
of 21st century. According to the Albanian statistics, the country’s
electricity self-sufficiency dropped to 46 pct by the end of December
2002 from 66 pct in December 2001. Power cuts of up to 18 hours a day
were not rare all over the country. The country overcame the electricity
crisis in 2003 and resumed exports. Yet, the blackouts in the country
continued not because of electricity shortage, but due to the underdeveloped
electricity transmission grid. In the early 1990s, labor strikes and
transformer burnouts, caused by the overloading of circuits, and the
chaos caused by the economic collapse led to the destruction of about
25 pct of Albania's 30,000 km power-distribution network. Although the
electrical grid reached rural areas by 1970, the amount of power per
household in farm areas was limited to 200 watts, only enough to power
light bulbs. At the present, the country develops projects for finding
out alternative resources for power generating, including construction
of a thermal power plant in Vlora.
Climate
Albania is a zone with
Mediterranean climate, characterised
with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters with abundant rainfalls.
Yet in the mountain regions, (so called Inlands) prevails a continental
climate with marked seasonal extremes of temperatures, while in the
littoral Lowlands the climate resembles a subtropical one. In general the period from June
to September is hot, while from October to May it is cold and wet. The
meteorological conditions change from southwest to northwest in a downward
tendency concerning the temperatures and the precipitation. The annual average temperature varies from
14.8˚C in northern Albania to 16.5˚C in the southern part
of the country. July is the hottest
month in Albania with average temperature of 25˚C. The highest
summer temperature of 43.9˚C is registered at Kucova. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 6˚C.
Eastern Albania in general characterises with very cold winters. The
lowest temperature of -34˚C is recorded at the resort of Biza,
35 km east of Tirana. Average annual precipitation
in Albania ranges from about 1,000 mm per sq m (39 inches) on the coast
to nearly 2,500 mm per sq m (99 inches) in the northern mountainous
regions. The highest annual precipitation of 3,094 mm per sq m is registered
around the northern Albanian village of Boga, in the northern Albanian
Alps, ranking Boga among the regions with highest precipitation in the
European continent. The slight precipitations of 638 mm per sq m in
Sheqerës and of 790 mm per sq m in Korca are registered in southern
Albania. Summer precipitations are slight throughout the country. Snowfalls meet seldom in seaside
areas and no snow cover holds there. In northern Albania, around the
Shkodër Lake (Scutari Lake) the snow averagely holds 4-5 days a
year, while in the Korça plain it holds about 35 days a year.
In northern Albania, in northern Albanian Alps and in Vermosh region
the snow holds 99 days a year and the snow cover reached to 2-3 m. The winds in Albania are numerous
and have seasonal character. The sea breezes (mainly in the months of
June, July and August), ice winds in northern Albania and hot and dry
winds blowing in southwestern direction are the most typical of the
country. So called “Murlan” cold dry and very strong wind is most characteristic
winter wind in Albania. The “Sorocco” or native “Juga” wind is warm
and moist oppressive wind, which brings most of the rainfalls in the
mountainous regions.
Flora and Fauna, National
Parks and Forests
The great relief and
climate variety on a considerably small territory of Albania explains
the presence of rich plant and animal life. In Albania grow about
3,200 plant varieties, which represent 29 pct of the flora of the European
continent and 47 pct of the Balkan Peninsula flora. Mediterranean evergreen
bushes characterise the flora of western Albania, whereas plant life of Central Europe, such as
broad-leaf and coniferous trees, is predominant in the Albanian inland
areas. Alpine plant life of various grasses grows in the northern Albanian
Alps, forming excellent summer pastures for the livestock. The flora
of Albania is very rich in medicinal plants and herbs such as juniper berry (õâîéíà, ñìðèêà), sage (Salvia officinalis, ãðàäèíñêè ÷àé), thyme (Thymus, ìàùåðêà), squill (Scilla,
ñèí÷åö), salep (ñàëåï, îðõèäåÿ), mint (Mentha, äæîäåí), etc. Albania has a great
variety of animal life, which
includes the typical for the Balkans and Europe animal life, some of
which are very rare and near extinction. The variety of wild animals
includes wolves, bears, does and deer (ñúðíè è åëåíè), wild
boars, wild goats, foxes, lynxes (ðèñ), weasels (íåâåñòóëêà), otters (âèäðà), jackals, hares (çàåê) etc., wild
birds such as partridges (ÿðåáèöà), eagles, turtle-doves
(ãóðãóëèöà), wild cocks, pheasants etc., as well as aquatic
birds like wild ducks, wild geese,
herons (÷àïëà), swans, pelicans etc. Albania also has a great variety
of fishes. About 290 varieties, some of which extremely rare breed (propagate)
in Albania’s coastal line, rivers, lakes and swamps (òðåñàâèùå, ìî÷óðèùå). In Albania wild animals and birds
of prey are property of the state. The Albanian authorities have established
23 hunting reserves with a total area of about 35,000 hectares in efforts
to limit the illegal hunting in the country. Hunting is permitted only
upon special license issued by the Albanian Directorate of Forest and
Pastures. There are seven main hunting reserves in Albania: Velipoje
(Skrodra), alongside the Adriatic Sea and Buna River); Fushë Kuqe
– Patok (Laçi), alongside the Adriatic Sea and between Mati and
Ishmi rivers; Rrushkulli (Durrës), in the outlet of Erzeni River
and beside the Adriatic Sea; Karavasta-Divjaka (Lushnja), along the
Adriatic Sea and between the outlet of Shkumbini River and the Karavasta
Lagoon; Pishë – Poro (Fier) and Pishë – Poro (Vlora), both
alongside the Adriatic Sea and to the outlet of Vjosa River; and Kune-Vaini
(Lezha), in the outlet of Drin River. There are also established several
protected areas in Albania, which are intended for protection and preservation
of the natural biodiversity. These protected areas include six national parks, which are mainly in forestland
areas. The National Park of Lura is situated in Dibra region. It covers an area
of 1,280 ha, including 869 ha of forest area, 100 ha of rocky land,
50 ha of meadows and 27 ha of lakes. The wild life of the park is represented
by bears, wolves, rabbits, wild cocks, woodpeckers, cuckoos, etc. The National Park of Dajti is situated in Tirana region. It spreads over
an area of 2,119 ha, including 1,600 ha of forest and undergrowth and
the rest of meadows and rocky land. Wild boars, foxes, mountain partridge,
rabbots and rarely the ursus acto
bear. The National Park of Bredhi i Drenoves (also known as Bozdoveci) is situated
in Korça region and covers an area of 1,380 ha, of which 750
ha is forest area. The park’s altitude is between 1,170 and 1,190 m
above the sea level. Bears, wolves, rabbits, eagles, etc. are found
there. The National Park of Llogara is located 38 km southeast of Vlora and spreads
over an area of 1,010 ha, consisting of 800 ha of forest and the rest
of pastures, meadows and rocky land. The park’s altitude varies from
475 to 2,018 m above the sea level. Wild boars, wolves, foxes, eagles,
wild pigeons, etc. breed in the park. The National Park of Divjaka is situated 30 km from Lushnja, along the
Adriatic Sea and has a total area of 1,250 ha. A Mediterranean coniferous
forest, the only of this kind in Albania, wild animals and birds including
foxes, martens (áÿëêà), badgers (ÿçîâåö), ferrets (ïîð), wild ducks and geese,
white stork, snipes (ãîëÿìà áåêàñèíà), sea eagles etc., as well as rare species, such as a Dalmatian Pelican can be seen in the park.
Most of the Albanian parks offer
recreation facilities for the visitors. Albania is rich in forests, which
cover an area of 11,000 sq km or about 37 pct of Albania’s territory.
High forests account for 46 pct of the Albania’s forestland and coppice
(29 pct) and scrub (25 pct) takes the remaining area. The forestland takes
mainly the northern, north-eastern and south-eastern Albania.
Water resources –
rivers, lakes and coastal lagoons Albania is also rich in water
resources, rivers, natural and artificial lakes and coastal lagoons,
which are mainly used for irrigation, hydropower generation, treatment,
fishing and tourism. Albania’s total inland water surface totals 1,350
sq km. The river network expand on 721 km. The river regime is inconstant
with differences in the water amount from season to season. The most
important rivers in Albania are Drin in the north, Shkumbin and Seman
in the north. The Drin River is 285 km long and has two arms, White and Black Drin,
the first coming from Kosovo and the other from the Ohrid Lake. The
two water arms join near Kukes and further goes east, flowing in the
Adriatic sea at the Drin Bay, south of Shengjin. The river is of economical
importance as along its steam are built the high-power hydro stations
of Komani, Fierza and Vau i Dejes. The Shkumbin River is 181 km long and divides Albania in two part, which are historically called Ghegeria (Gegëria, the land of the northern Albanians, called ghegs, gegë) and Toskaria (Toskëria, the land of the southern Albanians, tosks). (For the differences between ghegs and tosks see further). The longest river is Albania
is the Seman River, which
is 281 km long and joins the waters of the Devoll and Osum rivers. It
flows in south of the Shkumbin outfall (mouth). The Vjosa River is 272 km long
and springs from the Pind Mountain in Greece. Other rovers to mention
are the Mat, Erzen and Ishem rivers. Albania is rich in natural and
artificial lakes. There are 247 natural lakes (400 km) in Albania with
tectonic, Karst-tectonic, Karst and glacial origin. There are four main natural freshwater
lakes in Albania, Shodra, Ohrid, Prespa and Butrint lakes (total 326
km). The Shkoder Lake is situated in the northern part of Albania at the Albania-Montenegrin
border and is the biggest lake of the Balkan Peninsula. It covers a
total area of 368 sq km, of which 149 sq km belong to Albania. It is
a Karst-tectonic lake, 48 km long and 26 km wide with an average depth
of 10 m. The Buna River links the Shkoder Lake with the Adriatic Sea.
The lake is of great economic importance as in its region is built a
hydroelectric system. The Ohrid tectonic lake is
in southeastern Albania determines the border with the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. It has a total water area of 363 sq km, of which
111 sq km are included in the Albanian territory. It is 30 km long,
14.5 km wide and with a maximum depth of 295 km (or 287 km). It is the
deepest lake of the Balkan Peninsula. In the summer period the temperature
of the lake waters reaches 22˚C and is therefore preferred for
summer and recreation tourism, as well as for fishing. The Prespa tectonic lake is
situated at the border area between Albania, the Republic of Macedonia
and Greece. The lake has a total water area of 285 sq km, of which 50
sq km belong to Albania. The lake is situated at 853 m above the sea
level and is considered the highest lake of the Balkans. It is connected
with the Ohrid Lake by underground channels. The Butrint Lake is situated
at the Albanian-Greek border. It is a tectonic lake, which currently
is 7.5 km long, being a result of gradual silting up this inlet with
soils brought down by Bistrica River in the north side and Pavllo River
in the South from surrounding mountain ranges. It used to be a sea inlet
that stretched 20 km to north of Butrint. In the region between the rivers
of Shkumbin and Devoll are situated the so called 85 Dumbeja small lakes, whose diameter varies from 25 to 160 m. The twelve glacial Lura lakes are situated in the northern
part of Albania at an attitude of 1,600 m above the sea level and cover
an area of 100 ha. The Lura lakes are often named the “pearls of Albania”.
Albania also has numerous artificial
lakes (174 km) created as a result of the construction of hydropower
stations. The largest artificial lakes (dams) are concentrated in northern
Albania, around Tropoje, Kukes and Shkoder. Albania has also a number of
coastal lagoons with a total surface of 10.000 ha (130 sq km). The more
important lagoons are Karavasta lagoon with a surface of 3.900 ha, Narta
lagoon with a surface of 2.800 ha and Butrinti lagoon with a surface
of 1.600 ha. Many migratory birds can be found in the coastal lagoons.
Along the Albanian costal line
there are twenty-four zones with a high potential for tourism development,
including tourism villages and marinas.
Natural hazards in Albania, Environmental issues
Destructive earthquakes,
(high tidal waves) tsunami along the south-western coast, floods and
droughts are among the main natural hazards that meet in Albania. Albania belongs to
Ionia-Adriatic seismologic zone. Albania is considered a country with
high-seismic activity as at least one earthquake at 9 degree on Richter
scale is registered in the country every 25 years. Four to five average
earthquakes at 4-5 degrees on Richter
scale happen annually in Albania. The high seismic zones in Albania
include the northern region of Shkoder, also western Albania and Korce
– Ohrid - Peshkopi area. The less seismic zone in the country is the
region of Albanian Alps. In the ancient and medieval times are mentioned
earthquakes in Apollonia, Durres, Butrint and Kruja. During the 20th
century powerful earthquakes are registered in Shkoder, Ohrid region,
Tepelena, Vlora, Korca, Peshkopi, Lushnje, Fier, Berat, Diber, Librazhd,
etc. Among the most powerful
earthquakes registered in Albania was that of November 20, 1920 in Tepelena,
as a consequence of which were registered 36 died people, 102 wounded
and 15,000 unsheltered. Some 2,500 houses were ruined during the earthquake.
A total of 177 villages were destroyed, 12 people died and 174 others
were wounded at an earthquake in the regions of Diber, Librazhd, on
November 30, 1967. A total of 17,118 houses and administrative buildings
were damaged in an earthquake in Shkoder, Lezha regions in April 1979.
The latest earthquakes in Albania happened on January 12, 1997 with
4.7 magnitude (out of a 0.00 to 9.9 magnitude scale), registered in
the regions of Berat, Ura Vajgurore, Gramsh, Cerrik, and on September
30, 1998 with magnitude 5.1, which touched Kukes and Peshkopi regions.
Since the beginning
of 19th century were registered five tsunami events within the Albanian territory,
the latest of which was that on November 26, 1920, which touched southern
Albania, which was estimated at 6.3 EQ Mag (earthquake magnitude). Flooding and droughts
are frequent problem in Albania. Albania belongs to the countries with
a high risk of flooding as most Mediterranean countries. The flooding is usually resulting from snow
melting and torrential rains in the spring and autumn periods, which
cause sudden changes in river slopes. Other factor for frequent flooding
in Albania is that over 50 pct of the population lives in plains with
an altitude of below 100 m above see level. Therefore the flooding usually
causes devastation of spring and autumn agricultural crops (sown fields)
and damages on family houses mainly in village areas. The lowlands along
the Adriatic Sea cost and the inner mountainous plains are the areas
with highest risk of flooding in Albania. Although the flooding in Albania
is considered a natural phenomenon, the intensity and the frequency
of flooding have been increased due to the reckless deforestation in
the country. The droughts
usually occur in the summer period and often bring to electricity (energy)
crisis in the country, as about 90 pct of Albanian power production
is provided by hydropower stations. The electricity blackouts further
cause shortage of running water in the town regions as the water supply
is usually carried out in electricity pumps. Yet, Albania makes best
possible to over come these problems, such as to modernise its power
grid, to look for alternative sources of electricity and to upgrade
the water supply networks in the country. The summer draughts also bring
wild fires in Albania, mainly in the forests
of Lura, Munella, Martanesh, in the region of Llogara, the hills of
Renc, etc. Geographic and climate
conditions of the country, and especially in mountainous regions, are
favourable for the development of avalanches.
Avalanches occur most frequently in the Alps of Albania and central
mountain regions, at slopes with more than 30°-40° dip.
The avalanches bring about destruction
of houses located in mountain area and claim (take) human lives. Dangerous avalanches take place about every
10 years. Albania also faces
soil erosion, deforestation and water pollution from industrial and
domestic effluents. Soil
erosion and deforestation are among
the most serious environmental problems in Albania today. According
to a research of the World Bank made in 1993 the soil erosion in Albania
is estimated from 32 to 185 tonnes per hectare. The area where the soil
erosion proves to be the main impediment for development is estimated
at about 350,000 ha at present. The deforestation in Albania
it has started more than five hundred year ago when most of the oak
forests in southern Albania were cut in order to be built merchant ships
for Venice. The forest cutting is later seen as cheapest and easiest
way for providing wood for fuel. Illegal cutting for commercial purposes
still remains wide-spread and the Albanian authorities proved inefficient
in their efforts to limit it. Forest and pastures make up 50 pct of
the Albania’s natural resources and represent a really large area with
high potential for the development of the country, if managed properly.
Albania has signed international
agreements concerning biodiversity, climatic change, desertification,
hazardous wastes, ozone layer protection, etc, but has ratified none
of the agreements yet. Albania also sees high problems
with the environmental protection
and mainly with the air pollution. Ecological disaster threatens
Albania due to the high pollution caused by poisonous gases emitted
in the atmosphere. In May 2004, the level of the poisonous substances
in the air was 10 times above the permissible standard, set by the World
Health Organisation (WHO).The mortality as a result of diseases on the
respiratory system ranked third-largest in Albania in 2003. Albanian
capital Tirana is currently considered one of the most polluted cities
in the world, along with New Delhi, India, and Beijing, China. According
to the Albanian National Institute of Environment, about 50,000 tonnes
of damaging particles, including carbon dioxide, fall annually on Tirana
or an average of 48 kg of per capita. Experts estimate the number of
death cases as a result of a pollution caused illnesses, including cancer,
cardiovascular and pneumonia diseases, has increased by 20 pct in Tirana
over the last two years. About 90 pct of the 100,000 motor vehicles
driven in the capital are old wrecks, purchased cheaply in second hand
from the European auto markets and already banned in the EU countries.
Some 70 pct of the vehicles are supplied with diesel engines and the
rest with petrol ones and are usually running with cheapest fuels, containing
huge quantity of lead and sulfur. The daily pollution level in Elbasan,
eastern Albania, is 15 times above the permissible level. As a result
the number of babies born with deformity in the Elbasan region shows
an increasing trend. Cement and metal-producing factories in Elbasan
annually emit 40,000 tonnes of dust. The experts warn that there are
about 10,000s of tones of chemicals and toxic waste among the ruins
of abandoned factories dating from the communist era. The Albanian officials
threatened to further close downfactories not taking environmental protection
measures, but without any result so far. At least $1.0 bln are needed
for implementing of effective anti-pollution measures in Albania, according
to the Albanian Environmental Minister Ethem Ruka. Meanwhile, the Albanian
Government proves to beinconsistent in its policy and is about to sign
(in June 2004) an agreement on importing wastes from Italy, although
such eventual agreement violates the Albanian laws and represents a
further threat to health of the Albanian population, which is not able
to manage with its own waste.
Population
The number of Albania’s population
has increased considerably over the last century. According to the statistics
in 1923 the population of Albania stood at 804,000, in 1938 it totaled
1,040,000 and in 1979 it was 2,600,000, t.e. it tripled over a 50-year
period. According to preliminary data of the Albanian National Statistics
Institute from July 2001, the population of Albania totals 3,087,159.
Yet the Albanian population was estimated at 3,544,841 in 2002. The
population density is 113.3 inhabitants per sq km (2001 est). The Albanian nation is not only
the quickest growing, but also the youngest nation in Europe. The average
age of the Albanian population is 26 years. The inhabitants up to 14
years account for 28.8 pct, those aging from 15 to 64 years are 64 pct
and people over 65 years old account for 7.2 pct of the population.
The population growth rate of Albania is estimated at 1.06 pct (2002
estimates), compared to 0.97 pct estimated in 2001. The average fertility
rate in the country is 2.27 children per woman (2002 est.) The sex ration
is 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.).
The average life expectancy in Albania is 72.1 years. Albania belongs to the one of
the most ethnically clean countries, where the Albanians account for
95 pct (1989 est.) of the population (99 pct according to the official
Albanian statistics), while Greek account for 3.0 pct and the rest 2.0
pct consists of Vlahs (Arumanians), Gypsies, Serbs and Bulgarians. About
70 pct of the Albanian population is Muslims (belonging to the Muslim
Bektashi sect), 20 pct are Orthodox and 10 pct of Catholics. The Muslims
are mainly living in central Albania and the urban areas in northern
Albania, the Orthodox are concentrated in southern Albania and the Catholics
are settled in high mountain areas in northern Albania. Although the
religious diversity Albania is famous with its religious observances,
which is somehow understandable due to long-year prohibition of religion
beliefs from 1967 to 1990, but not only. The work force in Albania is
estimated at 1.5 million. About 60 pct of the work active population
is employed in the agriculture sector and the rest 40 pct in the sectors
of industry and commerce. The net migration rate of the
country is -1.46 migrants/1,000 population. There are about 6.0 million
Albanians living out of Albanian borders. After the Turkish invasion
in Albania, many Albanians immigrated into Italy, whose nowadays descendants
are called Arbëresh and are concentrated mainly in Sicily and Calabria.
In the Middle Ages many Albanians also settled in northern Greece. They
call themselves Arvanits or Chams according to the name of the north
Epirus region known as Chameria (Çamëria). Considerably
territories with compact Albanian population, including Kosovo, Montenegro,
Macedonia and Greece also remain out of Albania after the London Conference
of the Great Powers in 1913, at which were chartered the borders of
Albania. There are no exact statistics showing how many Albanians live
in the neighboring to Albania countries, but they are approximately
estimated between 1.5 million and 2.0 million, which surely over 1.0
million (or about 2.0 million) are living in Kosovo and over 300,000 in Macedonia. Mass emigrations have happened
in Albania since 1990, mainly due to the pour living condition caused
by the uneasy transition from communist regime with centralized economy
to modern society with open-market economy. There are about 480,000
Albanian emigrants in Greece, 180,000 emigrants in Italy, 12,000 in
the USA, 11,650 in Germany and about 5,000 in Canada. There are as well
Albanian colonies in Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Argentina
and Australia. From anthropological
point of view, the Albanians belong to so called Adriatic-type. It is
considered that the Albanians are nowadays descendants of the old Illyrians.
There are anthropological, archaeological, linguistic, etc. proofs in
favour of the thesis. Yet, other factors which have had influence upon the forming of Albanian nationality should
be also considered, exp. the Slav settlement on the Balkan Peninsula in 6-7 cent. AC, the inclusion of the Albanian
territories within the borders of different mediaeval countries, the
natural factors and the vicissitudes of the history, which enabled the
Albanians to keep their unique originality.
Some interesting facts:
ghegs and tosks
The Albanians usually differs
themselves to ghegs or northern Albanians (including also the Kosovo
Albanians) and tosks, southern Albanians. The Shkumbin River, which
in deed separates the Albanian territory in two parts, northern Albania
(Gegëria) and southern (Toskëria), is
the natural border between the two regions. The differences between
the two Albanian groups exist for centuries and include differences
in spoken language (gheg and tosk dialects, of which the latter was
the basis for the contemporary standard Albanian language), in the manner
of life, in their material and spiritual culture and religion. Historically
the ghegs belonged to the Roman Catholic Church since the middle ages,
while the tosks were part of the Orthodox Church. After the Turkish
invasion many Albanians and mainly those in the urban areas and central
Albania converted to Muslims, but they do not lose their ethnical feeling.
The gheg social organisation was tribal and grounded on strong family
(genetic) relations and united in big families or in so called fis-es.
Nowadays the Ghegs are considered the real descendants of the ancient
Illyrians and they distinguish with their crude and resolute character.
During the Turkish rule the tosks had already given up their tribal
organisation and substituted it with territory social organisation based
on villages, while the ghegs living in mountainous regions managed to
keep their independence and social organisation, paying taxes to the
Turkish administration. The ghegs were free to live in conformity with
their tribal customs and their ordinary law, also known as Kanuni i
Lekë Dukëgjinit, which was in force until the 30-es of twentieth
century. The Albanians consider the characters of their politicians and statesmen
are related with the traditions and the peculiarities of their birthplace.
The North and the mountains regions are considered to give birth to
lion-type politicians of an unbending and more assertive character such
as Sali Berisha (leader of the Albanian Party of Democrats and former
Albanian president, whose origin is from the Shkoder region). Meanwhile
the South cradles fox-type politicians, who are inclined to compromises
and are more flexible and open-minded such as Fatos Nano (the leader
of the Albanian Socialist Party and several times Prime Minister of
Albania, born in Tirana). |