The World Factbook (1982)/Albania

by the Central Intelligence Agency

ALBANIA

(See reference map V)

LAND

28,749 km²; 19% arable, 24% other agricultural, 43% forested, 14% other

Land boundaries: 716 km

WATER

Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 15 nm

Coastline: 418 km (including Sazan Island)

PEOPLE

Population: 2,792,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 2.1%

Nationality: noun—Albanian(s); adjective—Albanian

Ethnic divisions: 96% Albanian, remaining 4% are Greeks, Vlachs, Gypsies, and Bulgarians

Religion: 70% Muslim, 20% Albanian Orthodox, 10% Roman Catholic; observances prohibited; Albania claims to be the world's first atheist state

Language: Albanian, Greek

Literacy: about 70%; no reliable current statistics available, but probably greatly improved

Labor force: 911,000 (1969); 60.5% agriculture, 17.9% industry, 21.6% other nonagricultural

GOVERNMENT

Official name: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Type: Communist state

Capital: Tiranë

Political subdivisions: 27 rethet (districts), including capital

Legal system: based on constitution adopted in 1976; judicial review of legislative acts only in the Presidium of the People's Assembly, which is not a true court; legal education at State University of Tiranë; has not accepted compulsory 1CJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 November

Branches: People's Assembly, Council of Ministers, judiciary

Government leaders: Chairman, Council of Ministers (Premier), Adil CARCANI; Chairman, Presidium of the People's Assembly, Haxhi LLESHI (chief of state)

Suffrage: universal and compulsory over age 18

Elections: national elections theoretically held every four years; last elections 6 November 1978; 99.99% of electorate voted

Political parties and leaders: Albanian Workers Party only; First Secretary, Enver Hoxha

Communists: 101,500 party members (November 1976)

Member of: CEMA, FAO, IAEA, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO; has not participated in CEMA since rift with USSR in 1961; officially withdrew from Warsaw Pact 13 September 1968

ECONOMY

GNP: $1.2 billion in 1972 (at 1970 prices), $520 per capita

Agriculture: food deficit area; main crops—corn, wheat, tobacco, sugar beets, cotton; food shortages—wheat; caloric intake, 2,503 calories per day per capita (1972/74)

Major industries: agricultural processing, textiles and clothing, lumber, and extractive industries

Shortages: spare parts, machinery and eauipment, wheat

Electric power: 1,390,000 kW capacity (1981); 4.350 billion kWh produced (1981), 1,575 kWh per capita

Exports: $150.5 million (1978 est.); 1964 trade—55% minerals, metals, fuels; 23% foodstuffs (including cigarettes); 17% agricultural materials (except foods); 5% consumer goods

Imports: $173.4 million (1978); 1964 trade—50% machinery, equipment, and spare parts; 16% minerals, metals, fuels, construction materials; 16% foodstuffs; 7% consumer goods; 7% fertilizers, other chemicals, rubber; 4% agricultural materials (except foodstuffs)

Monetary conversion rate: 4.14 leks=US$l (1980)

Fiscal year: same as calendar year; economic data reported for calendar years except for caloric intake, which is reported for consumption year 1 July-30 June

COMMUNICATIONS

Railroads: 277 km standard gauge (1.435 m), single track, government owned (1975)

Highways: 4,989 km total; 1,287 km paved, 1,609 km crushed stone and/or gravel, 2,093 km improved or unimproved earth (1975)

Inland waterways: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1979)

Freight carried: rail—2.8 million metric tons, 180 million metric ton/km (1971); highways—39 million metric tons, 900 million metric ton/km (1971)

'Ports: 1 major (Durres), 3 minor (1979)

Pipelines: crude oil, 117 km; refined products, 65 km; natural gas, 64 km

Civil air: no civil airline

DEFENSE FORCES

Military manpower: males 15-49, 721,000; 597,000 fit for military service; 31,000 reach military age (19) annually

Ships: 4 submarine, 2 mine warfare ships, 54 coastal patrol-river/roadstead craft, 6 mine warfare craft, 2 under-way replenishment ships, 1 other auxiliary

Military budget announced: for fiscal year ending 31 December 1981, 940 million leks; 11.5% of total budget