{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "<p>Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, but was conquered by Italy in 1939 and occupied by Germany in 1943. Communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960), and then with China (to 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended 46 years of isolated communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents.</p> <p>Albania has made progress in its democratic development since it first held multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. Most of Albania's post-communist elections were marred by claims of electoral fraud; however, international observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. Albania joined NATO in April 2009 and in June 2014 became an EU candidate. In April 2017, Albania received a European Commission recommendation to open EU accession negotiations following the passage of historic EU-mandated justice reforms in 2016. Albania - along with North Macedonia - opened EU accession talks in 2022. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, it has slowed, and the country is still one of the poorest in Europe. A large informal economy and a weak energy and transportation infrastructure remain obstacles.</p>"
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "41 00 N, 20 00 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Europe"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total": {
        "text": "28,748 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "27,398 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "1,350 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "slightly smaller than Maryland"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "691 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "362 km"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "territorial sea": {
        "text": "12 nm"
      },
      "continental shelf": {
        "text": "200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Adriatic Sea 0 m"
      },
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "708 m"
      }
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "42.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "28.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "28.2% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "1,820 sq km (2020)"
    },
    "Major lakes (area sq km)": {
      "fresh water lake(s)": {
        "text": "Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq km<br>note - largest lake in the Balkans"
      }
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "text": "3,101,621 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Albanian(s)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Albanian"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "Languages": {
        "text": "Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)"
      },
      "major-language sample(s)": {
        "text": "<br>Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
      }
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "17.9% (male 290,624/female 264,536)"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "67.53% (male 1,030,436/female 1,064,217)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "14.57% (2023 est.) (male 207,960/female 243,848)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "48.2"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "24.1"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "24.1"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "4.2 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "34.3 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "32.9 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "35.7 years (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "0.19% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "12.48 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "7.36 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "-3.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "64.6% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.07 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.1 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "0.97 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.85 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "26.6 years (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality ratio": {
      "text": "8 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "10.54 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "11.56 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "9.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "79.7 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "77.04 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "82.55 years (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.55 children born/woman (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Gross reproduction rate": {
      "text": "0.75 (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "46% (2017/18)"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 97.3% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 96.4% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 97% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 2.7% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 3.6% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 3% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Current health expenditure": {
      "text": "6.7% of GDP (2018)"
    },
    "Physicians density": {
      "text": "1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "2.9 beds/1,000 population (2013)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 99.8% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 99.9% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 0.2% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 0.5% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 0.1% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "21.7% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Tobacco use": {
      "total": {
        "text": "22.4% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "38.8% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "6% (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "1.5% (2017/18)"
    },
    "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": {
      "text": "67.2% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Child marriage": {
      "women married by age 15": {
        "text": "1.4%"
      },
      "women married by age 18": {
        "text": "11.8%"
      },
      "men married by age 18": {
        "text": "1.2% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "definition": {
        "text": "age 15 and over can read and write"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "98.4%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "98.7%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "98.2% (2021)"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "14 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "13 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "15 years (2020)"
      }
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "27.8%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "28%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "27.6% (2021 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity due to lack of resources for sound environmental management"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "42.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 22.3% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 3% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 17.4% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "28.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "28.2% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "64.6% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Revenue from forest resources": {
      "text": "0.18% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Revenue from coal": {
      "text": "0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Air pollutants": {
      "particulate matter emissions": {
        "text": "17.87 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)"
      },
      "carbon dioxide emissions": {
        "text": "4.54 megatons (2016 est.)"
      },
      "methane emissions": {
        "text": "2.55 megatons (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Waste and recycling": {
      "municipal solid waste generated annually": {
        "text": "1,142,964 tons (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major lakes (area sq km)": {
      "fresh water lake(s)": {
        "text": "Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq km<br>note - largest lake in the Balkans"
      }
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)"
    },
    "Total water withdrawal": {
      "municipal": {
        "text": "230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "industrial": {
        "text": "20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural": {
        "text": "550 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "30.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Republic of Albania"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Albania"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Republika e Shqiperise"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Shqiperia"
      },
      "former": {
        "text": "People's Socialist Republic of Albania"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the English-language country name seems to be derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe of the Albani; the native name \"Shqiperia\" is derived from the Albanian word \"Shqiponje\" (\"Eagle\") and is popularly interpreted to mean \"Land of the Eagles\""
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary republic"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Tirana (Tirane)"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "41 19 N, 19 49 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "daylight saving time": {
        "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the name Tirana first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear, but may derive from Tirkan Fortress, whose ruins survive on the slopes of Dajti mountain and which overlooks the city"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2020"
      }
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the \"Code of Leke\" is still present"
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "yes"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "President of the Republic Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013); Deputy Prime Minister Arben AHMETAJ (since 18 September 2021)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; election last held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 (next election to be held in 2027); prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "<em>2022: </em>Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted<em><br><br>2017:</em> Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "description": {
        "text": "unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)"
      },
      "elections": {
        "text": "last held on 25 April 2021 (next to be held in 2025)"
      },
      "election results": {
        "text": "percent of vote by party/coalition - PS 48.7%, PD-Alliance for Change 39.4%, LSI 6.8%, PSD 2.3%, other 2.8%; seats by party/coalition - PS 74, PD-Alliance for Change 59, LSI 4, PSD 3; composition - men 93, women 47, percent of women 33.6%"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman)"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president&nbsp;to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman&nbsp;is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials)"
      }
    },
    "Political parties and leaders": {
      "text": "Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)<br>Democratic Party or PD [Enkelejd ALIBEAJ, interim leader]<br>Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU [Shpetim IDRIZI] (part of the Alliance for Change)<br>Social Democratic Party or PSD [Tom DOSHI]<br>Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Monika KRYEMADHI]<br>Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]"
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO",
      "note": "<strong>note</strong>: Albania is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Floreta FABER (since 18 May 2015)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 223-4942"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 628-7342"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al<br><br>http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "New York"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Yuri KIM (since 27 January 2020)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-9510"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[355] 4 2247-285"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[355] 4 2232-222"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>ACSTirana@state.gov<br><br>https://al.usembassy.gov/"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-78); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as \"Shqiptare,\" which translates as \"sons of the eagle\""
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "black double-headed eagle; national colors: red, black"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Hymni i Flamurit\" (Hymn to the Flag)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> adopted 1912"
    },
    "National heritage": {
      "total World Heritage Sites": {
        "text": "4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)"
      },
      "selected World Heritage Site locales": {
        "text": "Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokast&euml;r (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "future hopeful EU member state; oil and gas exporter but investing toward a &ldquo;blue economy&rdquo;; COVID-19 and earthquake economic disruptions and declines; experiencing high debt and account balances; strengthening private sector growth and public sector trust"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": {
        "text": "$40.822 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": {
        "text": "$37.619 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": {
        "text": "$38.976 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "Real GDP growth rate": {
      "Real GDP growth rate 2021": {
        "text": "8.52% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2020": {
        "text": "-3.48% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2019": {
        "text": "2.09% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2021": {
        "text": "$14,500 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2020": {
        "text": "$13,300 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2019": {
        "text": "$13,700 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data are in 2017 dollars"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$15.273 billion (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": {
        "text": "2.04% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": {
        "text": "1.62% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": {
        "text": "1.41% (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Credit ratings": {
      "Moody's rating": {
        "text": "B1 (2007)"
      },
      "Standard & Poors rating": {
        "text": "B+ (2016)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained."
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "21.7% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "24.2% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "54.1% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "78.1% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "11.5% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "25.2% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "0.2% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "31.5% (2017 est.)"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-46.6% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "milk, maize, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, wheat, grapes, cucumbers, onions, apples"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "16% (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "1.378 million (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Labor force - by occupation": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "41.4%"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "18.3%"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "40.3% (2017 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "Unemployment rate 2021": {
        "text": "11.82% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2020": {
        "text": "13.33% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2019": {
        "text": "11.47% (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> these official rates may not include those working at near-subsistence farming"
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "27.8%"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "28%"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "27.6% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "14.3% (2012 est.)"
    },
    "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": {
      "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019": {
        "text": "30.8 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "4.1%"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "19.6% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$4.19 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$4.489 billion (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": {
      "text": "-2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "Public debt 2020": {
        "text": "84.06% of GDP (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2019": {
        "text": "75.7% of GDP (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Public debt 2018": {
        "text": "64.57% of GDP (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "17.02% (of GDP) (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Fiscal year": {
      "text": "calendar year"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "Current account balance 2021": {
        "text": "-$1.37 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2020": {
        "text": "-$1.315 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2019": {
        "text": "-$1.219 billion (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$5.612 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2020": {
        "text": "$3.461 billion (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2019": {
        "text": "$4.822 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports."
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Italy 45%, Spain 8%, Germany 6%, Greece 5%, France 4%, China 4% (2019)"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "leather footwear and parts, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys, clothing, insulated wiring (2021)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Albanian cannabis production remains a significant illicit trade export"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$8.004 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2020": {
        "text": "$5.671 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      },
      "Imports 2019": {
        "text": "$6.926 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars"
      }
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Italy 28%, Greece 12%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 5% (2019)"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "refined petroleum, cars, tanned hides, packaged medical supplies, footwear parts (2019)"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021": {
        "text": "$5.635 billion (31 December 2021 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": {
        "text": "$4.817 billion (31 December 2020 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": {
        "text": "$3.764 billion (31 December 2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Debt - external": {
      "Debt - external 2019": {
        "text": "$9.311 billion (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Debt - external 2018": {
        "text": "$9.547 billion (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "leke (ALL) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "103.52 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "108.65 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2019": {
        "text": "109.851 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2018": {
        "text": "107.989 (2018 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2017": {
        "text": "119.1 (2017 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity access": {
      "electrification - total population": {
        "text": "100% (2020)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "2.531 million kW (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "6,527,980,000 kWh (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "963 million kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "3.239 billion kWh (2020 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "1.054 billion kWh (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "nuclear": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "solar": {
        "text": "0.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "wind": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "hydroelectricity": {
        "text": "99.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "tide and wave": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "geothermal": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      },
      "biomass and waste": {
        "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Coal": {
      "production": {
        "text": "9,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "119,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "110,000 metric tons (2020 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "522 million metric tons (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "total petroleum production": {
        "text": "16,100 bbl/day (2021 est.)"
      },
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "26,400 bbl/day (2019 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate exports": {
        "text": "10,500 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil and lease condensate imports": {
        "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil estimated reserves": {
        "text": "150 million barrels (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - production": {
      "text": "5,638 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - exports": {
      "text": "3,250 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Refined petroleum products - imports": {
      "text": "26,660 bbl/day (2015 est.)"
    },
    "Natural gas": {
      "production": {
        "text": "42.05 million cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "42.05 million cubic meters (2019 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "3.794 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from coal and metallurgical coke": {
        "text": "235,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "3.482 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      },
      "from consumed natural gas": {
        "text": "78,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Energy consumption per capita": {
      "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": {
        "text": "38.442 million Btu/person (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "197,690 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "7 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "2,635,466 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "92 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telecommunication systems": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "Albania&rsquo;s small telecom market has experienced some significant changes in recent years;&nbsp; upgrades were made to the fixed-line infrastructure to support broadband services; fixed-line telephony use and penetration in Albania is declining steadily as subscribers migrate to mobile solutions; the mobile sector is well provided with LTE networks, while operators have invested in 5G; some of these efforts have been made in conjunction with neighboring Kosovo, with the intention of a seamless 5G corridor along the highway connecting the two countries; the country has long sought accession to the European Union (EU) which has benefited its telecoms sector through closer scrutiny of its regulatory regime and through the injection of funding to help modernize infrastructure (2021)"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "fixed-line approximately 7 per 100, teledensity continues to decline due to heavy use of mobile-cellular telephone services; mobile-cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective, 92 per 100 for mobile-cellular (2021)"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 355; submarine cables&nbsp;for the Adria 1 and Italy-Albania provide connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; a combination submarine cable and land fiber-optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "Albania has more than 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally; Albanian TV broadcasts are also available to Albanian-speaking populations in neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV broadcasts via terrestrial reception; Albania's TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; the government has pledged to provide analog-to-digital converters to low-income families affected by this decision; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2019)"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".al"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "total": {
        "text": "2.291 million (2021 est.)"
      },
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "79% (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
      "total": {
        "text": "508,937 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "18 (2020 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "2 (2020)"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "303,137 (2018)"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "ZA"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "3 (2021)"
    },
    "Airports - with paved runways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3"
      },
      "civil airports": {
        "text": "0"
      },
      "military airports": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "joint use (civil-military) airports": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "other airports": {
        "text": "1"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "498 km gas (a majority of the network is in disrepair and parts of it are missing), 249 km oil (2015)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "424 km (2017)"
      },
      "note": "2021-All the trains in the country suspended"
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3,945 km (2018)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "41 km (2011) (on the Bojana River)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "69"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "general cargo 47, oil tanker 1, other 21 (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Ports and terminals": {
      "major seaport(s)": {
        "text": "Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces<br><br>Ministry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2023)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "Military Expenditures 2023": {
        "text": "1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2022": {
        "text": "1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2021": {
        "text": "1.4% of GDP (2021)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2020": {
        "text": "1.3% of GDP (2020)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2019": {
        "text": "1.5% of GDP (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
      "text": "approximately 7,000 total active duty personnel (5,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2022)"
    },
    "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
      "text": "since joining NATO, the military has been in the process of modernizing by retiring its inventory of Soviet-era weapons and replacing them with Western equipment, including donated and secondhand purchases&nbsp; (2023)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "18-27 (up to 32 in some cases) for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2023)",
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>as of 2021, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel, including 20% of the officers"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "Albania became a member of NATO in 2009"
    }
  },
  "Terrorism": {
    "Terrorist group(s)": {
      "text": "Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)",
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix T"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Disputes - international": {
      "text": "<p>none</p>"
    },
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "1,948 (2022)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> 45,082 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-June 2023)"
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "<p>a source country for cannabis and an active transshipment point for Albanian narco-trafficking organizations moving illicit drugs into European markets</p>"
    }
  }
}