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Geography of Albania

Location:Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Serbia to the north
Geographic coordinates:41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:Europe
Area:total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km
water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km
Coastline:362 km
Maritime claims:territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Terrain:mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Natural resources:petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Land use:arable land: 20.1%
permanent crops: 4.21%
other: 75.69% (2005)
Irrigated land:3,530 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues:deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Albania Quickstats

  • Population: 3,600,523 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 28,748 sq km
  • Density: 134 /km²
  • GDP (total): $19.818 billion¹ (112th)
  • GDP (per capita): $6,259 (100th)
  • Literacy: 98.7%

Languages of Albania

Useful to know

  • Currency: Lek (ALL)
  • Dial code: +355

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