Albania

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Rivers
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labor and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Local government
- Justice and security
- Political process
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
- Cultural milieu
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Antiquity
  - The Illyrians
  - The Greeks
  - The Roman Empire
- The Byzantine Empire
  - From Illyria to Albania
  - Medieval culture
  - The decline of Byzantium
- The Ottoman Empire
  - The nature of Turkish rule
  - Albanian nationalism
- Independent Albania
  - Creating the new state
  - Bishop Noli and King Zog
  - World War II
- Socialist Albania
  - The Stalinist state
  - Collapse of communism
- Democratic Albania

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Political map of Albania showing its national boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. The map also displays the Adriatic and Ionian Seas to the west and includes a small locator inset highlighting Albania's position in southeastern Europe.

Skanderbeg Castle in Kruje, Albania, a large stone fortress with rounded and rectangular towers, stands on a hill with people and market stalls in front.

Map highlighting Albania in southeastern Europe, bordered by Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece, with the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest. The capital city, Tirana, is marked near the center of the country. Neighboring countries and bodies of water are labeled for geographic context.

Map of Albania highlighting physical features such as the North Albanian Alps, Mount Korab, Mount Gramoz, major rivers including the Erzen, Shkumbin, and Osum, and lakes such as Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa. The map also shows surrounding countries, the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and notable landforms like the Karaburun Peninsula and Kurvelesh Highland.

The mountain town of Krujë, Albania

Albania: Ethnic composition

Young girls in colorful traditional Albanian costumes dance on an outdoor stage in Tirana, holding red scarves and smiling with arms raised.

Albania: Traditional religious groups

At a Glance

default image

Albania summary

Albania: Media

country, Europe

Images

Albania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Political map of Albania showing its national boundaries, major cities, and neighboring countries including Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. The map also displays the Adriatic and Ionian Seas to the west and includes a small locator inset highlighting Albania's position in southeastern Europe.

Albania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Skanderbeg Castle in Kruje, Albania, a large stone fortress with rounded and rectangular towers, stands on a hill with people and market stalls in front.

Krujë, Albania

The fortress at Krujë, Albania.

© Dinosmichail/Dreamstime.com

Map highlighting Albania in southeastern Europe, bordered by Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece, with the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest. The capital city, Tirana, is marked near the center of the country. Neighboring countries and bodies of water are labeled for geographic context.

Albania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Map of Albania highlighting physical features such as the North Albanian Alps, Mount Korab, Mount Gramoz, major rivers including the Erzen, Shkumbin, and Osum, and lakes such as Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa. The map also shows surrounding countries, the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, and notable landforms like the Karaburun Peninsula and Kurvelesh Highland.

Albania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The mountain town of Krujë, Albania

The mountain town of Krujë, Albania

Krujë, Albania.

Robert Harding Picture Library

Young girls in colorful traditional Albanian costumes dance on an outdoor stage in Tirana, holding red scarves and smiling with arms raised.

Traditional Albanian dance

Children in Tirana, Albania, performing in traditional costumes.

© Jesse Kraft/Dreamstime.com

The Bektashi World Center in Tirana, Albania, features a large domed building with arched windows and columns, surrounded by greenery and mountains in the background.

Headquarters of the Bektashi Sufi Order

Bektashi World Center in Tirana, Albania, on September 29, 2024.

© Artur Widak—NurPhoto/Getty Images

Colorful apartment buildings in Tirana, Albania, with a prominent long pink building in the foreground and more high-rise buildings in the background.

Tirana, Albania

Apartment buildings in Tirana, Albania.

© Ozbalci—iStock/Getty Images

Rural Albania

Rural Albania

A farm outside of Theth in the Albanian Alps in northwestern Albania.

© ollirg/Shutterstock.com

Albania

Albania

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Audio

National anthem of Albania

The instrumental version of the national anthem of Albania.

Interactives

Albania: Ethnic composition

Albania: Ethnic composition

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Albania: Traditional religious groups

Albania: Traditional religious groups

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Albania: Urban-rural

Albania: Urban-rural

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Albania: Age breakdown

Albania: Age breakdown

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Albania: Major import sources

Albania: Major import sources

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Albania: Major export destinations

Albania: Major export destinations

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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