Albania: Difference between revisions

Republic of Albania
*Republika e Shqipërisë*
Republic of Albania Republika e Shqipërisë
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: none
	Anthem: Hymni i Flamurit; ("Hymn to the Flag")
Capital and largest city	Tirana
Official languages	Albanian
Government	Emerging democracy
• President	Alfred Moisiu
• Prime Minister	Sali Berisha
Independence From Ottoman Empire
• Date	November 28, 1912
• Water (%)	4.7%
Population
• 2006 estimate	3,581,656 (134th)
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$16,944 billion (112th)
• Per capita	$4,764 (116th)
HDI (2003)	0.780; high (72nd)
Currency	Lek (ALL)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	355
ISO 3166 code	AL
Internet TLD	.al

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The Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë, IPA [ɾɛˈpubliˌka ɛ ˌʃcipəˈɾis]) is a Balkan country in Southeastern Europe. It borders Montenegro to the north, the southern Serbian province of Kosovo in the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia in the east, and Greece in the south. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west and a coast on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. Despite having a troubled history, the country has been classified as an emerging democracy since the 1990s.

History

See also Illyria, Illyricum, Dalmatia, History of Albania

Many Historians believe Albanians to be the direct descenants of Illyrians. Some however disagree over the origin of the Illyrians. Some of them maintain that the Illyrians descended from the pre-Indo-European Pelasgians, while other scholars place them in the later wave of Indo-European invasions. Their presence can be traced back to the formulation of their political structure in the 7th and 6th centuries BCE. Excellent metal craftsmen and fierce warriors, the Illyrians formed warlord-based kingdoms that fought amongst themselves for most of their history. Only during the 6th century did the Illyrians venture significant raids against their immediate neighbours: the kingdom of the Molossians in southern Albania, the kingdom of Macedon, and the kingdom of Paionia.

The True Albanian History

The lands that are today inhabited by Albanians began to be inhabited ever since the Paleolithic Age (Stone Age), over 100,000 years ago. The first zones that were initially settled were those with adequate geographical conditions. In Albania, the earliest settlements have been discovered in the Gajtan cavern (Shkodra), in Konipsol, at mount Dajti, and at Xara (Saranda). Primitive peoples lived in secluded groups, mainly in dry caves that would also protect from the wind. They used stones and bones as their tools. Places such as caverns and terrains close to rivers were used to work on stone. In any case, the tools from this age were simple and created primarily from stone. Paleolithic peoples fed on collected products from plants and hunting wild animals. Because of the harsh conditions that they lived in, they had a short lifespan of around 21-30 years, with a higher youth mortality. The common fight for coping with the living conditions led to the strengthening of connections among the members of each group and in the change of the organization of the primitive peoples. At the end of the Paleolithic Age, the primitives transformed to a grouping among blood lines where the origins were traced to the mother. Thus a matriarchal society developed, which became common in later periods in the Neolithic age (New Stone Age). The inhabitation of Albanian lands increased in the Neolithic age. People began to abandon caverns and settle in open areas. Neolithic people were more prone to build their settlements in open fields or next to rivers. A large number of such settlements are discovered in Albania, Kosova, Montenegro, and Macedonia.

Aboriginals gradually crossed to stable settlements and developed an agricultural economy. They knew how to plant barley, millet, and rice. This was associated with the development of a matriarchy and thus this epoch saw the beginning of paired marriages.

Aboriginal Discoveries

Among the most prominent inventions during the Paleolithic Age was the invention of fire, which aided many of the ancient inhabitants in cooking their foods and for warmth. The cooking of foods by fire brought qualitative changes to the digestive organs of humans. Economic changes and social organization of the epoch influenced in other technical inventions. Humans learned to work with mud and make utensils, which were frequently artistically decorated. They also learned to work with fabric and build huts made of canes and layered with mud for protection against the wind. In the Neolithic epoch, tools were much perfected in contrast with the prior epoch.

New tools were also invented. Spades for working the land and hammers were made out of deer horns. Fishing increased and was improved with the creation of fishing nets and hooks. Tools for hunting wild animals were also invented or refined. The economy was further expanded with the taming of wild animals. Although primitive, hunting enabled people of this epoch to tame the sheep, goat, horse, and dog. All of these circumstances forced the connection of generic groups, improved connections with other groups and stimulated exchanges even in far away regions. In the Bronze Age, 3000-2100 B.C., new changes came about. The stockbreeding and agricultural economies separated, enabling specific groups to master either stockbreeding or agriculture. Shepherds were more nomadic and began to live again in caves. New settlements were founded and people began to build settlements next to rivers, with the foundations being in the rivers. The new techniques of this time were the making of tools from bronze. The land began to be worked on with the help of animals. The stockbreeding economy gave an advantage to men and the matriarchal system began to weaken. Thus this epoch produced the patriarchal system, which was further strengthened in the Iron age.

Pelasgians

The Bronze Age is characterized with the shifting of demographics. Stockbreeding people came from the east around mid 3000s B.C. to the beginning of 2000s B.C.. They mixed with the indigenous peoples and thus created the Indo-European peoples of the Balkans. This population is believed to be the ancient Pelasgians, which have been mentioned frequently by ancient writers as Homer, Herodotus, and Thucydides. The Pelasgians are known as the most ancient inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula, living before Illyrian or Greek times. From their first appearance in the region, the Pelasgians used a matriarchal system. Many different opinions have been given when it comes to their ethnic make up. From the 17 th century, specifically from the Albanian Rilindja (Rebirth), the theory that the Pelasgian language is connected with Albanian is dominant among Albanian and foreign researchers. The most active supporter of this theory was Austrian linguist Hahn.

Throughout the Bronze epoch began the differentiation of populations by ethnicity. Herodotus, ancient Greek historian in the 5 th century B.C., writes about the Pelasgians that continued to live in Greece. According to him, the language of the Pelasgians was different from Greek. They dealt with agriculture and the sea, and were excellent builders. The Pelasgians built the wall around the Acropolis of Athens and were rewarded with lands in Attica by the Athenians. These worthless lands were turned into excellent agricultural resources by the Pelasgians.

Illyrians

The peoples that became known the most in ancient Balkan history are the Greeks, Illyrians, and Thracians. The Illyrians, with the Pelasgians being their ancestors, are the oldest inhabitants of the Balkan Peninsula. They are aborigines. The Illyrians created and developed their culture, language and anthropological features in the western part of the Balkans, where the ancient writers mention them in their works. The regions that the Illyrians inhabited are considerably expansive. They include the entire western Peninsula, north to central Europe, South to the Ambracian Gulf (Preveza, Greece), and east around the Lyhind Lake (Ohrid Lake). Other Illyrian tribes also migrated and developed in Italy. Among them are the Messapi and Japyges. The name Illyria is mentioned in works since the 5 th century B.C., meanwhile some tribe names are mentioned as early as the 12 th century B.C. by Homer. But the ethnic formation of the Illyrians is very ancient.

The beginning of the Illyrian origins start by the 15 th century B.C., from the mid-Bronze Age, when Illyrian ethnic features began to form. In the Iron Age the Illyrians were fully formed while inheriting their developing anthropological features and language from the Neolithic and Bronze ages. The old theory that the Illyrians come from Central Europe during the 7 th -9 th centuries has been disproved and disbanded after the studies performed after WWII. Only the fact that graves with urns, characteristic of Central Europe, are not found in Illyrian settlements disproves the theory. Some Central European influence on the Illyrians is a result of cultural exchanges and movement of artisans.

Roman and Byzantine Rule

After being conquered by the Roman Empire, Illyria was reorganized as a Roman province, Illyricum, later divided into the provinces of Dalmatia and Pannonia, the lands comprising Albania mostly being included in Dalmatia. Later, the Byzantine Empire governed the region. It was also ruled by the Bulgarian and Serbian Empire.

Ottoman Rule

In the middle ages, the name Albania (see Origin and history of the name Albania) began to be increasingly applied to the region now comprising the nation of Albania. From 1443 to 1468 Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg led a successful resistance against the invading Ottomans. After the death of Skanderbeg, resistance continued until 1478, although with only moderate success. The loyalties and alliances created and nurtured by Skanderbeg faltered and fell apart, and the Ottomans conquered the territory of Albania shortly after the fall of Kruje castle. Albania then became part of the Ottoman Empire. Following this, many Albanians fled to neighboring Italy, mostly to Calabria and Sicily. The majority of the Albanian population that remained converted to Islam. They would remain a part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912.

Statue of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. Skanderbeg is considered the national hero of Albania

Effects of the Balkan Wars

After the Second Balkan War, the Ottomans were removed from Albania and there was a possibility of the lands being absorbed by Serbia, and the southern tip by Greece. This decision angered the Italians who did not want Serbia to have an extended coastline, and it angered the Austro-Hungarians who did not want a powerful Serbia on its southern borders. Despite Serbian, Montenegrin, and Greek occupation forces on the ground, and under immense pressure from Austria-Hungary, it was decided that the country should not be divided but instead consolidated into the Principality of Albania. From 1928, the country was ruled by Ahmet Zogu, who renamed himself King Zog I.

World War II and Enver Hoxha Rule

File:Enver.jpg

Enver Hoxha

Italy invaded Albania on 7 April 1939, meeting little resistance, and took control of the country. Albanian communists and nationalists actively fought a partisan war against the Italian and German invasions in World War II. The socialists (most often called communists) took over after World War II. In November 1944 the communists gained control of the government under the leader of the resistance, Enver Hoxha. The Communist Party was created on November 8, 1941 with the help of Bolshevik Communist Parties.

For the many decades under his domination, Hoxha created and destroyed relationships with Yugoslavia, the Soviet Union, and China. Towards to end of the Hoxha era, Albania was isolated, first from the capitalist West (Western Europe, North America and Australasia) and later even from the communist East.

The Fall of Communism, and Democratic Albania

In 1985, Hoxha died and Ramiz Alia took his place. Initially, Alia tried hard to follow in Hoxha's footsteps, but in Eastern Europe changes had already started: Mikhail Gorbachev had appeared in the Soviet Union with new policies (glasnost and perestroika). The Albanian totalitarian regime was under pressure from the US, Europe, and the anger and despair of its own people. After Nicolae Ceauşescu (the communist leader of Romania) was executed in a revolution in 1989, Alia signed the United Nations Helsinki Agreement (which had already been signed by many other countries in 1975) that respected some human rights. He also allowed pluralism, and even though his party won the election of 1991 it was clear that change would not be stopped. In 1992 general elections were held again and won by the new Democratic Party with 62% of the votes. Alia resigned and Sali Berisha was the first post-communist president elected.

In the general elections of June, 1996 the Democratic Party tried to win an absolute majority and manipulated the results ^{[citation needed]}, winning over 85% of parliamentary seats. In 1997 an epidemic of pyramid schemes sent shockwaves through the entire country's economy, which resulted in widespread riots. Police stations and military bases were looted of millions of Kalashnikovs and other weapons. Anarchy prevailed, and many cities were controlled by militia and even-less organized armed citizens. Even US military advisors left the country for their own safety. The government of Aleksander Meksi resigned and a government of national unity was built. In response to the anarchy, the Socialist Party won the early elections of 1997. Berisha resigned as president.

However, stability was far from being restored in the years after the 1997 riots. The power feuds raging inside the Socialist Party led to a series of short-lived Socialist governments. The country was flooded with refugees from neighboring Kosovo in 1998 and 1999 during the Kosovo War. In June 2002, a compromise candidate, Alfred Moisiu, a former general, was elected to succeed President Rexhep Meidani. Parliamentary elections in July, 2005 brought back to power Sali Berisha, Leader of the Democratic Party, mostly owing to Socialist infighting and a series of corruption scandals ^{[citation needed]} plaguing the government of Fatos Nano.

The Euro-Atlantic integration of Albania has been the ultimate goal of the post-communist governments. Albania's EU membership bid, along with the rest of the Western Balkans, has been set as a priority by the European Commission. On 2006 Albania signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, thus completing the first major step towards joining the bloc. Albania, along with Croatia and Macedonia, is also expected to receive a NATO membership invitation within 2008.

The workforce of Albania has continued to migrate to Greece, Italy, Germany and other parts of Europe, and North America. However, the migration flux is slowly decreasing, as more and more opportunities are emerging in Albania itself.

Geography

File:RepAlbania map.png

Map of Albania

Albania consists of mostly hilly and mountainous terrain, with the highest mountain, Korab in the district of Dibra reaching up to 2,753 metres (9,032 ft). The country mostly has a continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. Besides the capital city of Tirana, with 800,000 inhabitants, the principal cities are Durrës, Elbasan, Shkodër, Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Korçë and Kukës. In Albanian grammar a word can have indefinite and definite forms, and this also applies to city names: so both Tiranë and Tirana, Shkodër and Shkodra are used.

Demographics

Unusual among Balkan nations, indeed anywhere in the world, is that Albania is (officially) a homogeneous country with only small minorities. Most of the population is ethnically Albanian (95% according to the CIA World Factbook Feb 2005). Overall population Many ethnic Albanians also live in the bordering countries of Serbia (around 2,000,000; of that, around 1,800,000 in Kosovo), Montenegro (around 60,000), and the Republic of Macedonia (around 500,000) although a lot of Albanians believe that the number might be higher. Also a small number of ethnic Albanians used to live in Greece and are called Çam or Cham. These were expelled by the Greek resistance movement at the end of the Axis occupation of Greece in 1944, because they had collaborated with the Italian occupation authorities that controlled those areas. This being due to the anexaton of the Çam regions by Greece at the end of the Balkan Wars. Claims over Çam numbers have ranged from 200,000 to over 1,400,000 but are believed to be underestimated because Athens has not considered the local Albanians to be a separate ethnic group. In contrast the Greek census of 1928 (the first since the Balkan Wars) placed the number of Chams to 20,000.[1] Since 1991, large numbers of Albanians have emigrated to Greece, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries.

File:Ethem bey xhami.jpg

Et'hem Bey Mosque in central Tirana

The dominant language is Albanian. Many Albanians are fluent in English, Greek and Italian.

The Albanians are mostly non-denominational believers. During the communist era religion was prohibited. Since that time the Albanian has been proclaimed as the only officially Atheist country in the world, claiming the religion to be Albanianism. The most wildly practiced religions are Albanian Orthodox (10%), Catholic Church (10%), and Islam (5%). It should be noted that the other main religions of the world have some representation in Albania, though small. Religious fanaticism has never been a problem, with people from different religious groups living in peace and even inter-marrying. Intermarriage across religions is very common, and an immensely strong sense of Albanian identity has tended to bind Albanians of all religious practice together. ^[1]

Economy

Despite many institutional and legislative problems, Tirana is committed to joining the EU. In June 2006, the country signed a Stabilisation and Association Agreement as a first step toward joining the European Union. EU ministers urged Albania to push ahead with reforms, focusing on press freedom, property rights, institution building, respect for ethnic minorities and observing international standards in municipal elections.

Albania is one of the poorest European states, with a GDP per capita half that of Bulgaria and almost one tenth that of the UK. It is poorly linked by road and rail to its neighbours and between its own cities. In Albania, half of the economically-active population are engaged in agriculture and a fifth works abroad.

Albania's coastline on the Ionian Sea, especially near the Greek tourist island of Corfu, is becoming increasingly popular with tourists due to its relatively unspoiled nature and its beaches. The tourism industry is still in its infancy but is growing rapidly.

Growth was strong 2003–05, while inflation, which peaked at 20% in the late nineties, has been tamed.

GDP (purchasing power parity): 18.05 billion Note: Albania has a large gray economy that may be as large as 50% of official GDP. (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate): 8.741 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (real growth rate): 6% (2005 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 23.6%; industry: 20.5%; services: 55.9% (2005 est.)

Exports: 708 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports: 2.473 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

External Debt: 1.41 billion (2003 est.)

Defense Expenditure: (n/a)

Children in Labour Force: 1% of children aged 10–14 work