Albania is a small country in Southeastern Europe, bordered by Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Greece. Its capital is Tirana and it gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. The population is mostly Albanian and Muslim, with a literacy rate of 98.7%. The economy relies on services and trade with Greece and Italy, with agriculture contributing only 20% of GDP. The traditional diet includes cheese, yoghurt, maize, and rice, with some regional dishes.
Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe. Most of its western border is along the Adriatic Sea or the Ionian Sea to the south. To the northwest is Montenegro, while to the east, from north to south, it borders Kosovo, Macedonia and Greece, with which it shares its longest land border. Its lowest point is sea level at 0 ft (0 m), and its highest point is Maja e Korabit at 9,068.24 ft (2,764 m). Its area of 11,099.66 square miles (28,748 sq km) makes it somewhat smaller than the state of Maryland.
The capital of Albania is Tirana, also called Tirana, and its official name is the Republic of Albania, which in local form is Republika e Shqiperise. After gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912, it is described as an “emerging democracy, and has both a president, who is head of state, and a prime minister, who is head of government.: There is a is unicameral and the country is divided into 12 counties, called qarqe. Elections are held every four years.
Albania’s 3,619,778 residents – a July 2008 estimate – are mostly aged between 15 and 64, with people living around 77.78 years. The population is 95% Albanian, 3% Greek and the other 2% includes Gypsies, Serbs, Macedonians and Bulgarians. Greek organizations estimate the Greek population to be much higher, up to 12%.
Most of the residents – about 70% – are Muslims, while about 20% are Albanian Orthodox Christians and about 10% are Roman Catholics. The literacy rate for the entire population is 98.7%, with men having a slightly higher literacy rate than women in the 2001 census.
Although more than half of the population is employed in agriculture, only about 20% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) comes from the agricultural sector. Lack of modern equipment and small plots help keep yields small. There are also energy shortages. Services make up the bulk of GDP, but a significant element comes from Albanians in Greece and Italy, estimated at around 15%. These two countries — Greece and Italy — are also Albania’s most important trading partners, for both imports and exports.
Cheese and yoghurt made from goat’s and sheep’s milk, as well as maize, are mainstays of the Albanian diet, with rice recently gaining a more prominent role. Fish is most often served near the coast, but a portion of the population is virtually vegetarian due to a lack of other choices, and pork is avoided by most of the population due to Islam beliefs.
Some regional dishes include corba e supa ves limua, soups made with rice and lemon, similar to the flavors of the Greek avgolemono; lakruar, a pizza-like dish in which a round of bread is topped with seasoned vegetables and cheese; quofte, a plate of meatballs; and several fruit and vegetable drinks, including grape dukagjin; hardic, from berries; footprints, from cabbage; and raki, a kind of grape brandy.
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