Albania
General Information for Albania
Geo-political:
Capital City: Tirana (Tirane). 41° 19.00′ N, 019° 49.00′ E
Nationality: (noun) Albanian(s), (adjective) Albanian.
Population: 3,074,579 (July 2020).
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 355.
Number of Internal Airports: 3 (2020).
Major Languages Spoken: Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5% and others 0.6%
(including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian).
Economy:
Currency: 1 Lek (ALL) of 100 Qintars.
Main Industries: Food, footwear, apparel, clothing, lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals
and hydropower.
Agricultural Products: Wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, olives, olive oil, grapes, meat, dairy
products, sheep and goats.
Imports: Machinery, equipment, foodstuffs, textiles and chemicals.
Exports: Apparel, clothing, footwear, asphalt, metals, metallic ores, crude oil, cement, construction
materials, vegetables, fruits and tobacco.
Commodities: Crude: Production 14,000 bbl/d. Exports 17,290 bbl/d. Reserves 168,300,000 bbl. Products: Production 5,638 bbl/d.
Exports 3,250 bbl/d. Imports 26,660 bbl/d. LNG: Production 50,970,000 cu.m.. Reserves 821,200,000 cu.m..
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Continental Shelf: Continental Shelf: 200 m.
Coastline Extent: 362 km.
Climate: Mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler
and wetter.
Natural Resources: Petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber,
hydropower and arable land.
Natural Hazards: Destructive earthquakes, tsunamis occur along southwestern coast, floods and drought.
Terrain: Mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast.
POLLUTION:
Responsibility for pollution response has been divided between four districts: Durres,
Vlore, Sarande and Shengjin. In the event of a pollution incident, the Harbour Master
of the affected district would organise any required at sea response.
In the event of a spill notification, contact the Ministry of Public Works, Transport
& Telecommunications Maritime Transport Policy Directorate, Tirana. T: +355 4225 7028.
F: +355 4225 7028. [email protected]
MEDICAL:
Medical facilities (including those for accident and emergency use) are very poor,
particularly outside Tirana. It is recommended that dental facilities are not used.
There are high levels of hepatitis in Albania. Rabies is also a matter of concern
as there are large numbers of stray dogs, although the last reported case of the disease
in Tirana was in 1978.
Cases of tick borne encephalitis have been reported in the north of the country; vaccination
is available. Keep all areas of your body covered when close to shrubs or bushes,
and inspect yourself regularly for ticks.
The tap water in Albania may cause illness; you should drink only bottled water. If
you drink milk you should ensure that it is UHT. Exercise normal precautions to avoid
exposure to food poisoning.
Also see
General.
POLICE/AMBULANCE/FIRE:
T: 112. Police T: 129. Ambulance T: 127. Fire T: 128.
TIME:
GMT plus 1 hour.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January (New Year's Day); 7 March (Teacher's Day); 8 March (Mother's Day); 22 March
(Sultan Nouruz Remembrance Day); 1 May (Labour Day); 19 October (Mother Teresa Day);
28 December (Innocents Day).
WEATHER/TIDES:
From December to February, severe weather may cause flooding, particularly in northern
Albania. Heavy snowfall in mountainous areas can lead to disruption to transport and
services. Monitor local and international media for the latest information. Earthquakes:
Albania lies in a seismically-active zone, and tremors are common. Serious earthquakes
are less frequent but do occur.
A series of earthquakes occurred in western Albania in the early hours of 26 November
2019. The largest quake, registering 6.4 on the Richter scale, was centred north of
the port city of Durres (approximately 32 km. from the capital, Tirana) and caused
loss of life and extensive damage to property.
BANKS:
Major credit/debit cards are accepted in most banks and international hotels. You
may prefer to use cash as, in the past, foreigners have been victims of credit card
fraud. There are numerous ATM machines in main towns and cities, as well as Bureaux
de Change where GBP, USD and EUR are widely accepted for exchange. Although street
money-changers operate openly, they do so illegally. You should therefore only use
banks or established Bureaux de Change.
Also see
General.
CUSTOMS:
Directorate General of Customs, Rr Durresi, Laprake, Tirane. www.dogana.gov.al
Durres T: +355 (52) 23134. F: +355 (52) 24499.
Sarande T: +355 (85) 22565. F: +355 (85) 22565.
Vlore T: +355 (33) 24627. F: +355 (33) 24627.
SHORE LEAVE:
Public security is generally good. There have been incidences of luggage reportedly
being stolen from hotel rooms and public transport, particularly in the coastal resorts
of Vlore and Saranda. Remain alert, be aware of your surroundings and carry only the
essentials, with valuables being hidden or, better still, left on board vessel/in
your hotel.
Public security is generally good, particularly in Tirana, and Albanians are very
hospitable to visitors. Crime and violence does occur in some areas, but reports of
crime specifically targeting foreigners are rare. There have been occasional shootings
and small explosions, but these appear to be related to internal disputes over criminal,
business or political interests.
If you’re planning to hire a car, check with your car hire company for information
on their requirements before you travel. Driving can be very hazardous. Roads are
poor, especially in rural areas. Street lighting in urban areas is subject to power
cuts. Elsewhere, even on the major inter-urban arterial routes, there is no street
lighting. If you are travelling at night, watch out for unmarked road works, potholes
and unlit vehicles. Four-wheel drive vehicles are often more practical on rural and
minor roads.
Albanian driving can often be aggressive and erratic. Deaths from road traffic accidents
are amongst the highest in Europe. Police have taken some measures to decrease the
number of accidents. Minor traffic disputes can quickly escalate, especially as some
motorists could be armed. Avoid reacting to provocative behaviour by other road users.
If you are involved in a traffic accident, even a minor one, you are supposed to wait
until the police arrive. This will usually happen quickly in built-up areas.
There are some local press reports that jet skis and boats being rented along the
coasts may lack adequate safety precautions and equipment. The Albanian National Environment
Agency reported in 2016 that 83% of beaches in Albania are of a very good or good
standard but the report raised concerns over a small number of beaches including beaches
in Durres, Vlore and Saranda which are polluted as a result of inadequate sewage disposal
and treatment.
In 2019 opposition parties held large demonstrations in central Tirana some of which
turned violent. You should avoid any demonstrations. Tension between religious groups
and expression of extremist views is very rare, and attitudes to western countries
are overwhelmingly positive.
English is not widely spoken but it is increasingly spoken by younger people.
Homosexuality is decriminalised. Anti-discrimination and anti hate-crime legislation
is in place.
Penalties for drug-related crimes are severe.
The Albanian authorities do not always inform the relevant foreign embassy when foreign
nationals have been arrested. If you are detained, you may insist on your right to
contact your country’s consular official.
GENERAL:
Information obtained from UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. Consult www.gov.uk/fco
for updates.
