A 140 member parliament is elected by universal suffrage for four years. The parliament elects president.
|RDefence:|N The strength is about 75 000 men totally. Conscription is for 15 months.
Much of the material has been demolished in the riots during spring 1997.
|RNational holiday:|N Liberation Day, November 29.
|RNature and climate:|N A mountainous country with areas difficult to access both in the north and in the south. In the north are the Albanian Alps with their highest peak 3 522 m.a.s.l. Biggest rivers are Drin and Vijosë. The country is crossed by several deep valleys with small waterfalls. Greatest lakes are Shkodër (Skutari), Ohrid and Prespa.
Mediterranean climate with dry and warm summers. Temperature by the coast and in the lowlands + 7°C in January and + 25°C in July. In the mountains 5 to 10° lower the whole year.
|RPeople:|N More than 95% Albanians. Other ethnic groups are Greeks, Serbocroats, Bulgarians and Gypsies. 1,5 million Albanians live in the Kosovo-province of the former Yugoslavia.
|REducation:|N Free education from 7 to 15 years. Secondary education lasts four years. There are four universities, one agricultural university, one technical university, one polytechnic, one academy of fine arts and one higher institute of physical education.
|REconomy:|N Albania has five-year plans for economy and development. 1965 industry passed agriculture in value of production.
80% of the cultivated land is operated by collectives, the rest by the state. Main crops are maize and wheat, but also fruits, wine and tobacco.
Half of the land is used as pasture.
Mining and manufacturing accounts for 80% of the export value.
Albania is fairly rich on minerals. Oil and natural gas are extracted. It is the worlds third producer af chromium, furthermore copper, iron, bauxite, coal and nickel are extracted.
Traditionally many textile- and agricultural factories. Furthermore machine and chemical manufacturing, as well as oil refining, and iron- and steelworks.
|RHistory:|N During the Roman period Albania was a part of the Illyria and Epirus provinces. During the Middle Ages it fell under the East Roman empire and later under Venice.
During the 15th century the national hero Skanderbeg (Georg Kastriota) united all the tribes against the Turks. When he died in 1468, Turkey invaded. The Albanians made several uprisings during the following centuries and gained some internal independence.
1912 a sovereign state was proclaimed. 1913 the borders were determined.
Ahmed Zogn was elected president in 1925 and crowned king in 1928 under the name Zog I.
Albania was conquered by Italy in 1939 and the king fled. Occupied by the Germans in World War II. In 1944, when the Germans hade been thrown out, the communist leader Enver Hoxha gained power.
Some liberation in 1990, and in 1991 the communist cabinet was forced to resign after a general strike.
In 1992 unemployment was estimated to 70%.
A non communist government was elected in 1992, but there was little they did to improve the situation for the common people.
Most Albanians set their hope to a chain letter and many people lost all they had. Many politicians are believed to have earned money in these chain letters and in early 1997 riots started. In the late spring the government fell and elections were held during the summer.
