Albania

The Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë) is a state in South-Eastern Europe. It is located on the shores of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas in the Mediterranean Sea and has land borders with Montenegro in the northwest, Kosovo in the northeast, North Macedonia in the east, Greece in the south; and maritime borders with Greece, Montenegro, and Italy in the west. Tirana is its capital and largest city, followed by Durres, Vlora, and Shkoder.

Geographically, Albania displays various climatic, geological, hydrological, and morphological conditions, defined over an area of ​​28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi). It has a significant landscape diversity, ranging from the snow-capped mountains in the Albanian Alps, as well as the Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus, and Keraunian mountains to the hot and sunny coasts of the Albanian Adriatic and the Ionian Sea along the Mediterranean Sea.

Historically, Albania has been inhabited by different civilizations such as Illyrians, Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, and Ottomans. The Albanians founded the autonomous principality of Arber in the 12th century. The Kingdom of Albania and the Principality of Albania were formed between the 13th and 14th centuries. Before the Ottoman conquest of Albania in the 15th century, the resistance of the Albanians to the Ottoman expansion into Europe led by Gierj Kastrioti Skanderbeg brought them recognition in most of Europe. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the cultural development that many attributes to the Albanians, who mustered both spiritual and intellectual strength, finally led to the Albanian Renaissance. After the defeat of the Ottomans in the Balkan Wars, the modern nation-state of Albania declared independence in 1912. In the 20th century, the Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy, which formed Greater Albania before becoming a protectorate of Nazi Germany. Enver Hoxha formed the People's Socialist Republic of Albania after World War II along the lines of Hoxhaism. The 1991 revolutions ended the fall of communism in Albania and, ultimately, the creation of the present Republic of Albania.

Politically, Albania is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic and an upper-middle-income developing country dominated by the service sector, followed by manufacturing. After the end of communism in 1990, it went through a process of transition from central planning to a market economy. Albania provides its citizens with universal health care and free primary and secondary education. Albania is a member of the United Nations, World Bank, UNESCO, NATO, WTO, CE, OSCE, and OIC. This is the official candidate for membership in the European Union. He is one of the founding members of the Energy Community, including the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization and the Mediterranean Union.