Location: Balkan State, Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula between Serbia and Montenegro and Greece

Map references: Africa, Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 28,750 sq km
land area: 27,400 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total 720 km, Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro)

Coastline: 362 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbia and Montenegro, and the Albanian Government supports the Kosovo position politically

Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 4%
meadows and pastures: 15%
forest and woodland: 38%
other: 22%

Irrigated land: 4,230 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: deforestation
natural hazards: subject to destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along southwestern coast
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity

Note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

NOTE: The information regarding Albania on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Albania Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Albania Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.