Capital: Tirane
Administrative divisions: 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar, Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore

Independence: 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Liberation Day, 28 November (1944; changed by decree on 12 November 1993)

Constitution: an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a new constitution was to be drafted for adoption in 1992, but is still in process

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers Aleksander Gabriel MEKSI (since 10 April 1992)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor): elections last held 22 March 1992; results - DP 62.29%, ASP 25.57%, SDP 4.33%, RP 3.15%, UHP 2.92%, other 1.74%; seats - (140 total) DP 92, ASP 38, SDP 7, RP 1, UHP 2

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: there are at least 18 political parties; most prominent are the Albanian Socialist Party (ASP; formerly the Albania Workers Party), Fatos NANO, first secretary; Democratic Party (DP), Eduard SELAMI, chairman; Albanian Republican Party (RP), Sabri GODO; Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA (ran in 1992 election as Unity for Human Rights Party (UHP)); Social Democratic Party (SDP), Skender GJINUSHI; Democratic Alliance Party (DAP), Spartak NGJELA, chairman
Member of: BSEC, CCC, CE (guest), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NACC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Lublin Hasan DILJA
chancery: Suite 1010, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: (202) 223-4942, 8187
FAX: (202) 628-7342
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador William E. RYERSON
embassy: Rruga E. Elbansanit 103, Tirane
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624
telephone: 355-42-32875, 33520
FAX: 355-42-32222

Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

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 Government 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Albania Government 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.