Long-form name: Republic of Albania

Type: nascent democracy with strong Communist party influence; basic law has dropped all references to socialism

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); People's Socialist Republic of Albania declared 11 January 1946

Constitution: an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April 1991; a new constitution is to be drafted for adoption in four to six months

Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Liberation Day, 29 November (1944)

Executive branch: president, prime minister of the Council of Ministers, one deputy prime minister of the Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State--President of the Republic Ramiz ALIA (since 22 November 1982); Head of Government--Prime Minister of the interim Council of Ministers Ylli BUFI (since 5 June 1991);

Political parties and leaders: Albanian Workers Party (AWP), Ramiz ALIA, first secretary; Democratic Party (DP), Sali BERISHA, chairman and cofounder with Gramoz PASHKO; Albanian Republican Party, Sabri GODO; Ecology Party, Namik HOTI; Omonia (Greek minority party), leader NA; Agrarian Party, leader NA; note--in December 1990 President ALIA allowed new political parties to be formed in addition to the AWP for the first time since 1944

Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18

Elections: President--last held 30 April 1991 (next to be held spring 1992); results--President Ramiz ALIA was reelected with token opposition; People's Assembly--last held 31 March 1991 (next to be held spring 1992); results--AWP 68%, DP 25%; seats--(250 total) preliminary results AWP 168, DP 75, Omonia 5, Veterans Association 1, other 1; note--the AWP's votes came mostly from the countryside while the DP won majorities in the six-largest cities;

Communists: 147,000 party members (November 1986); note--in March 1991 the Albanian Workers' Party announced that it considered itself no longer Communist but socialist

Member of: ECE, FAO, IAEA, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: the Governments of the United States and Albania agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations to be effective from 15 March 1991 and to exchange diplomatic missions at the level of ambassador

Flag: red with a black two-headed eagle in the center below a red five-pointed star outlined in yellow

NOTE: The information regarding Albania on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Albania Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Albania Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.