Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Albania
conventional short form:
Albania
local long form:
Republika e Shqiperise
local short form:
Shqiperia
former:
People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Tirana (Tirane)
geographic coordinates:
41 19 N, 19 49 E
time difference:
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time:
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Independence:
28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Constitution:
approved by parliament on 21 October 1998; adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
Legal system:
has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: Legislative branch: Judicial branch: Political parties and leaders: Political pressure groups and leaders: International organization participation: Diplomatic representation in the US: Diplomatic representation from the US: Flag description: National anthem:
chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007)
head of government:
Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September 2005)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
(For more information visit the )
elections:
president elected by the Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Bamir TOPI elected president; Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority, 84 votes, required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
unicameral National Assembly or Kuvendi (140 deputies; 100 deputies elected directly in single member electoral zones with an approximate number of voters; 40 deputies elected from multi-name lists of parties or party coalitions according to their respective order)
elections:
last held on 28 June 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 68, PS 65, LSI 4, other 3
Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) and multiple appeals and district courts
Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Party for Justice and Integration or PDI [Tahir MUCHEDINI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Unity for Humen Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]
Citizens Advocacy Office [Kreshnik SPAHIU]; Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Mjaft Movement [Elton KACIDHJA]; Omonia [Ligorag KARAMELO]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]
BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NATO, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Gilbert GALANXHI
chancery:
2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 223-4942
FAX:
[1] (202) 628-7342
consulate(s) general:
New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander ARVIZU
embassy:
Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
mailing address:
US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510
telephone:
[355] (4) 2247285
FAX:
[355] (4) 2232222
red with a black two-headed eagle in the center; the design is claimed to be that of 15th-century hero George Castriota SKANDERBERG, who led a successful uprising against the Turks that resulted in a short-lived independence for some Albanian regions (1443-1478); an unsubstantiated explanation for the eagle symbol is the tradition that Albanians see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shkypetars," which translates as "sons of the eagle"
name: "Hymni i Flamurit" (Hymn to the Flag)
lyrics/music:
Aleksander Stavre DRENOVA/Ciprian PORUMBESCU
note:
adopted 1912