Albania is divided into 12 counties. They are as follows: Berat, Dibёr, Durrёs, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokastёr, Korçё, Kukёs, Lezhё, Shkodёr, Tirana, and Vlorё. The largest of these counties is Tirana, with a population around 906,000 individuals. The counties were created on July 31st, 2000, to replace 36 former districts. Within the entire country, there are around 2980 villages and communities.
Historically, Albania was a part of the Roman Empire, more specifically Illyria around 2000 BC. In the middle ages, Albania was under the Ottoman Empire. The country remained under this empire until November 28th, 1912. In 1939, Albania was seized and was a part of the Kingdom of Italy until 1943, where it became independent under communist rule for a short while, all under a man by the name of Enver Hoxha. Following his death in 1985, Ramiz Alia took over the country, where in 1992, he restored the country to a democracy and was able to create friendly relations with the European Union. The current president of Albania is Ilir Meta, who has served the country since 2017. The prime minister is Edi Rama, who has served since 2013, making him the country’s 33rd prime minister.
Although the country is rather small, with a total area of 28,748 square kilometers, there are numerous plant and animal species which call Albania their home. Approximately 3500 plant species can be found in the country. To this day, the country continues to practice herbal and traditional medical treatments, meaning that a great majority of these plants are grown for these purposes. The many forests and landscapes in Albania give numerous animals a home, including two endangered species within the country, which are the lynx and brown bear. Along with these animals, wildcats, wolves, foxes, vultures, and eagles can call Albania their home. The golden eagle is the national animal of Albania, and can be found on the country’s flag.
Economically, Albania relies on agriculture, which employs around 41% of the population. The country is a prime producer of salvia, rosemary, and yellow gelatin. Along with these, the country also produces numerous fruits, vegetables, tobaccos, meats, traditional medicines, and plants. Export-wise, Albania is one of the world’s largest chromium producers and exporters, along with also exporting copper, nickel, and coal.
When it comes to the demography of Albania, the country’s total population is 2,845,955, making it the 137th most populated country in the world. The total fertility rate is just 1.51, one of the lowest in the world. The overall life expectancy is 75.8 years for males and 81.4 years for women.
