These following facts about Albania should definitely provide you much information about this country. Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosova to the northeast, Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, across the Strait of Ortanto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea. Furthermore, to get to know more about this country, here are some facts about Albania you might be interested in.

Facts about Albania 1: World Organization

Albania is a member of the UN, NATO, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe, World Trade Organization, and is one of the founding members of the Union for the Mediterranean.

Facts about Albania 2: Modern-day Territory

The modern-day territory of Albania was at various points in history part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum), Macedonia and Moesia Superior. The modern Republic became independent after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe following the Balkan Wars.

Facts about Albania 3: Etymology

Albania is the Medieval Latin name of the country, which is called Shqipëri by its people, from Medieval Greek Albania, besides variants Albanitia or Arbanitia. The name may be derived from the Illyrian tribe of the Albani recorded by Ptolemy, the geographer and astronomer from Alexandria who drafted a map in 150 ADthat shows the city of Albanopolis.

Facts about Albania 4: Prehistoric

The history of Albania emerged from the prehistoric stage form the 4th century BC, with early record of Illyria in Greco-Roman historiography. The modern territory of Albania has no counterpart in antiquity, comprising parts of the Roman provinces Dalmatia (southern Illyricum and Macedonia.

Facts about Albania 5: Ottoman Empire

At the dawn of the establishment of the Ottoman Empire in Southeast Europe, the geopolitical landscape was marked by scattered kingdoms of small principalities. The Ottomans erected their garrisons throughout southern Albania by 1415 and established formal jurisdiction over most of Albania by 1431.

Facts about Albania 6: Era of Nationalism

The first organization that pushed for greater autonomy was the League of Prizren, formed on 1 June 1878, in Prizren, Kosovo. The league used military force to prevent the annexing of northern Albanian areas assigned to Montenegro and Serbia, and southern Albanian areas assigned to Greece by the Congress of Berlin.

Facts about Albania 7: Independence

Albania’s independence was recognized by the Conference of London on 29 July 1913, but the drawing of the borders of Albania ignored the demographic realities of the time.The short-lived monarchy (1914–1925) was succeeded by an even shorter-lived first Albanian Republic (1925–1928), to be replaced by another monarchy (1928–1939).

Facts about Albania 8: Government

The Albanian republic is a parliamentary democracy established under a constitution renewed in 1998. Elections are held every four years to a unicameral 140-seat chamber, the People’s Assembly. In June 2002, a compromise candidate, Alfred Moisiu, former Army General, was elected to succeed President Rexhep Meidani.

Facts about Albania 9: Executive Branch

The head of state in Albania is the President of the Republic. The President is elected to a 5-year term by the Assembly of the Republic of Albania by secret ballot, requiring a 50%+1 majority of the votes of all deputies. The current President of the Republic is Bujar Nishani elected in July 2012.

Facts about Albania 10: Flora and Fauna

Although a small country, Albania is distinguished for its rich biological diversity. The variation of geomorphology, climate and terrain create favorable conditions for a number of endemic and sub-endemic species with 27 endemic and 160 subendemic vascular plants present in the country. The total number of plants is over 3250 species, approximately 30% of the entire flora species found in Europe.

Hope you would find those Albania facts really interesting, useful and helpful for your additional reading.