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Compare Albania (2001) - Taiwan (2005)

Compare Albania (2001) z Taiwan (2005)

 Albania (2001)Taiwan (2005)
 AlbaniaTaiwan
Administrative divisions 36 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth) and 1 municipality* (bashki); Berat, Bulqize, Delvine, Devoll (Bilisht), Diber (Peshkopi), Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Has (Krume), Kavaje, Kolonje (Erseke), Korce, Kruje, Kucove, Kukes, Kurbin, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Malesi e Madhe (Koplik), Mallakaster (Ballsh), Mat (Burrel), Mirdite (Rreshen), Peqin, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar (Corovode), Tepelene, Tirane (Tirana), Tirane* (Tirana), Tropoje (Bajram Curri), Vlore

note:
administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands near central island and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)

counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu, P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung, T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin

municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan

special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city


note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization; special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization for street and place names within city boundaries, other local authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems
Age structure 0-14 years:
29.53% (male 536,495; female 500,026)

15-64 years:
63.48% (male 1,073,351; female 1,155,115)

65 years and over:
6.99% (male 107,476; female 138,021) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 19.7% (male 2,349,077/female 2,156,755)


15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,205,933/female 7,980,056)


65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,107,708/female 1,094,855) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish
Airports 11 (2000 est.) 40 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
total: 37


over 3,047 m: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 12


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
8

over 3,047 m:
1

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
2

under 914 m:
4 (2000 est.)
total: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Area total:
28,748 sq km

land:
27,398 sq km

water:
1,350 sq km
total: 35,980 sq km


land: 32,260 sq km


water: 3,720 sq km


note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Background In 1990 Albania ended 44 years of xenophobic communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure, widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged local elections in 2000 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but serious deficiencies remain to be corrected before the the 2001 parliamentary elections. In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
Birth rate 19.01 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 12.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues:
$393 million

expenditures:
$676 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $67.41 billion


expenditures: $76.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4 billion (2004 est.)
Capital Tirana Taipei
Climate mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year
Coastline 362 km 1,566.3 km
Constitution a new constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote 25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000
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
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Taiwan


local long form: none


local short form: T'ai-wan


former: Formosa
Currency lek (ALL) -
Death rate 6.5 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $1 billion (2000) $55.5 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph LIMPRECHT

embassy:
Rruga Elbasanit Labinoti 103, Tirana

mailing address:
PSC 59, Box 100(A), APO AE 09624

telephone:
[355] (42) 32875, 33520

FAX:
[355] (42) 32222
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Petrit BUSHATI

chancery:
2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 223-4942

FAX:
[1] (202) 628-7342
none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities
Disputes - international the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders but has downplayed them to further its primary foreign policy goal of regional cooperation; Albanian majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Yugoslavia; Albanians in The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs, and representation in government involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting
Economic aid - recipient $NA; aid for energy from China, Germany, Norway (2000) -
Economy - overview Poor by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more open-market economy. The economy rebounded in 1993-95 after a severe depression accompanying the end of the previous centrally planned system in 1990 and 1991. However, a weakening of government resolve to maintain stabilization policies in the election year of 1996 contributed to renewal of inflationary pressures, spurred by the budget deficit which exceeded 12% of GDP. The collapse of financial pyramid schemes in early 1997 - which had attracted deposits from a substantial portion of Albania's population - triggered severe social unrest which led to more than 1,500 deaths, widespread destruction of property, and a 7% drop in GDP. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from some 20% of the labor force that works abroad, mostly in Greece and Italy. These remittances supplement GDP and help offset the large foreign trade deficit. Most agricultural land was privatized in 1992, substantially improving peasant incomes. In 1998, Albania recovered the 7% drop in GDP of 1997 and pushed ahead by 8% in 1999 and by 7.5% in 2000. International aid helped defray the high costs of receiving and returning refugees from the Kosovo conflict. Privatization scored some successes in 2000, but other reforms lagged. Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia. China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans; and the essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g., exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries.
Electricity - consumption 5.379 billion kWh (1999) 147.4 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 100 million kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 600 million kWh (2000) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 5.332 billion kWh (1999) 158.5 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
3.81%

hydro:
96.19%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
Adriatic Sea 0 m

highest point:
Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal
Environment - international agreements party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's international status
Ethnic groups Albanian 95%, Greeks 3%, other 2% (Vlachs, Gypsies, Serbs, and Bulgarians) (1989 est.)

note:
in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%
Exchange rates leke per US dollar - 146.08 (December 2000),143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997), 104.50 (1996); note - leke is the plural of lek new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 33.422 (2004), 34.418 (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000)
Executive branch chief of state:
President of the Republic Rexhep MEIDANI (since 24 July 1997)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ilir META (since 29 October 1999)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president

elections:
president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:
Rexhep MEIDANI elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 122, for 110, against 3, abstained 2, invalid 7
chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)


head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of the Executive Yuan) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February 2005)


cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president


elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March 2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the premier


election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%
Exports $310 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA
Exports - commodities textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles, plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)
Exports - partners Italy 67%, Greece 15%, Germany 5%, Austria 2%, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 2% (2000) China, including Hong Kong 37%, US 16%, Japan 7.7% (2004)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)
Flag description red with a black two-headed eagle in the center red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.5 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
55%

industry:
24%

services:
21% (2000)
agriculture: 1.7%


industry: 30.9%


services: 67.4% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 7.5% (2000 est.) 6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 41 00 N, 20 00 E 23 30 N, 121 00 E
Geography - note strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon Strait
Heliports 1 (2000 est.) 3 (2004 est.)
Highways total:
18,000 km

paved:
5,400 km

unpaved:
12,600 km (1998 est.)
total: 37,299 km


paved: 35,621 km (including 608 km of expressways)


unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 6.7%


highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)
Illicit drugs increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; limited opium and cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin; renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem
Imports $1 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) NA
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision instruments (2002)
Imports - partners Italy 37%, Greece 28%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 3% (2000) Japan 26%, US 13%, China, including Hong Kong 11%, South Korea 6.9% (2004)
Independence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) -
Industrial production growth rate 9% (2000 est.) 12.2% (2004 est.)
Industries food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals
Infant mortality rate 39.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1% (2000 est.) 1.7% (2004 est.)
International organization participation ACCT (associate), BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 7 (2000) -
Irrigated land 3,410 sq km (1993 est.) NA sq km
Judicial branch Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of the Legislative Yuan)
Labor force 1.692 million (including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (1994 est.) 10.22 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% agriculture 8%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total:
720 km

border countries:
Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km
0 km
Land use arable land:
21%

permanent crops:
5%

permanent pastures:
15%

forests and woodland:
38%

other:
21% (1993 est.)
arable land: 24%


permanent crops: 1%


other: 75% (2001)
Languages Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects
Legal system has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (155 seats; most members are elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-year terms)

elections:
last held 29 June 1997 (next held 24 June 2001, 2nd round 8 July 2001)

election results:
percent of vote by party - PS 53.36%, PD 25.33%, PSD 2.5%, PBDNJ 2.78%, PBK 2.36%, PAD 2.85%, PR 2.25%, PLL 3.09%, PDK 1.00%, PBSD 0.84%; seats by party - PS 101, PD 27, PSD 8, PBDNJ 4, PBK 3, PAD 2, PR 2, PLL 2, PDK 1, PBSD 1, PUK 1, independents 3
unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)


note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature


elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005


election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP 38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%; seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7, independents 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP 42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP 127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)
Life expectancy at birth total population:
71.83 years

male:
69.01 years

female:
74.87 years (2001 est.)
total population: 77.26 years


male: 74.49 years


female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 9 and over can read and write

total population:
93% (1997 est.)

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.1% (2003)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China
Map references Europe Southeast Asia
Maritime claims continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine total:
9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 17,797 GRT/26,324 DWT

ships by type:
cargo 9 (2000 est.)
total: 126 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 37, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1


foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)


registered in other countries: 432 (2005)
Military branches Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure $42 million (FY99) $7.574 billion (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.5% (FY99) 2.6% (2004)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
870,768 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
712,763 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
35,792 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1912) Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October (1911)
Nationality noun:
Albanian(s)

adjective:
Albanian
noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)


note: example: he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan


adjective: Taiwan
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; drought earthquakes and typhoons
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos
Net migration rate -3.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 145 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1991) condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Abaz ERMENJI]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party) [Fatos NANO, chairman]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Zef BUSHATI]; Democratic Alliance or PAD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Liberal Union Party [Teodor LACO]; note - Teodor LACO of the Liberal Union Party was leader of the Social Democratic Union of Albania or PBSD; Movement of Legality Party or PLL [Nderim KUPI]; OMONIA [Vagjelis DULES]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQUIRI]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Unity for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman] Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou, chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental groups


note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's legislature have opened public debate on the island's national identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for Taiwan Nation Building
Population 3,510,484 (July 2001 est.) 22,894,384 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line 19.6% (1996 est.) 1% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 0.88% (2001 est.) 0.63% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung
Radio broadcast stations AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 2 (1999) AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)
Radios 810,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
447 km

standard gauge:
447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001)
total: 2,497 km


narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)


note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products and limited numbers of passengers (2004)
Religions Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%

note:
all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice
mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%, other 2.5%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.78 male(s)/female

total population:
0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory 20 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
Albania has the poorest telephone service in Europe with fewer than two telephones per 100 inhabitants; it is doubtful that every village has telephone service

domestic:
obsolete wire system; no longer provides a telephone for every village; in 1992, following the fall of the communist government, peasants cut the wire to about 1,000 villages and used it to build fences

international:
inadequate; international traffic carried by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every business and private need


domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized


international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)
Telephones - main lines in use 87,000 (1997) 13.355 million (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,100 (1999) 25,089,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 9 (plus 264 repeaters) (1995) 29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling plains in west
Total fertility rate 2.32 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 16% (2000 est.) officially; may be as high as 25% 4.5% (2004 est.)
Waterways 43 km

note:
includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990)
-
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