Albania (2002) | Liechtenstein (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes, Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores | 11 communes (gemeinden, singular - gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 28.8% (male 528,678; female 493,531)
15-64 years: 64% (male 1,094,034; female 1,175,024) 65 years and over: 7.2% (male 111,524; female 142,050) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
18.41% (male 2,992; female 2,996) 15-64 years: 70.6% (male 11,455; female 11,511) 65 years and over: 10.99% (male 1,439; female 2,135) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products | wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products |
Airports | 11 (2001) | none |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002) |
- |
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 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 28,748 sq km
land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km |
total:
160 sq km land: 160 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC |
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 2001 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies which should be addressed through reforms in the Albanian electoral code. | The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to conclude a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral) the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money laundering. |
Birth rate | 18.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.53 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $697 million
expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $368 million (2002 est.) |
revenues:
$424.2 million expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Tirana | Vaduz |
Climate | mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter | continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers |
Coastline | 362 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998; note - the opposition Democratic Party boycotted the vote | 5 October 1921 |
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:
Principality of Liechtenstein conventional short form: Liechtenstein local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein local short form: Liechtenstein |
Currency | lek (ALL) | Swiss franc (CHF) |
Death rate | 6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $784 million (2000) | $0 (1996) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador James F. JEFFREY
embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Washington, DC 20521-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 232222 |
the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Fatos TARIFA
chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342 |
Liechtenstein's Ambassador to the US, Claudia FRITSCHE, is dually accredited to the UN in New York |
Disputes - international | the Albanian Government supports protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders in the Kosovo region of Serbia and Montenegro and in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation; many Albanians illegally transit neighboring states to emigrate to western Europe | Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution for 1,600 sq km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918 |
Economic aid - recipient | ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.) | none |
Economy - overview | Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to revive economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy. Agriculture, which accounts for half of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment and consolidate small plots of land. Severe energy shortages are forcing small firms out of business, increasing unemployment, scaring off foreign investors, and spurring inflation. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages. | Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and living standards on a par with the urban areas of its large European neighbors. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 18% - and easy incorporation rules have induced 73,700 holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and EU) since May 1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with those of an integrated Europe. |
Electricity - consumption | 5.378 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 100 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | 1.072 billion kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | 4.738 billion kWh (2000) | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 3%
hydro: 97% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m |
lowest point:
Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents | NA |
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:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
Ethnic groups | Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Gypsy, Serb, and Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization) |
Alemannic 87.5%, Italian, Turkish, and other 12.5% |
Exchange rates | leke per US dollar - 140.16 (November 2001), 143.71 (2000) 137.69 (1999), 150.63 (1998), 148.93 (1997); note - leke is the plural of lek | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Fatos NANO (since 31 July 2002) 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 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19 |
chief of state:
Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968) head of government: Head of Government Mario FRICK (since 15 December 1993) and Deputy Head of Government Michael RITTER (since 2 February 1997) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Diet; confirmed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party in the Diet is usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the leader of the largest minority party in the Diet is usually appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch |
Exports | $340 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $2.47 billion (1996) |
Exports - commodities | textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco | small specialty machinery, dental products, stamps, hardware, pottery |
Exports - partners | Italy 71%, Greece 12%, Germany 7%, Yugoslavia 3% (2001) | EU and EFTA countries 60.57% (Switzerland 15.7%) (1995) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a black two-headed eagle in the center | two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $14 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $730 million (1998 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 49%
industry: 27% services: 24% (2002 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $23,000 (1998 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2002 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 41 00 N, 20 00 E | 47 10 N, 9 32 E |
Geography - note | strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) | along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation |
Heliports | 1 (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 18,000 km
paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (1998 est.) |
total:
250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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 growing cannabis production; ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and rapidly expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens | multilateral organizations engaged in issuing international guidelines for financial sector oversight have found gaps in Liechtenstein's financial services controls that make it vulnerable to money laundering |
Imports | $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) | $917.3 million (1996) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals | machinery, metal goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles |
Imports - partners | Italy 32%, Greece 26%, Turkey 6%, Germany 6%, Bulgaria 2% (2001) | EU countries, Switzerland (1996) |
Independence | 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire) | 23 January 1719 Imperial Principality of Liechtenstein established; 12 July 1806 established independence from the Holy Roman Empire |
Industrial production growth rate | 9% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower | electronics, metal manufacturing, textiles, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 38.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6% (2002 est.) | 0.5% (1997 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | CE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, IAEA, ICRM, IFRCS, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO (observer), WIPO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 10 (2001) | 44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000) |
Irrigated land | 3,400 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term) | Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Superior Court or Obergericht |
Labor force | 1.283 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers and 261,000 domestically unemployed) (2000 est.) | 22,891 of which 13,847 are foreigners; 8,231 commute from Austria and Switzerland to work each day |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 50%, industry and services 50% | industry, trade, and building 45%, services 53%, agriculture, fishing, forestry, and horticulture 2% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 720 km
border countries: Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km |
total:
76 km border countries: Austria 35 km, Switzerland 41 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.45% other: 74.46% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
24% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 16% forests and woodland: 35% other: 25% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek | German (official), Alemannic dialect |
Legal system | has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 June with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held NA June 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, NDP 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, NDP 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH 3, PAD 3, independents 2 |
unicameral Diet or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote under proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 9-11 February 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 49.90%, VU 41.35%, FL 8.71%; seats by party - FBP 13, VU 11, FL 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.1 years
male: 69.27 years female: 75.14 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
78.95 years male: 75.32 years female: 82.6 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 9 and over can read and write
total population: 93% (1997 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 10 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1981 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro | Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 13,423 GRT/20,837 DWT
ships by type: cargo 7, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Croatia 1, Honduras 1 (2002 est.) |
- |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of Switzerland |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Interior Ministry Troops, Border Guards | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $56.5 million (FY02) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.49% (FY02) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 888,086 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 727,406 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 35,792 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1912) | Assumption Day, 15 August |
Nationality | noun: Albanian(s)
adjective: Albanian |
noun:
Liechtensteiner(s) adjective: Liechtenstein |
Natural hazards | destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower | hydroelectric potential, arable land |
Net migration rate | -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 196 km; petroleum products 55 km; natural gas 64 km (1996) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Agrarian Party or PASH [Lufter XHUVELI]; Albanian National Front (Balli Kombetar) or PBK [Shptim ROQI]; 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 [Nerltan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Group of Reformist Democrats [Leonard NDOKA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIA]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Teodor LACO]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Genc POLLO]; 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] | Fatherland Union or VU [Dr. Oswald KRANZ]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Dr. Ernst WALCH]; The Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Karin JENNY, Rene HASLER] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 3,544,841 (July 2002 est.) | 32,528 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 30% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.06% (2002 est.) | 0.98% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001) | AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1 million (2001) | 21,000 (1997) |
Railways | total: 447 km
standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2001 est.) |
total:
18.5 km; note - owned, operated, and included in statistics of Austrian Federal Railways standard gauge: 18.5 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified) |
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 |
Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 7.4%, unknown 7.7%, other 4.9% (1996) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.01 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 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:
automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: linked to Swiss networks by cable and microwave radio relay |
Telephones - main lines in use | 120,000 (2001) | 20,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 250,000 (2001) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001) | NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast | mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third |
Total fertility rate | 2.27 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 17% officially (2001 est.); may be as high as 30% (2001) | 1.8% (February 1999) |
Waterways | 43 km
note: includes Albanian sections of Lake Scutari, Lake Ohrid, and Lake Prespa (1990) |
none |