Compare Albania (2006) - Bhutan (2002)

Compare Albania (2006) z Bhutan (2002)

	Albania (2006)	Bhutan (2002)

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	18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse
Age structure	0-14 years: 24.8% (male 464,954/female 423,003) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 1,214,942/female 1,158,562) 65 years and over: 8.9% (male 148,028/female 172,166) (2006 est.)	0-14 years: 39.8% (male 431,883; female 401,386) 15-64 years: 56.2% (male 606,184; female 571,310) 65 years and over: 4% (male 42,193; female 41,220) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products	rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs
Airports	11 (2006)	2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2006)	total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Area	total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km	total: 47,000 sq km land: 47,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland	about half the size of Indiana
Background	Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Albania has made progress in its democratic development since first holding multiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain. International observers judged elections to be largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005 general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption, promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government. The election, and particularly the orderly transition of power, was considered an important step forward. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. Albania, with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, has been a strong supporter of the global war on terrorism.	In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A refugee issue of some 85,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved; 90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese separatists from India, who have established themselves in the southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border incursions.
Birth rate	15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	35.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.96 billion expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $500 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $146 million expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY95/96 est.) note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of Bhutan's budget expenditures
Capital	name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 20 N, 19 50 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	Thimphu
Climate	mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter	varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas
Coastline	362 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998	no written constitution or bill of rights; note - Bhutan uses 1953 Royal decree for the Constitution of the National Assembly; on 7 July 1998, a Royal edict was ratified giving the National Assembly additional powers
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: Kingdom of Bhutan conventional short form: Bhutan
Currency	-	ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)
Death rate	5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	13.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	$1.55 billion (2004)	$245 million (1998)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES embassy: Rruga e Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: US Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 232222	the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342	none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international	the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania," but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands of unemployed Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other developed countries	approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal
Economic aid - recipient	ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 est.)	substantial aid from India and other nations
Economy - overview	Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and distribution facilities will help relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-05 and inflation is not a problem.	The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is based on agriculture and forestry, providing the main livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links. The industrial sector is technologically backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for tourists are key resources. The Bhutanese Government has made some progress in expanding the nation's productive base and improving social welfare. Model education, social, and environment programs in Bhutan are underway with support from multilateral development organizations. Each economic program takes into account the government's desire to protect the country's environment and cultural traditions. Detailed controls and uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor, and finance continue to hamper foreign investment. Major hydroelectric projects will lead expansion of GDP in 2002 by an estimated 6%.
Electricity - consumption	6.76 billion kWh (2004)	380.68 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	200 million kWh (2003)	1.385 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.)	21 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	5.68 billion kWh (2004)	1.876 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 100% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m	lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents	soil erosion; limited access to potable water
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups	Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)	Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas--one of several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%
Exchange rates	leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001)	ngultrum per US dollar - 48.336 (January 2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998), 36.313 (1997); note - the Bhutanese ngultrum is at par with the Indian rupee which is also legal tender
Executive branch	chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24 July 2002) 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 elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held 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: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo Khandu WANGCHUK (since 8 August 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed, five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the monarch with two-thirds vote
Exports	0 bbl/day (2005 est.)	$154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities	textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco	electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices
Exports - partners	Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)	India 94%, Bangladesh
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 July - 30 June
Flag description	red with a black two-headed eagle in the center	divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from the hoist side
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 23.2% industry: 18.8% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 45% industry: 20% services: 35% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2005 est.)	6% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates	41 00 N, 20 00 E	27 30 N, 90 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)	landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls several key Himalayan mountain passes
Heliports	1 (2006)	-
Highways	-	total: 3,285 km paved: 1,994 km unpaved: 1,291 km (1996)
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 expanding in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens	-
Imports	21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)	$196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals	fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics, rice
Imports - partners	Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%, Russia 4% (2005)	India 77%, Japan, UK, Germany, US
Independence	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)	8 August 1949 (from India)
Industrial production growth rate	3.1% (2004 est.)	9.3% (1996 est.)
Industries	food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower	cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages, calcium carbide
Infant mortality rate	total: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	106.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.4% (2005 est.)	7% (2000 est.)
International organization participation	BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IMF, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	NA
Irrigated land	3,530 sq km (2003)	400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts	Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force	1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)	NA note: massive lack of skilled labor
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 58% industry: 19% services: 23% (2004 est.)	agriculture 93%, services 5%, industry and commerce 2%
Land boundaries	total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km	total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km
Land use	arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)	arable land: 2.98% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.59% (1998 est.)
Languages	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects	Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects, Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects
Legal system	has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens	based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for four-year terms) elections: last held 3 July 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PD 56, PS 42, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 19	unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and other secular interests; members serve three-year terms) elections: last held NA (next to be held NA) election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.43 years male: 74.78 years female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)	total population: 53.19 years male: 53.53 years female: 52.83 years (2002 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 93.3% female: 79.5% (2003 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 42.2% male: 56.2% female: 28.1% (1995 est.)
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro	Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references	Europe	Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 52,987 GRT/79,863 DWT by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 1 (Georgia 1) (2006)	-
Military branches	General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command	Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, Forest Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$56.5 million (FY02)	$9.3 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.49% (FY02)	1.9% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 517,470 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 276,303 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 21,167 (2002 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 28 November (1912)	National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17 December (1907)
Nationality	noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian	noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural) adjective: Bhutanese
Natural hazards	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought	violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent landslides during the rainy season
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower	timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbide
Net migration rate	-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)	-
Political parties and leaders	Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or BNK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS [Edi RAMA]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNj [Vangjel DULE]	no legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	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 [Erion VELIAJ]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]	Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for Democracy (exiled)
Population	3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)	2,094,176 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	25% (2004 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	0.52% (2006 est.)	2.15% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	none
Radio broadcast stations	AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)	AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios	-	37,000 (1997)
Railways	total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	0 km
Religions	Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice	Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	each family has one vote in village-level elections
Telephone system	general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly seven lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of Albania's Balkan neighbors international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines; adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by fiber optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)	general assessment: NA domestic: domestic telephone service is very poor with few telephones in use international: international telephone and telegraph service is by landline through India; a satellite earth station was planned (1990)
Telephones - main lines in use	255,000 (2003)	6,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.259 million (2004)	NA
Television broadcast stations	65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)	0 (1997)
Terrain	mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast	mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna
Total fertility rate	2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% (2005 est.)	NA%
Waterways	43 km (2006)	none

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