Compare Albania (2006) - Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

Compare Albania (2006) z Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

	Albania (2006)	Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2005)

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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
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: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products	fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products
Airports	11 (2006)	5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km	total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland	slightly smaller than Connecticut
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.	Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Birth rate	15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	NA births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.96 billion expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $500 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million (FY98/99 est.)
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	Stanley
Climate	mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter	cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Coastline	362 km	1,288 km
Constitution	adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998	3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998
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: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Death rate	5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	NA deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$1.55 billion (2004)	$NA
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
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 (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
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	Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks
Economic aid - recipient	ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 est.)	$0 (1997 est.)
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 was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.
Electricity - consumption	6.76 billion kWh (2004)	17.72 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	200 million kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	5.68 billion kWh (2004)	19.06 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents	overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster
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	-
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)	British
Exchange rates	leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001)	Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000) note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
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: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Exports	0 bbl/day (2005 est.)	NA
Exports - commodities	textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco	wool, hides, meat
Exports - partners	Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)	Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	red with a black two-headed eagle in the center	blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 23.2% industry: 18.8% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2005 est.)	NA%
Geographic coordinates	41 00 N, 20 00 E	51 45 S, 59 00 W
Geography - note	strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)	deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
Heliports	1 (2006)	-
Highways	-	total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)
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.)	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals	fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
Imports - partners	Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%, Russia 4% (2005)	UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004)
Independence	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Industrial production growth rate	3.1% (2004 est.)	NA%
Industries	food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower	fish and wool processing; tourism
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.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.4% (2005 est.)	3.6% (1998)
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	ICFTU, UPU
Irrigated land	3,530 sq km (2003)	NA sq km
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 (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force	1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)	1,100 (est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 58% industry: 19% services: 23% (2004 est.)	agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
Land boundaries	total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)
Languages	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects	English
Legal system	has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens	English common law
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 Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.43 years male: 74.78 years female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 93.3% female: 79.5% (2003 est.)	-
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Map references	Europe	South America
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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)	none
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches	General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command	no regular military forces
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$56.5 million (FY02)	NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.49% (FY02)	NA
National holiday	Independence Day, 28 November (1912)	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Nationality	noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian	noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
Natural hazards	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought	strong winds persist throughout the year
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower	fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss
Net migration rate	-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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]	none; all independents
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]	none
Population	3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)	2,967 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	25% (2004 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	0.52% (2006 est.)	2.44% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Stanley
Radio broadcast stations	AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)	AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	-
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	primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
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.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
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: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Telephones - main lines in use	255,000 (2003)	2,400 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.259 million (2004)	0 (2001)
Television broadcast stations	65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)	2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)
Terrain	mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast	rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Total fertility rate	2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)	NA children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% (2005 est.)	full employment; labor shortage (2001)
Waterways	43 km (2006)	-

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