Compare Albania (2006) - Netherlands (2003)

Compare Albania (2006) z Netherlands (2003)

	Albania (2006)	Netherlands (2003)

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	12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland
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: 18.2% (male 1,501,127; female 1,436,453) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,576,141; female 5,389,764) 65 years and over: 13.9% (male 929,087; female 1,317,939) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products	grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Airports	11 (2006)	28 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)	total: 21 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (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: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Area	total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km	total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Maryland	slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
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.	The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.
Birth rate	15.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	11.31 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $1.96 billion expenditures: $2.377 billion; including capital expenditures of $500 million (2005 est.)	revenues: $134 billion expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 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	Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government
Climate	mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter	temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Coastline	362 km	451 km
Constitution	adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998	adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983
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 the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland
Currency	-	euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Death rate	5.22 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	8.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$1.55 billion (2004)	-
Dependent areas	-	Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York consulate(s): Boston
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	none
Economic aid - donor	-	ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient	ODA: $366 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2003 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 Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-03, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average. The government is wrestling with a deteriorating budget position, and is moving toward the EU 3% limit.
Electricity - consumption	6.76 billion kWh (2004)	99.42 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	200 million kWh (2003)	4.209 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.)	21.49 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	5.68 billion kWh (2004)	88.32 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m	lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents	water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
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)	Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.)
Exchange rates	leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001)	euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
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 BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May 2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime minister on legislative and administrative policy
Exports	0 bbl/day (2005 est.)	1.418 million bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners	Italy 72.4%, Greece 10.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 5% (2005)	Germany 25.1%, Belgium 12.7%, UK 10.7%, France 10.2%, Italy 6%, US 4.6% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	red with a black two-headed eagle in the center	three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with William I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $437.8 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 23.2% industry: 18.8% services: 57.9% (2005 est.)	agriculture: 3.1% industry: 25.7% services: 71.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $27,200 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2005 est.)	0.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	41 00 N, 20 00 E	52 30 N, 5 45 E
Geography - note	strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)	located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
Heliports	1 (2006)	1 (2002)
Highways	-	total: 116,500 km paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)
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	major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering
Imports	21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)	2.284 million bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals	machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners	Italy 29.3%, Greece 16.4%, Turkey 7.5%, China 6.6%, Germany 5.4%, Russia 4% (2005)	Germany 17.8%, Belgium 9.7%, US 9.1%, UK 6.9%, France 5.5%, China 5.1%, Japan 4% (2002)
Independence	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)	1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally recognized their independence
Industrial production growth rate	3.1% (2004 est.)	0% (2002 est.)
Industries	food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower	agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
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: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.4% (2005 est.)	3.4% (2002 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	AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	52 (2000)
Irrigated land	3,530 sq km (2003)	5,650 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 or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)
Labor force	1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)	7.2 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 58% industry: 19% services: 23% (2004 est.)	services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km	total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Land use	arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)	arable land: 26.53% permanent crops: 1.03% other: 72.44% (1998 est.)
Languages	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects	Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)
Legal system	has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens	civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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	bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held NA May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be held NA January 2007) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44, PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party 8, D66 6, other 5
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 77.43 years male: 74.78 years female: 80.34 years (2006 est.)	total population: 78.74 years male: 75.85 years female: 81.76 years (2003 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: 99% (2000 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Location	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Map references	Europe	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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)	total: 616 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,664,711 GRT/5,226,912 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 51, container 70, liquefied gas 13, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 10, petroleum tanker 24, refrigerated cargo 34, roll on/roll off 16, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55, Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, UK 33, US 12 (2002 est.)
Military branches	General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command	Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$56.5 million (FY02)	$6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.49% (FY02)	1.5% (FY00/01 est.)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 4,071,891 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and midshipmen) (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 94,034 note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 28 November (1912)	Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
Nationality	noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian	noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Natural hazards	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought	flooding
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower	natural gas, petroleum, arable land
Net migration rate	-4.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)	condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716 km (2003)
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]	Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor 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]	Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises
Population	3,581,655 (July 2006 est.)	16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	25% (2004 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	0.52% (2006 est.)	0.5% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen
Radio broadcast stations	AM 13, FM 46 (3 national, 62 local), shortwave 1 (2005)	AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)
Railways	total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2002)
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	Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)
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: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 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: highly developed and well maintained domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)
Telephones - main lines in use	255,000 (2003)	9,132,400 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.259 million (2004)	4,081,891 (April 1999)
Television broadcast stations	65 (3 national, 62 local); note - 2 cable networks (2005)	21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast	mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Total fertility rate	2.03 children born/woman (2006 est.)	1.65 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	14.3% official rate, but may exceed 30% (2005 est.)	3% (2002 est.)
Waterways	43 km (2006)	5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals) note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger

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