Compare Argentina (2003) - Albania (2004)

Compare Argentina (2003) z Albania (2004)

	Argentina (2003)	Albania (2004)

Administrative divisions	23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur, Tucuman note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica	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
Age structure	0-14 years: 26.2% (male 5,185,548; female 4,955,551) 15-64 years: 63.4% (male 12,274,625; female 12,282,772) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 1,659,641; female 2,382,670) (2003 est.)	0-14 years: 26.4% (male 489,363; female 446,586) 15-64 years: 65.3% (male 1,184,670; female 1,130,065) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 135,177; female 158,947) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco, peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock	wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Airports	1,342 (2002)	11 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 145 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 9 (2002)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1,197 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 572 under 914 m: 571 (2002)	total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 2,766,890 sq km land: 2,736,690 sq km water: 30,200 sq km	total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US	slightly smaller than Maryland
Background	Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina experienced periods of internal political conflict between conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.	Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to high government officials, and disruptive political opponents. International observers judged parliamentary elections in 2001 and local elections in 2003 to be acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified serious deficiencies. Many of these deficiencies have been addressed through bi-partisan changes to the electoral code in 2003 and 2005, but implementation of these changes will not be demonstrated until parliamentary elections in July 2005.
Birth rate	17.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	15.08 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $44 billion expenditures: $48 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)	revenues: $1.36 billion expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $406 million (2003 est.)
Capital	Buenos Aires	Tirana
Climate	mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest	mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Coastline	4,989 km	362 km
Constitution	1 May 1853; revised August 1994	a constitution was adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998
Country name	conventional long form: Argentine Republic conventional short form: Argentina local long form: Republica Argentina local short form: Argentina	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
Currency	Argentine peso (ARS)	lek (ALL)
Death rate	7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$155 billion (2001 est.)	$1.41 billion (2003)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador James D. WALSH; note - Lino GUTIERREZ is designated to replace Ambassador WALSH embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240	chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place, Dulles, VA 20189-9510 telephone: [355] (4) 247285 FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York	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
Disputes - international	claims UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its constitution, but in 1995 ceded the right to settle the dispute by force; Beagle Channel islands dispute resolved through Papal mediation in 1984, but armed incidents persist since 1992 oil discovery; territorial claim in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and drug trafficking, and harbors Islamist militants; uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim leaves the tripoint with Argentina in question	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
Economic aid - recipient	$10 billion (2001 est.)	ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)
Economy - overview	Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the country has suffered recurring economic problems of inflation, external debt, capital flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8%, as both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened in 2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit," to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso was floated in February; the exchange rate plunged and inflation picked up rapidly, but by mid-2002 the economy had stabilized, albeit at a lower level. Strong demand for the peso compelled the Central Bank to intervene in foreign exchange markets to curb its appreciation in early 2003. Led by record exports, the economy began to recover with output up 5.5% in 2003, unemployment falling, and inflation sliced to 4.2% at year-end.	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 spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by remittances from abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the sizable trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for one-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 and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The government plans to boost energy imports to relieve the shortages and is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth.
Electricity - consumption	92.12 billion kWh (2001)	5.898 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	5.662 billion kWh (2001)	221 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	7.417 billion kWh (2001)	1.2 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	97.17 billion kWh (2001)	5.289 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Salinas Chicas -40 m (located on Peninsula Valdes) highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m	lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Environment - current issues	environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation, desertification, air pollution, and water pollution note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse gas targets	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements	party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation	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	white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo, Amerindian, or other nonwhite groups 3%	Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and Macedonian or Bulgarian) (1989 est.) note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from 1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)
Exchange rates	Argentine pesos per US dollar - 3.06 (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000), 1 (1999), 1 (1998)	leke per US dollar - 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002), 143.485 (2001), 143.709 (2000), 137.691 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); note - declared winner of a runoff election by default after Carlos Saul MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election; Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); note - declared winner of a runoff election by default after Carlos Saul MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election; Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; the last election held was the presidential primary election of 27 April 2003 (next election to be held NA 2007); a runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 between the two candidates receiving the highest votes in the primary was awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election election results: results of the presidential primary of 27 April 2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other 8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on the eve of the election	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 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; 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
Exports	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor vehicles	textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners	Brazil 23.6%, US 10.9%, Chile 9.7%, Spain 4.3% (2002)	Italy 74.9%, Greece 12.8%, Germany 3.4% (2003)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white, and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun with a human face known as the Sun of May	red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
GDP	purchasing power parity - $403.8 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $16.13 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 5% industry: 28% services: 66% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 47.5% industry: 24.6% services: 27.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-10.9% (2002 est.)	7% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	34 00 S, 64 00 W	41 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note	second-largest country in South America (after Brazil); strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain, while the Valdes Peninsula is the lowest point on the continent	strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Heliports	-	1 (2003 est.)
Highways	total: 215,471 km paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways) unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)	total: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing	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	NA (2001)	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal manufactures, plastics	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners	Brazil 42%, US 12.8%, Germany 4.4% (2002)	Italy 33.6%, Greece 20.2%, Turkey 6.6%, Germany 5.7% (2003)
Independence	9 July 1816 (from Spain)	28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate	1% (2000 est.)	2.7% (2003 est.)
Industries	food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel	food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Infant mortality rate	total: 16.16 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births male: 23.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	41% (2002, yearend)	2.4% (2003)
International organization participation	AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, ECLAC, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, MTCR, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC	ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	33 (2000)	-
Irrigated land	15,610 sq km (1998 est.)	3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)	Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals and district courts
Labor force	15 million (1999)	1.35 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2003 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%	agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 9,665 km border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km, Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km	total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287 km
Land use	arable land: 9.14% permanent crops: 0.8% other: 90.06% (1998 est.)	arable land: 21.09% permanent crops: 4.42% other: 74.49% (2001)
Languages	Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects
Legal system	mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
Legislative branch	bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently one-third of the members being elected every two years to a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a four-year term) elections: Senate - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held intermittently by province before December 2003); Chamber of Deputies - last held 14 October 2001 (next to be held intermittently by province before December 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 40, UCR 24, provincial parties 6, Frepaso 1, ARI 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats by bloc or party - PJ 113, UCR 74, provincial parties 27, Frepaso 17, ARI 17, AR 9	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 2001 with subsequent rounds on 8 July, 22 July, 29 July, 19 August 2001 (next to be held July 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 41.5%, PD and coalition allies 36.8%, PDR 5.2%, PSD 3.6%, PBDNJ 2.6%, PASH (now PAA) 2.6%, PAD 2.5%; seats by party - PS 73, PD and coalition allies 46, PDR 6, PSD 4, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, independents 2; note - seats by party as of January 2005: PS 65, PD and coalition allies 46, LSI 9, PDR 6, PSD 3, PBDNJ 3, PASH (now PAA) 3, PAD 3, PDS 1, independents 1
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 75.48 years male: 71.72 years female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)	total population: 77.06 years male: 74.37 years female: 80.02 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.1% male: 97.1% female: 97.1% (2003 est.)	definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 86.5% male: 93.3% female: 79.5% (2003 est.)
Location	Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Map references	South America	Europe
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 141,851 GRT/208,821 DWT ships by type: cargo 9, petroleum tanker 8, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 1, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: United Arab Emirates 1, Uruguay 1 (2002 est.)	total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT by type: bulk 1, cargo 19, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: Denmark 1, Honduras 1, Netherlands 1 registered in other countries: 7 (2004 est.)
Military branches	Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes naval aviation and Marines), Coast Guard, Argentine Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Aeronautical Police Force	General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Forces Command, Doctrine and Exercises Command, Logistics Support Command
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$4.3 billion (FY99)	$56.5 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.3% (FY00)	1.49% (FY02)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 9,780,063 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 956,107 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 7,942,837 (2003 est.)	males age 15-49: 775,422 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - military age	20 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 331,011 (2003 est.)	males: 36,584 (2004 est.)
National holiday	Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)	Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Nationality	noun: Argentine(s) adjective: Argentine	noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Natural hazards	San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Natural resources	fertile plains of the Pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper, iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium	petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate	0.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	gas 26,797 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km; refined products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2003)	gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO]; Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front for a Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition) [Dario Pedro ALESSANDRO]; Justicialist Party or PJ [Carlos Saul MENEM] (Peronist umbrella political organization); Radical Civic Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS]; Federal Recreate Movement [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY]; several provincial parties	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 PAD [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 PBK [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party or PDR [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 (formerly the Albanian Party of Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel DULE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA); Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine Rural Society (large landowners' association); business organizations; General Confederation of Labor or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization); Peronist-dominated labor movement; Roman Catholic Church; students	Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur ADILI]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]
Population	38,740,807 (July 2003 est.)	3,544,808 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	37% (2001 est.)	30% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate	1.05% (2003 est.)	0.51% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Comodoro Rivadavia, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Necochea, Rio Gallegos, Rosario, Santa Fe, Ushuaia	Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore
Radio broadcast stations	AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)	AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)
Railways	total: 34,463 km (168 km electrified) broad gauge: 20,736 km 1.676-m gauge (142 km electrified) standard gauge: 3,115 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified) narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2002)	total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)
Religions	nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing), Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%	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
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	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: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal and mandatory	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally available will take time domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network; more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone use is rapidly expanding international: satellite earth stations - 8 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables; two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)	general assessment: Despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly 8 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 microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2003)
Telephones - main lines in use	7.5 million (1998)	255,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	3 million (December 1999)	1.1 million (2003)
Television broadcast stations	42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)	3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain	rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western border	mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Total fertility rate	2.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)	2.05 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	21.5% (37377)	15.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2003 est.)
Waterways	10,950 km	43 km (2004)

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