Compare Morocco (2008) - Albania (2007)

Compare Morocco (2008) z Albania (2007)

	Morocco (2008)	Albania (2007)

Administrative divisions	15 regions; Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara, Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental, Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal, Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political status of which is considered undetermined by the US Government; portions of the regions Guelmim-Es Smara and Laayoune-Boujdour-Sakia El Hamra as claimed by Morocco lie within Western Sahara; Morocco claims another region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, which falls entirely within Western Sahara	12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane, Vlore
Age structure	0-14 years: 31% (male 5,339,730/female 5,140,482) 15-64 years: 63.9% (male 10,750,240/female 10,815,470) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 740,686/female 970,567) (2007 est.)	0-14 years: 24.1% (male 454,622/female 413,698) 15-64 years: 66.6% (male 1,228,497/female 1,170,489) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 154,352/female 178,865) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock	wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
Airports	60 (2007)	11 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 27 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 33 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2007)	total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Area	total: 446,550 sq km land: 446,300 sq km water: 250 sq km	total: 28,748 sq km land: 27,398 sq km water: 1,350 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than California	slightly smaller than Maryland
Background	In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997. Improvements in human rights have occurred and there is a largely free press. Despite the continuing reforms, ultimate authority remains in the hands of the monarch.	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.
Birth rate	21.64 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	15.16 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $19.39 billion expenditures: $21.21 billion (2007 est.)	revenues: $2.608 billion expenditures: $3.1 billion (2007 est.)
Capital	name: Rabat geographic coordinates: 34 01 N, 6 49 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	name: Tirana (Tirane) geographic coordinates: 41 19 N, 19 49 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
Climate	Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior	mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
Coastline	1,835 km	362 km
Constitution	10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create bicameral legislature) September 1996	adopted by popular referendum on 22 November 1998; promulgated 28 November 1998
Country name	conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco conventional short form: Morocco local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah local short form: Al Maghrib	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
Death rate	5.54 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	5.33 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$16.86 billion (31 December 2007 est.)	$1.55 billion (2004)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca	chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. John L. WITHERS, II 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
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York	chief of mission: Ambassador Aleksander SALLABANDA chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942 FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342
Disputes - international	claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation, setting limits on resource exploration and refugee interdiction, since Morocco's 2002 rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa	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; the mass emigration of unemployed Albanians remains a problem for developed countries, chiefly Greece and Italy
Economic aid - recipient	ODA, $651.8 million (2005)	ODA: $318.7 million note: top donors were Italy, EU, Germany (2005 est.)
Economy - overview	Moroccan economic policies brought macroeconomic stability to the country in the early 1990s but have not spurred growth sufficient to reduce unemployment - nearing 20% in urban areas - despite the Moroccan Government's ongoing efforts to diversify the economy. Morocco's GDP growth rate slowed to 2.1% in 2007 as a result of a draught that severely reduced agricultural output and necessitated wheat imports at rising world prices. Continued dependence on foreign energy and Morocco's inability to develop small and medium size enterprises also contributed to the slowdown. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs are key to domestic security and development. In 2005, Morocco launched the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH), a $2 billion social development plan to address poverty and unemployment and to improve the living conditions of the country's urban slums. Moroccan authorities are implementing reform efforts to open the economy to international investors. Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible for current account transactions. In 2000, Morocco entered an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 2006, entered a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Long-term challenges include improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and closing the income gap between the rich and the poor, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles.	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 reduce the large gray economy. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Albanians residing in Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held back because of lack of modern equipment, unclear property rights, and the prevalence of small, inefficient 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 eventually 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 2003-06 and inflation is low and stable.
Electricity - consumption	20.67 billion kWh (2005)	3.323 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	300 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	802 million kWh (2005)	371 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	21.37 billion kWh (2005)	5.385 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m	lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
Environment - current issues	land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters	deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%	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)
Exchange rates	Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.3563 (2007), 8.7722 (2006), 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003)	leke per US dollar - 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155 (2002)
Executive branch	chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abbas EL FASSI (since 19 September 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch following legislative elections	chief of state: President of the Republic Bamir TOPI (since 24 July 2007) 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); four election rounds held between 8 and 20 July 2007 (next election to be held in 2012); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Bamir TOPI elected president; People's Assembly vote, fourth round (three-fifths majority (84 votes) required): Bamir TOPI 85 votes, Neritan CEKA 5 votes
Exports	21,890 bbl/day (2004 est.)	1,240 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities	clothing and textiles, electric components, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, citrus fruits, vegetables, fish	textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco
Exports - partners	Spain 20.6%, France 20.5%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.7%, India 4% (2006)	Italy 67.7%, Serbia and Montenegro 5.8%, Greece 5.4% (2006)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf; design dates to 1912	red with a black two-headed eagle in the center
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 15% industry: 38.2% services: 46.8% (2007 est.)	agriculture: 22.3% industry: 20.9% services: 56.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	2.1% (2007 est.)	5% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	32 00 N, 5 00 W	41 00 N, 20 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar	strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)
Heliports	1 (2007)	1 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1999)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% (2004)
Illicit drugs	one of the world's largest producers of illicit hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America destined for Western Europe; significant consumer of cannabis	increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to a 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	186,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)	21,600 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities	crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals
Imports - partners	France 17.5%, Spain 13.9%, Saudi Arabia 6.9%, China 6.9%, Italy 6.3%, Germany 6% (2006)	Italy 32.1%, Greece 17.7%, Turkey 8.1%, Germany 5.7% (2006)
Independence	2 March 1956 (from France)	28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
Industrial production growth rate	6% (2007 est.)	3.4% (2005 est.)
Industries	phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism	food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Infant mortality rate	total: 38.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 42.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	total: 20.02 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2.1% (2007 est.)	2.4% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO	BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	14,450 sq km (2003)	3,530 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)	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	11.35 million (2007 est.)	1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (September 2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 40% industry: 15% services: 45% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 58% industry: 15% services: 27% (September 2006 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 2,017.9 km border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km	total: 720 km border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Serbia 115 km
Land use	arable land: 19% permanent crops: 2% other: 79% (2005)	arable land: 20.1% permanent crops: 4.21% other: 75.69% (2005)
Languages	Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects
Legal system	based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; 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 Parliament consists of a Chamber of Counselors (or upper house) (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year terms; one-third of the members are elected every three years) and Chamber of Representatives (or lower house) (325 seats; 295 members elected by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms) elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 8 September 2006 (next to be held in 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 7 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012) election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 17, MP 14, RNI 13, USFP 11, UC 6, PND 4, PPS 4, Al Ahd 4, other 17; Chamber of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PI 52, PJD 46, MP 41, RNI 39, USFP 38, UC 27, PPS 17, FFD 9, MDS 9, Al Ahd 8, other 39	unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi (140 seats; 100 members are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote to serve 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
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 71.22 years male: 68.88 years female: 73.67 years (2007 est.)	total population: 77.6 years male: 74.95 years female: 80.53 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 52.3% male: 65.7% female: 39.6% (2004 census)	definition: age 9 and over can read and write total population: 98.7% male: 99.2% female: 98.3% (2001 census)
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara	Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Serbia to the north
Map references	Africa	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation	territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 35 ships (1000 GRT or over) 344,445 GRT/252,341 DWT by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 14 (France 13, Germany 1) (2007)	total: 24 ships (1000 GRT or over) 56,550 GRT/85,521 DWT by type: cargo 23, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Turkey 1) registered in other countries: 3 (Georgia 2, Panama 1) (2007)
Military branches	Royal Armed Forces (Forces Armees Royales, FAR): Royal Moroccan Army (includes Air Defense), Navy (includes Marines), Royal Moroccan Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale Marocaine) (2007)	Land Forces Command (Army), Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, General Staff Headquarters (includes Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command) (2007)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	5% (2003 est.)	1.49% (2005 est.)
National holiday	Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July (1999)	Independence Day, 28 November (1912)
Nationality	noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan	noun: Albanian(s) adjective: Albanian
Natural hazards	northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to earthquakes; periodic droughts	destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Natural resources	phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt	petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Net migration rate	-0.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-4.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines	gas 720 km; oil 439 km (2007)	gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders	Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Forces Front or FFD; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Society Party or PSD [Zhor CHEKKAFI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Independence Party (Istiqlal) or PI [Abbas el FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine El OTHMANI]; Labor Party [Abdelkrim BENATIK]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Rally of Independents or RNI [Mustapha El MANSOURI]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP	Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI]; Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nard NDOKA]; Communist Party of Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or AD [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or BLD [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 PDRN [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU]; Social Democracy Party of Albania or PDSSh [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]
Political pressure groups and leaders	Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]	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]
Population	33,757,175 (July 2007 est.)	3,600,523 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	15% (2007 est.)	25% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate	1.528% (2007 est.)	0.529% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations	AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)	AM 13, FM 46, shortwave 1 (2005)
Railways	total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2006)	total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions	Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%	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: 1.039 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.994 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.763 male(s)/female total population: 0.994 male(s)/female (2007 est.)	at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.099 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.863 male(s)/female total population: 1.042 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities; however, density is low with only 4 fixed lines available for each 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership is approaching 50 per 100 persons domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive; principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural service employs microwave radio relay international: country code - 212; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides connectivity to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and Tunisia	general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines, the density of main lines remains low with roughly 10 lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is widespread and generally effective; combined fixed line and mobile telephone density is approximately 60 telephones per 100 persons 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; Internet broadband services initiated in 2005; internet cafes are popular in Tirana and have started to spread outside the capital international: country code - 355; submarine cable provides connectivity to Italy, Croatia, and Greece; the Trans-Balkan Line, a combination submarine cable and land fiber optic system, provides additional connectivity to Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey; international traffic carried by fiber-optic cable and, when necessary, by microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use	1.266 million (2006)	353,600 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular	16.005 million (2006)	1.53 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations	35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)	65 (3 national, 62 local); 2 cable networks (2005)
Terrain	northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains	mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Total fertility rate	2.62 children born/woman (2007 est.)	2.03 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	15% (2007 est.)	13.8% official rate, but may exceed 30% due to preponderance of near-subsistence farming (2006 est.)
Waterways	-	43 km (2007)

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