General tourist information on Albania, including characteristics of the territory, population composition and main economic sources of the nation.
Where is it
Located to the west of the Balkan peninsula, in South-Eastern Europe, the Republic of Albania is a predominantly mountainous state, with plains found only along the coast and in river basins.
Territory
The remaining part of the territory is dominated by the southern portion of the Dinaric Alps, which include Mount Korab which, with its 2754 meters of altitude, constitutes the largest peak in the nation.
In the center and south of this area, the mountains slope into highlands.
The major rivers that flow into the Adriatic are Drin, Shkumbin, Semani and Volussa.
The most important lakes are Shkoder, on the border with Serbia and Montenegro, Ohrid and Prespa in the east.
A third of the area is covered with woods, where elms, beeches and firs prevail on the mountains, and Mediterranean species on the coast.
Climate
As for the climate, it is continental inland, while summers are warm on the coast and mild winters, even if rainy.
Population
The population is mainly composed of Albanians, descendants of the Illyrians, an Indo-European people.
There are also minorities of Greeks, Macedonians, Bulgarians and Gypsies.
The majority of the population is Islamic, while a minority observes the Greek Orthodox and Catholic religion.
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Spoken language
The official language is Albanian.
Economy
As for the economy, Albania is a nation with significant mineral resources, mainly lignite, chromite, bauxite, oil, natural gas and asphalt.
Almost all of the energy is hydroelectric.
In the agricultural sector, crops of cereals, sugar beet, vines, olive trees, vegetables and tobacco predominate.
Livestock of the sheep and goat type are of considerable importance.
Forestry produces wood for heating and construction, fishing is also quite developed.
The main industrial sectors are the petrochemical and textile sectors, followed by the chemical, food and tobacco sectors.
