Albania

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On the Mediterranean shores - still far far away..

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Albania - offically the Republic of Albania, is a country in South Eastern Europe.

Locally the nation is called Shqipëri.

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Albania is nowadays a parliamentary democracy and a transition economy.

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The Albanian capital - Tirana - is home to approximately 900.000 of the countrys ca 3.6 million people.

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Albania was used by the invading Italians during WWII as a base to launch attack on Greece. With  the Mussolini´s government collapsing with the allied invasion, Germany occupied Albania in 1943.

Albania was liberated by partisans in 1944.

Enver Hoxha became the leader of the country by virtue of his position as secretary general of the Albanian Communist Party.

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Albania allied with the USSR, and then broke with the USSR in 1960 over de-Stalinization. A strong political alliance with China followed, leading to several billion dollars in aid, which was curtailed after 1974. China cut off aid in 1978 when Albania attacked its policies after the death of Chinese ruler Mao Zedong. Large-scale purges of officials occurred during the 1970s.

Enver Hoxha, who ruled Albania for four decades with an iron fist, died 11 April 1985. Eventually the new regime introduced some liberalization, including measures in 1990 providing for freedom to travel abroad. Efforts were begun to improve ties with the outside world. March 1991 elections left the former Communists in power, but a general strike and urban opposition led to the formation of a coalition cabinet including non-Communists.

Albania's former Communists were routed in elections March 1992, amid economic collapse and social unrest. Sali Berisha was elected as the first non-Communist president since World War II. The next crisis occurred in 1997, as riots ravaged the country. Victory by a pro-Berisha coalition in elections 3 July 2005, ended 8 years of Socialist Party rule. In 2009, Albania, along with Croatia, joined NATO.

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