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

Data code AL

Government type emerging democracy

National capital Tirane

Administrative divisions 26 districts (rrethe, singular - rreth); Berat, Dibre, Durres, Elbasan,Fier, Gjirokaster, Gramsh, Kolonje, Korce, Kruje, Kukes, Lezhe, Librazhd, Lushnje, Mat, Mirdite, Permet, Pogradec, Puke, Sarande, Shkoder, Skrapar,Tepelene, Tirane, Tropoje, Vlore
note: some new administrative units may have been created

Independence 28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution an interim basic law was approved by the People's Assembly on 29 April1991; a draft constitution was rejected by popular referendum in the fallof 1994 and a new draft is pending

Legal system has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
chief of state : President of the Republic Sali BERISHA (since 9 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister of the interim National Reconciliation Government BashkimFINO (since 12 March 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a five-year term; electionlast held NA 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997); prime minister appointed by the president
election results : Sali BERISHA elected president; percent of People's Assembly vote -NA

Legislative branch unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; most membersare elected by direct popular vote and some by proportional vote for four-yearterms)
elections: last held 26 May 1996 (next tentatively scheduled for 29 June 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - DP 122, PS 10, RP 3,UHP 3, Balli Kombetar 2

Judicial branch Supreme Court, chairman of the Supreme Court is elected by the People'sAssembly

Political parties and leaders Albanian Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albania Workers Party)[Fatos NANO, chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Tritan SHEHU]; Albanian Republican Party or PR [Sabri GODO]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Skender GJINUSHI];Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Neritan CEKA, chairman]; Unity for HumanRights Party or PBDNJ [Vasil MELO, chairman]; Movement for Democracy Partyor LDP [ruled by committee of Genc RULI, Alfred SERREQI, Dashimir SHEHI, MaksimKONOMI]; Balli Kombetar [Hysen SELFO]

International organization participation BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user),Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, OIC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,UNOMIG, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Lublin DILJA
chancery: Suite 1000, 1511 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942, 8187
FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Marisa R. LINO (15 July 1996)
embassy: Rruga E. Labinoti 103, Tirane
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100 (A), APO AE 09624
telephone: [355] (42) 328-75, 335-20
FAX: [355] (42) 322-22

Flag description red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

NOTE: The information regarding Albania on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Albania Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Albania Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.