Geography

Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and
Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro 

Map references: Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe 

Area:  
     total area: 28,750 sq km  
     land area: 27,400 sq km  
     comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland 

Land boundaries: total 720 km, Greece 282 km, The Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 287
km (114 km with Serbia, 173 km with Montenegro) 

Coastline: 362 km 

Maritime claims:  
     continental shelf: 200 - m depth or to the depth of exploitation      
territorial sea: 12 nm 

International disputes: the Albanian Government supports protection
of the rights of ethnic Albanians outside of its borders; Albanian
majority in Kosovo seeks independence from Serbian Republic;
Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to
public sector jobs and representation in government; Albania is involved
in a bilaterlal dispute with Greece over border demarcation, the
treatment of Albania s ethnic Greek minority, and migrant Albanian
workers in Greece 

Climate: mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
summers; interior is cooler and wetter 

Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast 

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper,
timber, nickel 

Land use:  
     arable land: 21%  
     permanent crops: 4%  
     meadows and pastures: 15%  
     forest and woodland: 38%  
     other: 22% 

Irrigated land: 4,230 sq km (1989) 

Environment:  
     current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from
industrial and domestic effluents  
     natural hazards: destructive earthquakes; tsunami occur along
southwestern coast  
     international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate  Change

Note: strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)