Albania Culture

Albania is a country that is situated South Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest,
Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast..
Its capital is Tirana. Like all countries, it has its own and special culture. Actually, it’s not as big. It used to
be a communist country but now it’s a democratic country, that means the people can express their
own opinion without fear. The language that is spoken there is Albanian. It’s spoken only there and has
a Latin accent. Albania is a country that has various subcultures because of the emigration and the
diversity of population. The climate is generally hot in summer and cold in winter.

On January 1, 2008 the population was had reached 3,170,048 people. 52% of the population is urban.
95% of the population is Albanian.

Minorities include Greeks, Vlachs, Macedonians, Serbs, Bulgarians, Balkan Egyptians, and Roma. Most

of the population is muslim but about 40% are Christians. Studies have showed that all children can read
and write at age 8. In general, Albanian people are generous, kind, easy-going, on time,funny, and pretty
proud. The cuisine of Albania – as with most Mediterranean and Balkan nations – is strongly influenced
by its long history. At different times, the territory which is now Albania has been claimed or occupied by
Greece, Italy and the Ottoman Turks and each group has left its mark on Albanian cuisine. The main meal
of the Albanians is lunch, and it is usually accompanied by a salad of fresh vegetables, such
as tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and olives with olive oil, vinegar and salt. Lunch also includes a
main dish of vegetables and meat. Seafood specialties are also common in the coastal areas
of Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë.

My city is mentioned for its traditional pie which it is called “lakror”. There are also other delicious meals.
People celebrate in holidays like the Independence Day, the Carnivals, The Day of Lies, Mother Teresa’s
birth (we celebrate this because she was born in Macedonia in the time when Albania and Macedonia
was united), the holidays for religions, Easter,the Beer Party, the Pie Party, Christmas and others. Albania
has a rich history and it has its ancient tribes since B.C. Albania has been through many tough times,
mostly political. The biggest city is Tirana, the capital. Other principal cities
are Durrës, Korçë, Elbasan, Shkodër, Gjirokastër, Vlorë and Kukës. Albania is mentioned for its tourists in
Balkan. It has amazing seashores.

The head of state in Albania is the President of the Republic. The President is elected to a 5-year term by
the Assembly of the Republic of Albania by secret ballot, requiring a 50%+1 majority of the votes of all
deputies. The next election will run in 2012. The current President of the Republic is Bamir Topi. Albania
has a total area of 28,748 square kilometers. Its coastline is 362 kilometers long and extends along the 
and Ionian Seas. The lowlands of the west face the Adriatic Sea. The 70% of the country that is
mountainous is rugged and often inaccessible from the outside. The highest mountain is Korab.It has
about 4 natural lakes. Although a small country, Albania is distinguished for its rich biological diversity.
Vast forests of black pine, beech and fir are found on higher mountains and alpine grasslands grow at
altitudes above 1800 meters.

There are around 760 species found so far in Albania. Among these there are over 350 bird species, 330
freshwater and marine fish and 80 mammal species. There are some 91 globally threatened species
found within the country, among which the Dalmatian pelican, Pygmy cormorant, and the European sea
sturgeon.Some of the most significant bird species found in the country include the golden eagle – known
as the national symbol of Albania – vulture species, capercaillie and numerous waterfowl. The Albanian
forests still maintain significant communities of large mammals such as the brown bear, gray
wolf, chamois and wild boar. The Shkumbin River is the dividing line between the two dialects. In the
areas inhabited by the Greek minority, a dialect of Greek that preserves features now lost in
standard modern Greek is spoken. Other languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Albania
include Serbian, Macedonian,Romani and Aromanian.

Football is the most popular Sport in Albania, both at a participatory and spectator level. According the
National Council of Radio and Television Albania has an estimated 257 media outlets, including 66 radio
stations and 67 television stations, with three national, 62 local stations and more than 30 cable
operators. Health care has been in a steep decline after the collapse of socialism in the country, but a
process of modernization has been taking place since 2000. As of the early 2000s, there were 51
hospitals in the country, including a military hospital and specialist facilities. Albania has successfully
removed diseases such as malaria.Life expectancy is estimated at 77.43 years, ranking 51st worldwide,
and outperforming a number of European Union countries, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic. The
most common causes of death are circulatory disease followed by cancerous illnesses.  Kosovo is the
subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo.
Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory.
These are some facts about my country. Hope you enjoyed them!

The man in the photo is Skanderbeg, the National Hero of Albania. The
flag is Albanianss flag. It is presented by a black eagle which explains the character of Albanians and the
color of the flag is red because it shows t he Soldiers’ blood.
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