ALBANIA
A Quick Geographical Guide to Albania
For Learning Adults
By Aras Barzanji
Population: 3,581,655
Literacy Rate: 86.5%
females: 79.5%
males: 93.3%
Death Rate: 5.22 deaths/1,000 population
Birth Rate: 15.11 births/1,000 population
Growth Rate: 0.52%
Capital: Tirana
GDP: $18.07 billion
per capita: $4,900
Albania is the only Muslim nation in Europe. Albania is known for its fine dairy products. Until the early 90's Albania was a communist nation, and its currently a transitional democracy. Albania won its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1913.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ALBANIA:
The Albanian language, as one of the original 9 Indo-European languages, is one of Europe's oldest languages and is not derived from any other language.
Even though Albania is a Muslim country it produced a Pope. Pope Clement XI of Rome (his reign: 1700-1721) was an Albanian as were numerous cardinals.
Mother Theresa was Albanian- her real name was Agnes Bojaxhiu. "Bojaxhiu" in the Albanian language means "painter".
Albanians protected their own Jews during the Holocaust while also offering shelter to other Jews who had escaped into Albania from Austria, Serbia and Greece! The names of Muslim and Christian Albanian rescuers of Jews are commemorated as "Righteous Among the Nations" at the Yad Vashem Memorial in Jerusalem and are inscribed on the famous "Rescuers Wall" at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC!
The name "Albania" is derived from the ancient Illyrian tribe called the Albanoi who inhabited the provinces of Durres and Dibra in today's Albania in 200 AD.
In 2000 BC, the Illyrians, from whom the Albanians are the direct descendents, held vast territories covering all of the western Balkans, approximately the territories of today's Albania , northern Greece, and former Yugoslavia .
The emperors that Albania contributed to the Roman Empire were Diocletian, Julian, Probus, Claudius Probus, Constantine the Great ,and one of its most famous emperors, Justinian the First
Earth Science Tradition
The Country of Albania has 362 km of coastlines.
Man Land Tradition
Albanians inhabit about 20% of the total land in Albania.
Spatial Tradition
Albania is a Muslim country surrounded by Christian dominated countries
Aras Studies Traditions
Albania has a total of 18,000 km of roadway and 447 km of railway.
SOME HELPFUL SITES TO VISIT:
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/
http://www.albanian.com/main/countries/albania/
http://home1.gte.net/vze7b2yg/id58.html
FOR THOSE WHO PLAN TO VISIT ALBANIA CHECK OUT THE BOTTOM LINK
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/albania