Capital City: Tirana (Tirane)
Population: 3,020,209 (July 2014 est)
Currency: Leke (ALL)
Land Area: 28,748 sq km. Strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea).
Dominant Religions: Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2%
Land Boundaries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Montenegro 172 km, Kosovo 112 km
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north
Climate: Mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter. With its coastline facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons, Albania has a high number of climatic regions for so small an area. The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean weather; the highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south.
Terrain: Mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast
Visa: There is no longer a visa charge for any foreigners entering Albania. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nationals of Austalia can enter Albania without a visa
Entry Point: Kakavia (from Ktismata, Greece)
Exit Point: Dodaj (to Sukobin, Montenegro)
Cuisine: Restaurants are very easy to find. Albania, like the Balkans in general, has a primarily Turkish influence in its cuisine. This influence stems from over 400 years of Ottoman rule in the region. Recent influences after the fall of communism in the early 1990’s have been from Italy and Western Europe in general. Most of what is available in neighboring countries such as Greece and Italy will be available in Albania, particularly in the larger cities.