Albania (/ælˈbeɪniə, ɔːl-/ ( listen) a(w)l-BAY-nee-ə; Albanian: Shqipëri or Shqipëria; Gheg

Albanian: Shqipni or Shqipnia also Shqypni or Shqypnia),[6] officially the Republic of

Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë, pronounced [ɾɛpuˈblika ɛ ʃcipəˈɾiːsə]), is a country in
Southeast Europe on the Adriatic and Ionian Sea within the Mediterranean Sea. It shares land
borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo[a] to the northeast, North Macedonia to the
east, Greece to the south and maritime borders with Greece, Montenegro and Italy to the west.
Geographically, the country displays varied climatic, geological, hydrological and morphological
conditions, defined in an area of 28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi). It possesses remarkable diversity with
the landscape ranging from the snow-capped mountains in the Albanian Alps as well as
the Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus and Ceraunian Mountains to the hot and sunny coasts of
the Albanian Adriatic and Ionian Sea along the Mediterranean Sea.
Historically, the country has been inhabited by numerous civilisations such as
the Illyrians, Thracians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians and Ottomans.
The Albanians established the autonomous Principality of Arbër in the 12th century. The Kingdom of
Albania and Principality of Albania formed between the 13th and 14th centuries. Prior to the Ottoman
conquest of Albania in the 15th century, the Albanian resistance to Ottoman expansion into Europe
led by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg won them acclaim over most of Europe.
Between the 18th and 19th centuries, Albanians gathered both spiritual and intellectual strength
which conclusively led to the Albanian Renaissance. After the defeat of the Ottomans in the Balkan
Wars, the modern nation state of Albania declared independence in 1912.[7] In the 20th century,
the Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy which formed Greater Albania before becoming
a protectorate of Nazi Germany.[8] Enver Hoxha formed Communist Albania after the Second World
War and launched the Albanians on a path of oppression and decades of isolation. The Revolutions
of 1991 concluded the fall of communism in Albania and eventually the establishment of the current
Republic of Albania.
Politically, the country is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic and developing country with
an upper-middle income economy dominated by the service sector, followed by manufacturing.[9] It
went through a process of transition, following the end of communism in 1990, from centralized
planning to a market-based economy.[10][11][12] Albania provides universal health care and free primary
and secondary education to its citizens.[5]
The country is a member of the United Nations, World
Bank, UNESCO, NATO, WTO, COE, OSCE and OIC. It is an official candidate for membership in
the European Union.[13] It is one of the founding members of the Energy Community, including
the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and Union for the Mediterranean.