Albania

B

Principal Cities

The capital and chief city is Tirana, with a population of 367,000 (2003 estimate). Other major cities, with their populations, are the port and industrial centre of Durrës, 99,546 (2001 estimate), the agricultural marketing centre of Elbasan, 87,797 (2001 estimate), the ancient town of Shkodër, 82,445 (2001 estimate), and the seaport of Vlorë, 77,691 (2001 estimate).

C

Religion

In 1967 the Albanian government abolished all religious institutions. Previously about 70 per cent of the population was Muslim, 20 per cent Eastern Orthodox, and 10 per cent Roman Catholic. Freedom of worship was officially restored in 1990.

D

Language

Seven languages are spoken in Albania, all from the Indo-European language family. The official language since 1952 has been Tosk Albanian, which is spoken by the majority of the population. Gheg Albanian, said to be unintelligible with Tosk, is the next most widely spoken language (with 300,000 mother-tongue speakers). Greek, Macedonian and Serbian (Slavic languages), Vlax Romani, and Macedo-Romanian (a Romance language) are also spoken, each by fewer than 2 per cent of the population.

E

Education

Primary education is free and compulsory for all children between the ages of 7 and 15. In 2000 the number of students enrolled in primary schools was 274,233. Secondary and technical schools had a total of about 206,000 students in the early 1990s, and institutions of higher education had a total enrolment of about 19,000. There are eight institutions with university status. In Tirana there is the University of Tirana (1957), Polytechnic University of Tirana (1957), and Agricultural University of Tirana (1971); in Shkodër, the University of Shkodër-Luigi Gurakugi (1957); in Korçë, the University of Korca Fan S. Noli (1971); in Elbasan, the Aleksandër Xhuvani University; the Eqrem Cabej University of Gjirokastër in Gjirokastër (1971); and the Ismail Qemel Vlora Technological University in Vlorë (1994). In all institutes of higher education there are 40,859 students (2000–2001 estimate).

F

Culture

During most of the more than 400 years of Ottoman rule, the Albanian language and culture were suppressed. No Albanian-language school was permitted until the 1880s. After the Communist government came to power, Albanian culture was influenced first by Soviet and then by Chinese models. Albania underwent a cultural revolution in the mid-1960s, and many Western influences were eliminated. The government now subsidizes handicrafts and folk dances.

In 1988 Albania had 45 public libraries, the most important of which is the National Library (1922) in Tirana with 1 million volumes. Also in Tirana are the national companies of opera, theatre, and ballet and the principal museums. A main cultural site in Albania is Butrint, on the coast opposite Corfu. This city was founded by the Greeks and bears the remains of five subsequent civilizations.