II.

Land and Resources

Albania is predominantly mountainous with peaks averaging between 2,100 and 2,400 m (7,000 to 8,000 ft). Lowlands, which comprise less than one quarter of the land area, are limited to a belt along the Adriatic coast north of Vlorë and to several river valleys extending inland from the coast. The rugged North Albanian Alps form the southern end of the Dinaric Alps and include Albania’s highest peak, Mount Korab (2,751 m/9,026 ft). In the central and southern parts of the country the mountains are interrupted by high plateaux and basins. The coastal lowlands possess rich soils, but in many places the land is marshy or poorly drained.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

Most of Albania’s rivers rise in the mountainous east and flow west to the Adriatic Sea. The largest of these—the Drin, Shkumbi, and Mat—have broad valleys. Albania’s three large lakes straddle its borders: in the north-west, Lake Scutari, and in the east, Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.

B.

Climate

The Adriatic coastal region has a typical Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Inland, a more severe continental climate prevails, with marked seasonal temperature extremes. Average annual precipitation ranges from about 1,000 mm (40 in) on the coast to nearly 2,500 mm (100 in) in sections of the northern mountains. Summer precipitation is scant in all parts of the country.

C.

Natural Resources

Albania is well endowed with mineral resources and is especially rich in high-quality chromium ores. Among the other minerals present are oil, copper, nickel, coal (mostly low-quality lignite), iron ore, phosphates, and natural gas.

D.

Plants and Animals

On the coast is found the typical Mediterranean chaparral vegetation of drought-resistant shrubs. Forests cover nearly 40 per cent of Albania’s total land area. Thick forests, however, are generally found only at higher elevations in the mountains; much of the other growth is scrub forests. Some common trees are oak, elm, pine, beech, and birch. Wildlife, found in the more inaccessible mountain regions, includes eagles, wolves, deer, and wild boar.

E.

Environmental Concerns

Although loss of forest cover has plagued Albania in the past, in the 1990s deforestation slowed almost to a halt. Currently, over 38.2 per cent (1995) of the country is forested. Arable and permanent cropland accounts for another 26 per cent (1997) of the country's total area, and much of Albania’s land is used for livestock grazing. The effects of past deforestation, livestock grazing, and flooding have contributed to a rate of soil erosion that exceeds the natural process of new soil production. Only 76,000 hectares (190,000 acres (1997))—just over 1 per cent of Albania's total land area—are designated as protected. Industrial activity has contributed to the pollution of Albanian air and waterways. In April 2002 a UN report warned of the high level of toxins, especially mercury, in the environment. Albania is party to international agreements on biodiversity, climate change, and wetlands.