Albania Demographics

What is the population of Albania?

Population	3,074,579
Population Growth Rate	0.29%
Urban Population	53.4%
Population in Major Urban Areas	TIRANA (capital) 419,000
Nationality Noun	Albanian(s)
Nationality Adjective	Albanian
Ethnic Groups	Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, and Macedonian or Bulgarian)
Languages Spoken	Albanian (official - Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Language Note	Albania adopted a Latin script in 1908. Two dialects, Tosk and Gheg are spoken in Albania, but the official language is based on the Tosk dialect. The Albanian language Shqip is descended from Illyrian.

Albania Health Information

What are the health conditions in Albania?

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 15-49	69.3%
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	6.36
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved	93.8%
Drinking Water Source - percent of total population unimproved	4.3%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved	97.3%
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP	6.3%
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population	2.4
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births	11.94
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births	15.18
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births	13.65
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births	27
Mean Age for Mother's First Birth	23.9
Obesity - adult prevalence rate	21.3%
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population	1.11
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of total population unimproved	8.8%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved	95.3%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved	86.3%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman	1.49
Underweight - percent of children under five years	6.3%

Albania Life Expectancy

How long do people live in Albania?

Life Expectancy at Birth	77 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female	80 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male	75 Years
Median Age	31 Years
Median Age - female	32 Years
Median Age - male	29 Years

Albania Infant Mortality - per 1,000 live births

Albania median age, birth rate and death rates

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population	13
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population	6.36
Median Age	31 Years
Median Age - female	32 Years
Median Age - male	29 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population	-3.32
Population Growth Rate	0.29%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female	1.12
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female	1.05
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female	.91
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female	.98
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female	1.11
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female	.98
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female	.89

Albania Medical Information

What are the health conditions in Albania?

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Medical care at private hospitals and clinics in Tirana has improved in recent years but still remains below western standards. Medical facilities outside Tirana have very limited capabilities. Emergency and major medical care requiring surgery and hospital care outside Tirana are often inadequate because of a lack of medical specialists, diagnostic aids, medical supplies, and prescription drugs. There are very few ambulances in Albania; therefore, injured or seriously ill U.S. citizens may be required to take taxis or other immediately available vehicles to the nearest major hospital rather than waiting for ambulances to arrive. If you have been previously diagnosed with (a) medical condition(s), you may wish to consult your personal health care provider before travel. As some prescription drugs may not be available locally, you may also wish to bring extra supplies of required medications.

Electricity shortages result in sporadic blackouts throughout the country, which can affect the food storage capabilities of restaurants and shops. While some restaurants and food stores have generators to store food properly, you should take care that food is cooked thoroughly to reduce the risk of food-borne illness. Tap water is not considered potable or safe to drink. You should purchase bottled water or drinks while in-country. Air pollution is also a problem throughout Albania, particularly in Tirana. Travelers should consult their doctor prior to travel and consider the impact seasonal smog and heavy particulate pollution may have on them.

Albania Education

What is school like in Albania?

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP	3.3%
Literacy - female	79.5%
Literacy - male	93.3%
Literacy - total population	98.7%
Literacy Definition	Age 9 and over can read and write
School Life Expectancy - female	10 Years
School Life Expectancy - male	10 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)	10 Years

Albania Literacy

Can people in Albania read?

Literacy - female	79.5%
Literacy - male	93.3%
Literacy - total population	98.7%
Literacy Definition	Age 9 and over can read and write
Predominant Language	Albanian (official - Tosk is the official dialect), Greek

Albania Crime

Is Albania a safe place to visit?

Crime Information

High unemployment and other economic factors encourage criminal activity. Use caution and protect your valuables in Tirana, just as you would in any major U.S. city. Violent crime aimed at U.S. citizens is rare and criminals do not appear to target U.S. citizens or other foreigners, but rather seek targets of opportunity, selecting those who appear to have anything of value. Crime statistics indicate a steady increase in violent crime has occurred throughout Albania since 2009. Organized crime is present in Albania; organized criminal activity occasionally results in violent confrontations between members of rival organizations.

Pick-pocketing, theft, and other petty street crimes are widespread, particularly in areas where tourists and foreigners congregate. Pickpockets use various diversionary tactics to distract victims, and panhandlers – particularly children – may become aggressive. U.S. citizens have reported the theft of their passports and portable electronic devices by pick-pockets. Victims of pick-pocketing should report the crime to the police and cancel their credit cards as soon as possible. Exercise caution in bars and clubs in Tirana, where violent incidents, some involving the use of firearms, have occurred in the past.

Vehicle theft and theft from vehicles are not uncommon in Albania. Carjacking can also occur. You should avoid leaving valuables, including cell phones and electronic items, in plain view in unattended vehicles. You should lock the windows and doors of your residence securely when it is not occupied. In the event you are a victim of carjacking, you should surrender your vehicle without resistance.

Travelers should take standard safety precautions when using Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). Try to use ATMs located inside banks and check for any evidence of tampering with the machine before use. Be cautious when using publicly available Internet terminals, such as in Internet cafes, as sensitive personal information, account passwords, etc., may be subject to compromise. Theft of personal items from hotel rooms can also occur.

Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods. Doing so is illegal in both the United States and Albania.

Albania Penalties for Crime

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Albania, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. For instance, it is illegal to take pictures of certain physical structures in Albania. Be alert for signage and guidance by security personnel.

There are some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. If you break local laws in Albania your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not wherever you go.

In Albania, you may be taken in for questioning if you are not carrying your passport. We encourage U.S. citizens to carry a copy of their U.S. passport with them at all times to show proof of identity and U.S. citizenship if questioned by local officials.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. Engaging in sexual conduct with children is also a crime in Albania, as is the production and distribution of child pornography.

Under Albanian law, police can detain any individual for up to 10 hours without filing formal charges. Although this is not a common occurrence reported by U.S. citizens, the possibility remains. Persons violating Albanian laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking illegal drugs in Albania are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.

Albania Population Comparison

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