Short facts about the geography of Albania

Location:

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Geographic coordinates:

41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:

Europe

Area:

total:  28,748 sq km land:  27,398 sq km water:  1,350 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

total:  720 km border countries:  Greece 282 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 151 km, Yugoslavia 287 km

Coastline:

362 km

Maritime claims:

continental shelf:  200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Terrain:

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Adriatic Sea 0 m highest point:  Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,753 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, timber, nickel, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  21% permanent crops:  5% permanent pastures:  15% forests and woodland:  38% other:  21% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

3,410 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; drought

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Source: World Factbook