Albania Geography:
Location:
Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 N, 20 00 E
Map references:
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, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and Montenegro 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 2,764 m (Golem Korab)
Natural resources:
Petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.42%
other: 74.49%
(2001)
Irrigated land:
3,400 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
Destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought
Environment - current issues:
Deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea) |
