Facts for Kids

Illyrians and other ancient peoples lived in what is now Albania thousands of years ago. People hunted and began farming long ago, and small coastal towns traded with Greek settlers. Later the region joined the Roman Empire and then continued as part of the Byzantine world. In the Middle Ages, small Albanian principalities formed and grew their own towns and farms.

In the 1400s, a leader named Gjergj Kastrioti, called Skanderbeg, united many groups to slow Ottoman advances for many years. Eventually the Ottomans ruled the area, and life changed as new systems and buildings arrived. Albania declared independence in 1912. During the 1900s the country saw a king, wartime occupations, and then a long strict communist rule under Enver Hoxha that tried to remake the nation and keep it isolated from many other countries.

Albania is a small country in Southeast Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. It has long coastlines on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, which are parts of the Mediterranean Sea. Albania touches four countries on land: Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. Its capital and largest city is Tirana. Other important cities are Durrës, Vlorë, and Shkodër.

The land changes a lot from place to place. There are rugged mountains, green valleys, and fertile lowlands where people grow food. Albania covers about 28,748 square kilometers, which is a bit smaller than some U.S. states.

Protected areas are special places set aside to keep nature safe. In Albania these areas are chosen and managed by the government. They can be national parks, nature reserves, or protected marine zones along the coast.

The goal is to protect forests, mountains, wetlands, and the plants and animals that live there. People who visit are asked to be careful: to walk on paths, not to take plants or disturb animals, and to learn about nature. Protected areas help keep water clean, give wildlife a safe home, and let people enjoy and study nature for years to come.

Biodiversity means the many kinds of living things, and Albania has a lot because of its mix of seas, wetlands, forests, and mountains. In lower places you find Mediterranean plants like olive trees and low bushes. Higher up there are forests of oak, beech, and pine.

Animals also change with the land. Forests and mountains are home to creatures such as deer, wild goats (called chamois), brown bears, and wolves. Big birds like eagles live in the high places, while the coast and rivers attract many kinds of water birds and sea life, including fish and dolphins. Many animals use Albania as a stop on long migrations.

Climate in Albania changes quickly because the country has both coast and mountains. Along the coast, the weather is warm and sunny much of the year, like other Mediterranean places. As you go inland and up into the mountains, it gets cooler and can be snowy in winter.

Scientists use different names for the types of climate there, and Albania includes five main kinds, from warm coastal zones to cold mountain areas. Average monthly temperatures can be around −1 °C in the coldest months and about 22 °C in summer. Most rain falls in winter, and yearly rainfall can be as low as 600 mm in dry places and up to 3,000 mm in wet ones.

Since the 1990s Albania has been changing quickly toward a more open society and economy. In 2009 Albania joined NATO, a group of countries that promise to help each other. That same year Albania asked to join the European Union and became an official candidate in 2014. Leaders in recent years have worked on laws and projects to modernize schools, roads, and businesses.

Edi Rama’s government, elected in 2013 and again later, has pushed reforms that helped reduce unemployment and bring more women into important government jobs. Tourism, services, and trade are growing parts of the economy, and Albania continues working on rules and projects needed to join the European Union while improving life at home. In 2021 the ruling party won enough votes to govern alone, so it continued its programs.