Albania is a country located in Southeast Europe along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. It has a varied landscape that ranges from snow-capped mountains to lowland plains. Tirana is the capital and largest city. Albania has undergone political and economic changes over the centuries, including being part of the Roman Empire, Ottoman Empire, and a communist regime before becoming a parliamentary republic. Today Albania has a developing economy driven by services, manufacturing, and tourism.

1. ALBANIA

2. • Albania (/ælˈbeɪniə, ɔːl-/ ⓘ a(w)l-BAY-nee-
ə; Albanian: Shqipëri or Shqipëria),[a] officially the Republic of
Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë),[b] is a country
in Southeast Europe. The country is located in the Balkans on
the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and
shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to
the northeast, North Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south.
Spanning an area of 28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi), it displays a varied
range of climatic, geological, hydrological and morphological
conditions. The country's landscapes range from rugged snow-
capped mountains in the Albanian Alps and
the Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus and Ceraunian Mountains, to fertile
lowland plains extending from the coasts of
the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Tirana is the capital and largest city in
the country, followed by Durrës, Vlorë, and Shkodër.

3. • In ancient times, the Illyrians inhabited northern and central regions of Albania,
whilst Epirotes inhabited the south. Several important ancient Greek
colonies were also established on the coast. The Illyrian kingdom centered in
what is now Albania was the dominant power before the Rise of Macedon.[8] In
the 2nd century BCE, the region was annexed by the Roman Republic, and after
the division of the Roman Empire it became part of Byzantium. The first
known Albanian autonomous principality – Arbanon – was established in the 12th
century. The Kingdom of Albania, Principality of Albania and Albania Veneta were
formed between the 13th and 15th centuries in different parts of the country,
alongside other Albanian principalities and political entities. In the late 15th
century, Albania became part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912, when the
modern Albanian state declared independence. In 1939, Italy invaded
the Kingdom of Albania, which became Greater Albania, and then
a protectorate of Nazi Germany during World War II.[9] Following the war,
the People's Socialist Republic of Albania was formed, which lasted until
the Revolutions of 1991 concluded with the fall of communism in Albania and
eventually the establishment of the current Republic of Albania.

4. • Since its independence in 1912, Albania has undergone a diverse
political evolution, transitioning from a monarchy to a communist
regime before becoming a sovereign parliamentary constitutional
republic. Governed by a constitution prioritising the separation of
powers, the country's political structure includes a parliament, a
ceremonial president, a functional prime minister and a hierarchy of
courts. Albania is a developing country with an upper-middle
income economy driven by the service sector, with manufacturing
and tourism also playing significant roles.[10] The country underwent
a transition post the dissolution of communism, shifting from
a centralised planning to adopting a open market
economy.[11] Citizens in Albania benefit from universal health
care access and receive complimentary primary and secondary
education.

5. The historical origins of the term "Albania" can be traced
back to medieval Latin, with its foundations believed to be
associated with the Illyrian tribe of the Albani. This
connection gains further support from the work of the
Ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy during the 2nd century
AD, where he included the settlement
of Albanopolis situated to the northeast
of Durrës.[12][13] The presence of a medieval settlement
named Albanon or Arbanon hints at the possibility of
historical continuity. However, the precise relationship
between these historical references and the question of
whether Albanopolis was synonymous with Albanon
remains a subject of scholarly debate.[14]