ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief historical background and a description of major events in Albania. It also provides basic political, economic, and social data arranged in the following categories: polity, economy, population, purchasing power parities (PPP), life expectancy, ethnic groups, capital, political rights, civil liberties, and status. The chapter discusses the progress and decline of political rights and civil liberties in Albania. Albania's political scene remains significantly polarized. Splits appear on the horizon in both major parties. The Albanian constitution guarantees citizens freedom of association, freedom of movement, freedom of the press, and freedom of expression. Traditional patriarchal social mores pose significant problems for the position of women in Albania. The Albanian labor code mandates that women are entitled to equal pay for equal work, but data are lacking on whether this is respected in practice. Widespread lawlessness plagues large parts of Albania.
