Albania - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Albania, it was name may be derived from the pre-Celtic word alb, meaning "hill," or from the Indo-European root word albh, meaning "white;" the local name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word shqiponje ("eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles". The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore
National symbols
Black double-headed eagle.
The flag
The National flag of Albania has .
Info
The National Anthem
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More about the government of Albania
| Date of Independence | 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) |
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| National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day |
| Legal system | civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998 |
| Amendment process | Proposed by at least one-fifth of the Assembly membership; passage requires at least a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; referendum required only if approved by two-thirds of the Assembly; amendments approved by referendum effective upon declaration by the president of the republic |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Albania |
| Dual citizenship recognized | yes |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 5 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013) |
| Cabinet | Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly |
| Election/appointment process | president indirectly elected by the Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); a candidate needs three-fifths majority vote of the Assembly in 1 of 3 rounds or a simple majority in 2 additional rounds to become president; prime minister appointed by the president on the proposal of the majority party or coalition of parties in the Assembly |
| Most recent election date | held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022 |
| Election results | 2022: Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted 2017: Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2 |
| Expected date of next election | 2027 |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | Albanian Parliament |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Chamber name | Parliament (Kuvendi) |
| Number of seats | 140 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 4 years |
| Most recent election date | 5/11/2025 |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 35.7% |
| Expected date of next election | May 2029 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court (consists of 19 judges, including the chief justice); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges, including the chairman) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Judicial Council with the consent of the president to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman is elected for a single 3-year term by the court members; appointments of Constitutional Court judges are rotated among the president, Parliament, and Supreme Court from a list of pre-qualified candidates (each institution selects 3 judges), to serve single 9-year terms; candidates are pre-qualified by a randomly selected body of experienced judges and prosecutors; Constitutional Court chairman is elected by the court members for a single, renewable 3-year term |
| Subordinate courts | Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; specialized courts: Court for Corruption and Organized Crime, Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (responsible for corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023) |
| Chancery | 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 223-4942 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 628-7342 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en |
| Consulate(s) general | New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024) |
| Embassy | Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana |
| Mailing address | 9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC 20521-9510 |
| Telephone | [355] 4 2247-285 |
| FAX | [355] 4 2232-222 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://al.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokastër (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Albania
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Albania
Want to know more about Albania? Check all different factbooks for Albania below.
