Republic of Albania
Southeast Europe
Wild · Coastal · Balkan
Albania (officially Republic of Albania) is a country located in Southeast Europe. Its capital city is Tirana, with other major cities including Durrës and Shkodër. With a population of approximately 2.8M, the main language spoken is Albanian. The country covers an area of 28,748 km². The official currency is the Albanian lek (L). Traffic drives on the right side.
Albania's national emblem features a double-headed eagle that has been used for over 600 years.
Tirana serves as the political, cultural and economic heart of Albania, positioned in Southeast Europe. As the seat of government and often the most populous city, it concentrates the country's main institutions, universities and cultural landmarks. Beyond the capital, major cities include Durrës, Shkodër — each a hub of regional culture, economy and history. Tirana transformed itself from a drab communist capital into one of Europe's most colourful cities in the 1990s when Mayor Edi Rama ordered apartment blocks painted in vivid geometric patterns — a deliberate psychological therapy after decades of isolation.
With a population of approximately 2.8M, Albania is a vibrant society with a rich mix of traditions and communities. The official language is Albanian, which reflects the country's cultural heritage and connects it with a wide international community. Internationally, Albania is reached via the dialling code +355. Albanians live by the Kanun, a medieval customary code governing honour, hospitality, and social conduct whose influence persists in mountain villages where a guest's safety is the host's sacred obligation regardless of personal cost.
Albania spans 28,748 km², in the Southeast Europe subregion of Europe. Geographically centred around 41.0°N, 20.0°E, the country offers a diverse range of landscapes shaped by its location, climate and geology. Road traffic follows the right-hand rule, in line with surrounding Europe convention.
The official currency is the Albanian lek (L), used for everyday transactions and commerce throughout the country. Albania's economy is shaped by its geography, natural resources and trade relationships. Business and daily life operate under UTC+01:00, aligning the country with its regional neighbours.
The emblematic dish of Albania is Tavë Kosi. Albanian cooking reflects its crossroads geography — Ottoman-influenced byrek pastries, slow-roasted qofte meatballs, and tavë kosi, a signature baked lamb and yogurt dish from Elbasan that locals claim rivals any Mediterranean recipe.
Football holds a special place in the heart of Albania's national identity. Football is the national obsession, with the derby between Tirana rivals SK Tirana and KF Dinamo drawing passions that dwarf the country's modest population — the national team's UEFA Euro 2016 debut marking a historic milestone for a tiny country.
The highest point in Albania is Korab, rising to 2,764 metres above sea level. Albania's Accursed Mountains in the north rise to peaks above 2,700 metres, protecting one of Europe's last true wildernesses where wolves, bears, and lynx roam valleys that remained largely inaccessible to outsiders through the entire communist era.