Albania

<p>After declaring independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Albania experienced a period of political upheaval that led to a short-lived monarchy, which ended in 1939 when Italy conquered the country. Germany then occupied Albania in 1943, and communist partisans took over the country in 1944. Albania allied itself first with the USSR (until 1960) and then with China (until 1978). In the early 1990s, Albania ended communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. </p> <p>Government-endorsed pyramid schemes in 1997 led to economic collapse and civil disorder, which only ended when UN peacekeeping troops intervened. In 1999, some 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo to Albania to escape the war with the Serbs. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and became an official candidate for EU membership in 2014. </p>

Land

27,398 sq km

Total

28,748 sq km

Water

1,350 sq km

slightly smaller than Maryland

mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter

362 km

Europe

Highest point

Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

708 m

41 00 N, 20 00 E

strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

1,907 sq km (2022)

Border countries

Greece 212 km; Kosovo 112 km; North Macedonia 181 km; Montenegro 186 km

number of neighbors

4

Total

691 km

Agricultural land

38.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 21.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 3.2% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 13.4% (2023 est.)

arable land

21.56%

Forest

34.3% (2023 est.)

Other

27.5% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

3.2%

No

Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece to the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Scutari (shared with Montenegro) - 400 sq km<br>note - largest lake in the Balkans

Atlantic Ocean drainage

<em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/BzN9cTuj68ZA8SyZ8

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/53292

Europe

Continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Territorial sea

12 nm

destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought

petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower, arable land

a fairly even distribution, with somewhat higher concentrations of people in the western and central parts of the country

Southeast Europe

mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

18% (male 292,296/female 267,052)

15-64 years

66.9% (male 1,023,515/female 1,055,388)

65 years and over

15.1% (2024 est.) (male 215,252/female 253,597)

Beer

1.75 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

1.43 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

4.4 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

1.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

8.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

1.2% (2018)

Women married by age 15

1.4% (2018)

Women married by age 18

11.8% (2018)

1.5% (2017 est.)

65.7% (2018 est.)

7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

48 per 1,000

adult male

97 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

24.9 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

4 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

49 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

24.1 (2025 est.)

improved total

70.79%

Improved: rural

rural: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 95.1% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 95.7% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 4.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 4.3% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

3.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

10.9% national budget (2023 est.)

3 % of GDP

Albanian 82.6%, Greek 0.9%, other 1% (including Vlach, Romani, Macedonian, Montenegrin, and Egyptian), unspecified 15.5% (2011 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represent population by ethnic and cultural affiliation

0.52 (2025 est.)

7 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

7.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

9.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.1%

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Female

9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

11.3 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

7 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

10.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>Libri i fakteve boterore, burimi i pazevendesueshem per informacione elementare (Albanian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Female

82.8 years

Male

77.3 years

Total population

79.9 years (2024 est.)

Female

97.2% (2023 est.)

Male

98.2% (2023 est.)

Total population

97.7% (2023 est.)

520,000 TIRANA (capital) (2023)

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

37.8 years

Male

34.8 years

Total

37.9 years (2025 est.)

26.6 years (2020 est.)

Adjective

Albanian

Noun

Albanian(s)

-11.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

21.7% (2016)

1.88 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Female

1,322,686

Male

1,229,151

Total

2,551,837 (2025 est.)

-1.06% (2025 est.)

Muslim 56.7%, Roman Catholic 10%, Orthodox 6.8%, atheist 2.5%, Bektashi (a Sufi order) 2.1%, other 5.7%, unspecified 16.2% (2011 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

improved total

69.28%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 99.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.2% of population (2022 est.)

Female

15 years (2023 est.)

Male

14 years (2023 est.)

Total

15 years (2023 est.)

0-14 years

1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

At birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

6.2% (2025 est.)

Male

37% (2025 est.)

Total

21.4% (2025 est.)

1.09 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

1.29% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

64.6% of total population (2023)

measles

81%

12 counties (<em>qarqe</em>, singular - <em>qark</em>); Berat, Diber, Durres, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokaster, Korce, Kukes, Lezhe, Shkoder, Tirane (Tirana), Vlore

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology

the name "Tirana" first appears in a 1418 Venetian document; the origin of the name is unclear

Geographic coordinates

41 19 N, 19 49 E

Name

Tirana (Tirane)

Time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/al.svg

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

History

several previous; latest approved by the Assembly 21 October 1998, adopted by referendum 22 November 1998, promulgated 28 November 1998

alternative spellings

AL, Shqipëri, Shqipëria, Shqipnia

Conventional long form

Republic of Albania

Conventional short form

Albania

Etymology

name may be derived from the pre-Celtic word <em>alb</em>, meaning "hill," or from the Indo-European root word <em>albh</em>, meaning "white;" the local name "Shqiperia" is derived from the Albanian word <em>shqiponje </em>("eagle") and is popularly interpreted to mean "Land of the Eagles"

FIFA code

ALB

Former

People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Local long form

Republika e Shqiperise

local long form (sqi)

Republika e Shqipërisë

Local short form

Shqiperia

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Nancy VANHORN (since August 2024)

Email address and website

<br>ACSTirana@state.gov<br><br>https://al.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Rruga Stavro Vinjau, No. 14, Tirana

FAX

[355] 4 2232-222

Mailing address

9510 Tirana Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-9510

Telephone

[355] 4 2247-285

Chancery

2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Ervin BUSHATI (since 15 September 2023)

Consulate(s) general

New York

Email address and website

<br>embassy.washington@mfa.gov.al<br><br>http://www.ambasadat.gov.al/usa/en

FAX

[1] (202) 628-7342

Telephone

[1] (202) 223-4942

Cabinet

Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister, nominated by the president, and approved by the Assembly

Chief of state

President Bajram BEGAJ (since 24 July 2022)

Election results

<em><br>2022: </em>Bajram BEGAJ elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 78-4, opposition parties boycotted<br><em><br>2017:</em> Ilir META elected president in the fourth round; Assembly vote - 87-2

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

Expected date of next election

2027

Head of government

Prime Minister Edi RAMA (since 10 September 2013)

Most recent election date

held in 4 rounds on 16, 23, and 30 May and 4 June 2022

<strong>description:</strong> red with a black two-headed eagle in the center<br><br><strong>meaning: </strong>Albanians traditionally see themselves as descendants of the eagle; they refer to themselves as "Shqiptare," which translates as "sons of the eagle"<br><br><strong>history: </strong>the design is said to originate with 15th-century Albanian hero Georgi Kastrioti SKANDERBEG, who led a successful uprising against the Ottoman Turks

The flag of Albania features a silhouetted double-headed black eagle at the center of a red field.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/al.svg

parliamentary republic

28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

BSEC, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

note

<strong>note</strong>: Albania is an EU candidate country and must complete accession criteria before being granted full membership

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&nbsp;to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Court chairman&nbsp;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)

civil law system except in the northern rural areas where customary law known as the "Code of Leke" is still present

Chamber name

Parliament (Kuvendi)

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

May 2029

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Albanian Parliament

Most recent election date

5/11/2025

Number of seats

140 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Socialist Party of Albania (PS) (83); Democratic Party - Alliance for a Greater Albania (PD-ASHM) (50); Other (7)

Percentage of women in chamber

35%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

adopted in 1998 and features the national symbol, the double-headed black eagle, in the national colors of red and black; red represents the courage and strength of the Albanian people, and the golden border represents the country’s wealth; the helmet above the eagle is modeled on the helmet of Skanderbeg, a 15th-century Albanian military hero who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire; the goat on top of the helmet represents defiance and resistance

red, black

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Butrint (c); Historic Berat and Gjirokast&euml;r (c); Primeval Beech Forests (n); Lake Ohrid Region (m)

Total World Heritage Sites

4 (2 cultural, 1 natural, 1 mixed)

Independence Day, 28 November (1912), also known as Flag Day

black double-headed eagle

Alliance for Change (electoral coalition led by PD)<br>Democratic Party or PD <br>Party for Justice, Integration and Unity or PDIU (part of the Alliance for Change)<br>Social Democratic Party or PSD<br>Freedom Party of Albania or PL (formerly the Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI)<br>Socialist Party or PS 

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

milk, maize, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, wheat, grapes, onions, cucumbers/gherkins, olives (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$6.966 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$6.636 billion (2023 est.)

code

ALL

name

Albanian lek (ALL) [L]

$-647,909,761

Current account balance 2022

-$1.117 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$281.7 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

-$646.107 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$10.71 billion

Debt - external 2023

$5.363 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

<p>upper-middle-income Balkan economy; EU accession candidate; growth bolstered by tourism, agriculture, mining, construction, and private consumption; fiscal consolidation through revenue collection and tax compliance enhancements to address public debt; challenges include weak governance, corruption, and high emigration rates</p>

Currency

leke (ALL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

108.65 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

103.52 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

113.042 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

100.645 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

93.123 (2024 est.)

$9.81 billion

Exports 2022

$7.057 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$9.099 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$9.848 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

garments, footwear, electricity, crude petroleum, iron alloys (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 41%, Greece 10%, Germany 5%, Spain 5%, Serbia 4% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$1.71 billion

Exports of goods and services

38.7% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

12% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

70.2% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-43.8% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

24% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

-1.1% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

15.5% (2024 est.)

Industry

22.4% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

48.9% (2024 est.)

$27.178 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$11,378

33.2 (2017)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020

29.4 (2020 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$26.84 billion

$9,910

25 % of GDP

Highest 10%

22.8% (2020 est.)

Lowest 10%

3.4% (2020 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$11.68 billion

Imports 2022

$9.016 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$10.374 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$11.697 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

cars, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine, iron bars (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 22%, China 11%, Turkey 9%, Germany 7%, Greece 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-0.2% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food; footwear, apparel and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

2.22%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

4.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

1.37 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

1.26 million persons

agriculture

30.77%

industry

21.98%

services

47.24%

22% (2020 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

82 % of GDP

Note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2021

81.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

$63.47 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$47.532 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$49.403 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$51.36 billion (2024 est.)

4.05%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.8% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.9% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4% (2024 est.)

$26,702

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$17,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$18,000 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$18,900 (2024 est.)

$2.27 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

9.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

8.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

8.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

$6.52 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$5.266 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$6.455 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$6.516 billion (2024 est.)

25 % of GDP

18 % of GDP

17.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

10.93%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

10.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

10.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

10.3% (2024 est.)

Female

26.9% (2024 est.)

Male

23.9% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

25.1% (2024 est.)

Consumption

255,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

345,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

180,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Production

473,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

522 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

7.49 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

2,889 kWh

Exports

2.2 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

1.922 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

2.857 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

1.238 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

0%

hydroelectric

96.69%

Hydroelectricity

96.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

Solar

3.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

888 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

27.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

49.977 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

5.692 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

150 million barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

21,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

14,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

41.9%

per 100 inhabitants

23 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2023 est.)

Total

632,000 (2023 est.)

over 65 TV stations, including several that broadcast nationally and are sometimes available to neighboring countries; many viewers have access to Italian and Greek TV via terrestrial reception; TV stations have begun a government-mandated conversion from analog to digital broadcast; cable TV service is available; 2 public radio networks and roughly 78 private radio stations; several international broadcasters are available (2024)

.al

Percent of population

83% (2023 est.)

+355

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

165,000 (2024 est.)

subscriptions per 100

93 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

89 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

2.49 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

374,800 passengers

registered carrier departures

3,074 departures

3 (2025)

ZA

Right

9 (2025)

By type

general cargo 46, oil tanker 1, other 22

Total

69 (2023)

Key ports

Durres, Shengjin, Vlores

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

0

Small

1

Total ports

3 (2024)

Very small

2

Note

2021-All the trains in the country suspended

Total

424 km (2017)

AL

armored vehicles

tanks

the Albanian Armed Forces (AAF) are responsible for defending the country&rsquo;s independence, sovereignty, and territory, assisting with internal security, providing disaster and humanitarian relief, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; the AAF is a small, lightly armed force that has been undergoing a modernization effort to improve its ability to fulfill NATO missions; the AAF has contributed small numbers of forces to several NATO missions since Albania joined NATO in 2009, including peacekeeping/stability missions in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Iraq, and multinational battlegroups in Bulgaria and Latvia; it has also contributed to EU and UN missions (2025)

Republic of Albania Armed Forces (Forcat e Armatosura të Republikës së Shqipërisë (FARSH); aka Albanian Armed Forces (AAF)): Land Forces, Naval Force (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces<br><br>Ministry of Interior: Guard of the Republic, State Police (includes the Border and Migration Police) (2025)

active duty personnel

8,000

note

<strong>note:</strong> the State Police are primarily responsible for internal security, including counterterrorism, while the Guard of the Republic protects senior state officials, foreign dignitaries, and certain state properties

percent of total labor force

0.65 %

approximately 7,500 active-duty military personnel (2025)

250 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)

the military is in the process of modernizing by replacing its inventory of Soviet-era weapons with NATO standard armaments; in recent years, acquisitions have included equipment from France, Israel, Italy, Turkey and the US (2025)

2 % of GDP

current USD

$535,472,559

Military Expenditures 2021

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

1.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2% of GDP (2025 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

6.61 %

percent of GDP

2.04 % of GDP

18-30 for voluntary military service for men and women; conscription abolished 2010 (2025)

note

<strong>note: </strong>as of 2024, women comprised about 15% of the military's full-time personnel

PowerIndex score

1.7258

Refugees

9,381 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

2,203 (2024 est.)

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps/Qods Force; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

<strong>note: </strong>details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

566,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

93,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

2.734 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

3.392 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents; air pollution from industrial and power plants; loss of biodiversity

Party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

16.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

18 % of total land area

0 % of total

30.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

3 % of internal resources

Agricultural

565 million cubic meters (2022)

Industrial

11 million cubic meters (2022)

Municipal

221 million cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

1.087 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20.5% (2022 est.)