Albania

Albania: The Development of a Developing Country

Albania, a small country located in Southeastern Europe, is a nation that does not have a true identity – its people are Muslim and Christian, it is a country that is both and poor, it is as much urban as it is rural, and has evolved from monarchy to socialism and now to fledgling democracy. In other words, Albania and its people have seen it all. The extremes of Albanian society are vivid, and underlying tensions are evident. But Albania is not “another Yugoslavia” – there is no doubt that the internal environment of Albania has been and somewhat continues to be tense, although the breaking point has never been fully reached. Albania is a country with a fervently tense past (especially during the Cold War era), yet many people do not know about it, and few would be able to find the country on the map. Despite its beautiful during, its plentiful natural resources, and its extraordinary tradition of hospitality, Albania has always been “the most isolated country in Europe and from World War II until very recently, one of the most isolated countries on earth” (“Real Adventures – Albania” 1).

Amongst the booming economies of Europe, Albania is markedly poor, and is trying to make the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. In addition, the government is taking steps to encourage economic growth as well as trade. Albania, according to 2003 estimates, “has a GDP of $16.13 billion, with a per capita GDP of $4,500” (“Albania – CIA Factbook” 2) This is an improvement over the Cold War era, in which Albania’s economy was a complete disaster – still, however, Albania’s economy is considerably weak compared to its European neighbors. The economy is helped by “remittances from people abroad of $400-$600 million annually, mostly from Greece and Italy, and this money helps lower the sizable trade deficit” (“Real Adventures – Albania” 1). Agriculture, which accounts for half of Albania’s GDP, is frequently stifled because of recurring drought and the burden of having to modernize their equipment and trying to make use of sparse land. What also complicates economic matters is that there have been severe energy shortages, and old-fashioned and highly inadequate infrastructure makes it difficult to attract large-scale foreign investment, which accounts for 18.7 % of Albania’s GDP (according to 2003 estimates...

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...r” (Clunies 133). Homelessness and hunger are higher now than under the Communists Communications. Meanwhile, protests in Albania continued, leading to the removal of several hard-line Communists from the government and party Politburo.

Despite its isolation for decades and its ruling by a repressive regime that denied them their most elementary rights, the Albanians have undergone significant cultural, social, and economic transformations; they are no longer “a largely uneducated peasant education, characterized by a clan mentality, as often portrayed by the Western media” (Clunies 149). The majority of the Albanians evidently recognize that national reconciliation, a major aspect of the program of the Democratic Party, is the best way for the successful revival of their poverty-stricken country. Albania is endowed with considerable mineral resources and has a young, dynamic population, eager to join the rest of the world. Now as it enters the post dictatorship phase, it desperately needs the assistance and friendship of the outside world. Without that assistance, Albania’s fledgling democracy may be doomed for failure before it even begins to grow.