| Republic of Albania Republika e Shqipërisë Timeline: Third Time's the Charm | ||||||
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| Motto: "Ti Shqipëri, më jep nder, më jep emrin Shqipëtar" (English: "You Albania, give me honour, give me the name Albanian") |
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| Anthem: Himni i Flamurit |
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| Capital | Vlora | |||||
| Official languages | Albanian | |||||
| Demonym | Albanian | |||||
| Government | Unitary directorial republic | |||||
| Legislature | Kuvendi | |||||
| Independence from the Ottoman Empire | ||||||
| - | Declared | 28 November 1912 | ||||
| - | Current republic | 19 June 1986 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | estimate | 4,781,230 | ||||
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
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Albania, officially the Republic of Albania, is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It borders Shkodër and Montenegro to the north; Kosovo to the northeast; North Macedonia to the east; and WIP to the south. Vlora is the nation's capital.
Albania's history spans across diverse civilizations, from the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, to the Ottomans. In the 12th century, the Albanians established their own independent nation which existed for decades before falling under Ottoman rule. Following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in the Balkan Wars, Albania declared its independence in 1912. However, the 20th century brought new challenges as Italy invaded the Kingdom of Albania, establishing a greater Albania under its influence. Later, Albania became a protectorate of Nazi Germany. After World War II, Enver Hoxha, a prominent leader, formed the People's Republic of Albania, shaping its political system based on the ideology of Hoxhaism.
Following the Third World War, Albania declared isolationism, refusing trade with any of the post-war nations. After a severe crop failure in the early 1980s, a civil war broke out as democrats seized control of the government while the socialist remnants established a new people's republic in Shkodër.