About Albania – history, politics, culture and facts

Albania’s history is not one uninterrupted story. The region has been shaped by peoples, empires, trade routes and political systems. Illyrian communities lived here in antiquity; later the area became part of the Greek and Roman worlds. After the division of the Roman Empire, it lay within the Byzantine sphere and was influenced by regional powers during the Middle Ages.

Key political issues include judicial independence, anti-corruption efforts, media freedom, emigration, regional inequality, economic opportunity and EU accession. The EU process is a major driver of reform and a subject of political debate. Visitors encounter a society changing quickly, with strong family ties, a large diaspora and a younger generation with international outlooks.

Albanian identity extends beyond today’s national borders. It is important to distinguish people born in Albania from people from Kosovo and members of the wider diaspora.

• Albanian alphabet: The 1908 Congress of Manastir was decisive in standardising a shared Latin-based alphabet and strengthening education and national communication.
• Iso-polyphonic singing: Traditional multipart singing in southern Albania is included on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
• Literature: Ismail Kadare’s work introduced Albanian history and experience to international readers.
• Science: Ferid Murad’s research on nitric oxide signalling contributed to the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine; he was an American scientist of Albanian family background, not an invention from Albania.
• Humanitarian work: Mother Teresa became a global symbol of care for people in need; she was born in Skopje to an Albanian family.

• Riviera: Ionian coves, beaches and villages around Himarë, Dhërmi and Ksamil.
• Mountains: Theth, Valbona and hiking in the Albanian Alps.
• UNESCO: The historic centres of Berat and Gjirokastër and the archaeological site of Butrint.
• Food: Byrek, tavë kosi, fërgesë, fresh seafood, olive oil, cheese and regional wines.
• Hospitality: Besë, a concept associated with honour, promise and responsibility, and traditions of welcoming guests.
• Religious diversity: Muslim, Bektashi, Catholic, Orthodox and other traditions have shaped the country; secularism and coexistence are important parts of modern identity.