ALBANIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: Albania’s Foreign Minister recently announced plans for Albania to open an Embassy in New Delhi, reciprocated by India's soon-to-be-established diplomatic mission in Tirana.

Albania

• About: It is a country in Southeast Europe
• Location: Albania is situated in Southeast Europe, nestled within the Balkans and bordered by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas of the Mediterranean.
• Bordering Nations: It shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south.
• Diverse Landscapes: Albania spans an area of 28,748 km2 (11,100 sq mi) and boasts diverse climatic, geological, hydrological, and morphological conditions.
• Varied Terrain: The country's terrain includes rugged snow-capped mountains such as the Albanian Alps, Korab, Skanderbeg, Pindus, and Ceraunian Mountains, as well as fertile lowland plains that extend along the Adriatic and Ionian coastlines.
• Capital: Tirana.
• Major Rivers: Drin, Seman, Shkumbin, and Vjose.
• Mountain: Mount Korab