Kingdom of Albania (Italian Empire)

Albania, officially the Kingdom of Albania, is a is an Realm of the Italian Empire in Southeastern Europe. The country spans 31,656 km2 and has a total population of 4 million people. It is a unitary fascist Kingdom with the capital in Tirana, the country's most populous city and main economic and commercial centre. The country's other major cities include Durrës, Vlorë, Sarandë, Shkodër, Berat, Korçë, Gjirokastër and Fier.

Albania lies in the southwestern portion of the Balkan Peninsula bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast. Most of the country is mountainous, including the Albanian Alps in the north, the Korab Mountains in the east, the Ceraunian Mountains in the south and the Skanderbeg Mountains in the centre. The country's coast touches the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest that forms the Albanian Riviera. It is less than 72 km from Italy across the Strait of Otranto, which connects the Adriatic to the Ionian.

Previously in classical antiquity, Albania has been populated by various Illyrian, Thracian and Greek tribes, as well as several Greek colonies established in the Illyrian coast. In the third century BC, the region was annexed by the Roman Empire and became an integral part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia, Macedonia and Illyricum. The unified Principality of Arbër emerged in 1190, established by Archon Progon in the Krujë, within the Byzantine Empire. In the late thirteenth century, Charles of Anjou conquered the Albanian territories from the Byzantines and established the medieval Kingdom of Albania, extending from Durrës along the coast to Butrint in the south. In the mid-fifteenth century, it was conquered by the Ottomans.

The modern nation state of Albania emerged in 1912 following the defeat of the Ottomans in the Balkan Wars. The modern Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy in 1939, which formed the Italian-ruled Kingdom of Albania, before becoming a Fascist Republic in 1946. The country experienced widespread social and political transformations in the republican era, as well as isolation from much of the international community. In the aftermath of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy in 2002, the Fascist Republic was dissolved and the Kingdom of Albania was established.

Albania is a fascist and semi-developed country with an upper-middle income economy. The tertiary sector dominates the country's economy followed by the secondary and primary sector. The country is under a system of partially centralized economy. Albania plans to build three hydropower plants. It also provides universal health care and free primary and secondary education to its citizens.

Geography

Albania occupies the southwestern portion of the Balkan Peninsula. The country is located in Southeastern and Southern Europe, with Montenegro bordering to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south. The Mediterranean Sea make up the entire west border of Albania. Its coastline length is 476 km and extends along Adriatic and Ionian Seas, both within the Mediterranean Sea.

Despite its small size, Albania is dominated by mountainous or high terrain, with a wide variety of natural features including valleys, plains, canyons and caves. Topographically, the mountains run the length of the country from north to south; the Albanian Alps in the north, Sharr Mountains in the northeast, Skanderbeg Mountains in the center, Korab Mountains in the east, Pindus Mountains in the southeast and the Ceraunian Mountains in the southwest along the Albanian Riviera.

The hydrographic network of Albania includes several of the largest and most ancient bodies of fresh water in Southern Europe. Lake Shkodër is the largest lake, situated in the northwest with a surface which can vary between 370 km2 and 530 km2, out of which one third belongs to Albania and the rest to Montenegro. It is the largest lake in Southern Europe. Lake Ohrid in the southeast is shared with Macedonia and is one of the most ancient lakes in the world.

Lake Prespa at the border triangle with Macedonia and Greece is one of the highest tectonic lakes within the Balkan Peninsula at 853 metres above the Adriatic.

Climate

Albania comprises a wide range of climatic conditions across its small territory and varied topography, but although most of the country experiences mediterranean climate. The country hosts five major climatic subtypes, including mediterranean, subtropical, oceanic, continental and subarctic. Between the north and south, the west and east there can be a considerable difference in climate.

In general, northern parts of the country are characterized by cold winters and cool summers, while the southern parts by predominantly mild wet winters and very hot, dry summers.

Administrative divisions

Albania is a unitary state. Spanning a total surface area of 31656km2, the country is divided into 13 Provinces with their own administration. The Provinces are the country's primary administrative divisions and further subdivided into 52 Sub-prefectres. They are responsible for geographical, social and cultural purposes inside the Provinces.

Under the Sub-prefectures there are the Municipalities. There are overall 2980 Municipalities in the entire country. The Municipalities are the first level of local governance, responsible for local needs.

The largest Province in the country by population is Pristina with over 1 milion people, followed by Tirana with over 800,000 people. The smallest Province by population is Gjirokastër with over 70,000 people. The largest in the county by area is Pristina, in the northeast, followed by Korçë in the southeast. The smallest county by area is Durrës in the west.

Politics

Politics in the country operate under a framework laid out in the Constitution of Albania. Nowadays, Albania is a unitary Fascist monarchy in which the King of Albania serves as the head of state and the prime minister as the head of government.

The King is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and the leader of the Albanian people. The King has the power to guarantee observation of the constitution and all laws, exercise the duties of the parliament when it is not in session and appoints and dismisses the prime minister. The executive power is exercised by the King and by the head of government and the Council of Ministers of Albania, which make up the government. The prime minister is responsible to the King for carrying out both foreign and domestic policies, directs and controls the activities of the ministries and other state organs.

The parliament is the unicameral corporatist of Albanians and is formed by the Corporations. There are 140 Councillors in the parliament, which are nominated through a Corporatist system. The parliament has the power to suggest the direction of domestic and foreign policy, propose amendments to the Constitution, deliberate about war and peace and about international treaties, acclamate the appointed Prime minister, elect one third of the Cassation Court of Albania, elect one third of the Constitutional Court of Albania, supervise the activity of state radio and television, state news agency and other information media.

The judicial system of Albania is a civil law system divided between courts with regular civil and criminal jurisdiction and administrative courts. It is codified and based on the Italian law. Major institutions of the branch include the Cassation Court of Albania, Constitutional Court of Albania, court of appeal, and the administrative court. Law enforcement in the country is primarily the responsibility of the Albanian Gendarmerie. It carries nearly all general police duties thath includes criminal investigation, patrol activity, traffic policing and border control.

Infrastructure

Currently there are three main motorways in Albania including the A1, A2 and the A3. The A1 motorway represents a major west–east transportation corridor in Albania, connecting the country's second largest city Durrës to Pristina. The A3 motorway is going to connect the country's capital city Tirana with Macedonia and Bulgaria to the east. The north-south corridor consists of SH1 and SH2 and makes up the Albanian portion of the Adriatic–Ionian motorway, a larger regional highway connecting Italy in the north with Greece in the south, along the Adriatic and Ionian Sea.

The busiest and largest seaport in the country is the Port of Durrës. As of 2014, the port ranks as one of the largest passenger ports on the Adriatic Sea. Other seaports include Vlorë, Sarandë and Shëngjin. The ports serve an extensive system of ferries connecting numerous islands and coastal cities in addition to ferry lines to several cities in Greece and Italy. The only international airport in the country is the Tirana International Airport. It is the only port of entry for air travelers into the country.

The railways in the country are administered by the national railway company Hekurudha Shqiptare.