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Chapter 1: Albania
Image Credit: https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/europe/albania/
ALBANIA
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About Albania
Image Credit: https://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/albania/map
On Southern Europe’s Balkan Peninsula, Albania is situated on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, with Greece to the south, Kosovo to the northeast, Montenegro to the northwest, and North Macedonia to the east.
The landscape is diverse, ranging from mountains and hills in the North Albanian Alps to dense forests in the central region, fertile plains to the west, to several inland lakes and rivers and lovely beaches lining up its coastline. The climate consists generally of warm, dry summers and mild wet winters but is also subject to change depending on the region; the eastern part of the country experiences milder summers and colder winters compared to the western part with its warmer, more moderate temperatures.
Out of its population of 2,822,000, the highest number live in Tirana, the capital city is a melting pot of cultures from the ancient Illyrian civilization to Greek, German and Italian influence. The country is named “ Shqipëri ” (Land of Eagles) by Albanians in their native language shqip, which is considered one of the most fascinating languages by linguists as it is the only surviving part of the original Indo-European group of languages. Shqip has two distinct dialects: Geg is spoken mostly in the north and Tosk in the south. The national currency is the lek, officially dispensed by the Bank of Albania since 1926.
Albanian culture consists of rich traditional arts like embroidery, lace making woodwork, furniture making, folk music, and storytelling.
