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GEOGRAPHY
Geographical Position
ALBANIA lies in Southeastern Europe, in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula, between the 39-degree 38' and the 42-degree 39' northern latitude parallels and the 19-degree 16' eastern latitude meridian. Practically, it is located at the same distance from the Ecuador as it is from the North Pole.
The surface of Albania covers 28.748 square km.
The capital is Tirana (located almost in the center of the Rep. of Albania).
The length of the total boundaries of Albania is 1094 km, 657 km of which are land boundaries, 316 km – sea boundaries, 48 km – rivers and 73 km – lakes.
Albania borders Montenegro, Kosova and the FYR of Macedonia in the north and northeast over 529 km of land boundary, while in the south and southeast it borders Greece on about 271 km. In the west, the waters of the Adriatic Sea wet the Albanian mainland, while in the southwest it is the Ionian Sea.
Albania has a favorable geographical position, as it lies at the crossroads of commercial routes passing through the western Mediterranean to the Balkans and into the Middle East, controlling the transition of merchandise through the Otranto Channel.
The deepest valleys are those of the Drin, Shkumbin and Vjosa rivers, enabling the internal connections between the Balkans, the Adriatic Sea, the Middle East and the Mediterranean areas.
The Adriatic coastline stretches from Buna to the Gjuheza cape. In the gulf of Vlora in the south, the coastline is high and rocky, dominated by the Caraburun Mountain. The main gulfs of Albania are: Drini, Lalëzi, Durrës, Karavasta and Vlora; at the entrance of the latter one can find the Sazan island.
Landscape
Mountains and highlands mostly mark the Albanian landscape. The first mountain peaks were created at the end of the Jurassic period. During the Cenozoic era, the process of mountain growth in the “Albanide” area was further speeded, thus creating the ground and underground of current Albania. The average height of the Albanian grounds is 708 meters above sea level. The highest mountains are located in the Albanian Alps, as well as in the eastern part of the country (Korabi measures 2751 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest mountain in Albania).
Plains can be found especially in the western part of Albania, along the Adriatic coastline, but they also lie in other parts of the country. The highest plains lie at over 800 m above sea level, stretching along rivers like Vjosa, Devoll, Osum, Shkumbim, Erzen, Mat and Drin. In these areas one can also find fertile agricultural land and large residential centers.
The Albanian territory is naturally divided in 4 large geographical regions:
The Albanian Alps
The Central Highlands
The Southern Highlands
The Coastline Lowlands
The main Albanian lagoons are Lunra (Viluni), Patoku, Bishtraka, Karavasta, Narta and Pashaliman, while the most important beaches are those of Velipoja, Tale, Durres, Divjaka, Seman and Vlora. The main maritime capes are those of Rodon, Bisht Palla, and Gjuheza.
Climate
Albania lies at the convergence of two climatic areas: the Mediterranean climate zone and the Continental, Central European one.
The main characteristics of weather system are comparatively short winters and relatively hot summers. The climate in Albania registers large differences between various locations: significant contrasts regarding air temperature, yearly rainfall, sunlight, air humidity etc. are present.
For example, sunlight exposure changes from 2731 hours a year in Xare by Saranda to 2722 hours a year in Vlora, 2560 hours a year in Tirana, 2246 hours a year in Peshkopi and 2046 hours a year in Kukës.
Furthermore, the level of rainfall is 1430 mm a year and reduces from west to east.
Harbors
Since the early ages, numerous Albanian sea ports/harbors have been operating in Durres (Dyrrah), Ulqin, Tivar, Vlora (Aulona), Apoloni, Saranda (Onhezmi), etc. During the VII – XII centuries, Durres was the main harbor of the Byzantine Empire.
During the “arber” (or Albanian) princedoms, a number of small ports have been built along the rivers Shirgj (Buna), Shëngjin, Shufada (Mat), Rodon, Bashtova (Shkumbin), Pirg (Seman) and Spinarica. Unfortunately, the development of these smaller ports stopped during the ottoman epoch.
During the period of 1928 to 1934, the modern port of Durres was built. It is now the main port of Albania. It underwent significant improvements and extensions between 1945 and 1952. As well, in the same time frame, the ports of Vlora, Saranda and Shengjin received new cement quays. On the other side, along the Ionian Sea, quays and harbors have been built in the gulf of Spilea by Himara, as well as in Sasaj by Lukova.
General Info on Albania 
