Albania is an emerging democracy in Europe, and is situated on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea: it has Serbia (Kosovo) in the north-east, Montenegro to the north, Greece to the south-east, and the Republic of Macedonia to the east. Albania shares its maritime borders with Italy and Croatia. Basically, Albania comprises two major regions – the mountainous highland region in the north, south and east, which constitutes 70% of the land area of Albania, and the western coastal land region, which comprises almost all of the country’s agricultural land. The latter is the most densely populated part of Albania. Albania is a small country with coastlines on the Ionian and Adriatic Seas; its interior is crossed by the Albanian Alps.
The Albanian Riviera is located on Albania’s southern coast and is widely known for its traditional Mediterranean villages, vibrant nightlife and great beach resorts. And because Albania has a history that stretches right back to antiquity, it’s also rich in archaeological sites and castles.
As at the year 2013, the population of Albania was almost 2.8 million people – otherwise known as Albanians. Similar to the mainly Albanian-inhabited Kosovo (Albania’s neighbour) Albania has a Muslim majority, which comes from a legacy of centuries of Ottoman rule. The other main religions are Albanian Orthodox (20%) and Roman Catholic (10%)
The major ethnic groups of Albania are 95% Albanian, 3% Greek, with the remaining 2% consisting of Serb, Gypsy (Roma), Vlach, Bulgarian and Macedonian.
Tirana: The Capital City of Albania
Tirana is the largest city in Albania, located on the Ishëm River in the western centre of Albania. Tirana has a population of more than 1 million people in its metropolitan area. Tirana is a city that always evolving – it’s a conglomeration of Ottoman, Communist and Italian influences. Once grey and dull, this is a city that’s been transformed into a colourful, lively, cosmopolitan, metropolis. It’s a fascinating city, representing both the past and future of Albania.
Languages Spoken in Albania
Albanian is the official language of Albania and Kosovo. It’s also a recognised minority language in Serbia, Romania, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Italy.
Eging Translation is your one-stop shop for all your Albanian translation requirements in any of these languages. Our highly experienced translators have a vast amount of experience with the languages of Albania. Most of our translators are native speakers and easily recognise the subtle differences and different dialects occurring between different regions.
About the Albanian Language
The Albanian language is an Indo-European language, forming its own branch in the Indo-European family. With no close relatives, it’s a language that’s spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, with the majority being in Albania and Kosovo. Some scholars believe the Albanian language is a descendant of Illyrian, which is a group of Indo-European languages used in the Western Balkans until around the sixth century A.D. There are, however, others who believe that this language descended from Dacian or Thracian, which are Indo-European languages spoken in various parts of the Balkans until around the fifth century A.D.
