Albania is a 28,748 km2 country situated in the heart of the European continent, in Southeast Europe. The country is small in kilometers but it has many natural landscapes and it is rich in mineral and natural resources, its inhabitants have inherited the unique traditions of their Illyrian ancestors.
It is located in the region called the Balkans and bordered by Greece in the southeast, Macedonia in the east, Kosovo in the northeast and Montenegro in the north. In front of it (bordered by the Adriatic Sea) is Italy. The main airport is called Mother Theresa Airport, located in Rinas, between Tirana and Durres cities.
CURRENCY:
The national currency is the lek (plural lekë,). The euro is widely accepted.
ATMs
ATMs are available in most major cities. The ATMs accept most international Visa and MasterCard credit/debit cards.
Shopping
Some Albanians write prices with an extra zero. They are not trying to charge you 10 times the going rate; they are merely using the old currency.
Many rural convenience stores will not accept any other method of payment other than cash (Albanian lek). However, supermarkets, some bookstores and some boutique stores will accept credit or debit cards. The most widely accepted cards are Visa, MasterCard, and Diner’s Club.
In all the Albanian cities you can find numerous shops, which offer different goods, of well-known marks, Glasses, antique objects, etc. Of great interest for tourists are the traditional bazaars of Kruja, Korca, Shkodra, Gjirokastra and Tirana, where you can find the artisan works produced by Albanian people over the years. You can buy woody carved objects, ceramics, embroiders with popular motifs and also cooper objects. Albanian shops are open from 09:00-20:00 usually, and until 22:00 in summer. Most of the shops stay open on Sunday.
Souvenirs: Alabaster, Ashtrays
Tipping
5-10% is considered a good tip, but it is not always expected. So, you may just round up the bill.
What Languages Are Spoken in Albania?
The spoken languages in Albania:
Albania is an ethnically homogeneous country with a vast majority of the population speaking the Albanian language. Minorities in the country speak their own native languages like Greek, Macedonian, Romani, and others. Italian and English are the most popular foreign languages spoken by Albanians.
12 Fun & Interesting Facts About Albania
Here are some fun & interesting facts about Albania:
In the evenings, the locals like to walk. But it’s not just a walk, it’s an official evening walk where every resident comes out to stretch their legs and catch up with their neighbors. Everyone gathers at various places, walking and talking until nightfall.
Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing in Albania
Agriculture is an essential sector in Albania. One of the earliest agricultural lands in Europe has been found in southeastern Albania.
The former governments allocated substantial resources to the development of agriculture. Large-scale programs of land reclamation, soil improvement, and irrigation, as well as increased use of fertilizers, all contributed to a significant expansion of agricultural production. Later, agriculture has registered annual growth during the latest periods.
Population and Economy in Albania
In this article, we are going to know more about Population and Economy in Albania.
Albania is located in Southeastern Europe and is a member of the UN and NATO. Albania is one of the smallest countries in Europe with 28,700 square kilometers (11,000 square miles) of area.
Turkish Brands prevalence in the world
The Head of the United Turkish brands Association ”Sinan Öncel” has announced that Turkish brands, which have 4,396 stores in 125 countries are daily continuing to open two new stores abroad.