STATISTICS: Albania


Albania

29.0% —or about 794,000 hectares—of Albania is forested. Of this, 10.7% —or roughly 85,000 hectares—is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse form of forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Albania lost an average of 2,000 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual deforestation rate of 0.25%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 356.5% to 0.65% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Albania gained 0.6% of its forest cover, or around 5,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Albania gained 2.7% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Albania has some 429 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.0% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.7% are threatened. Albania is home to at least 3031 species of vascular plants, of which 0.8% are endemic. 2.0% of Albania is protected under IUCN categories I-V.






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Albania: Forest Cover, 2005
Total Land Area (ha)2,740,000
Total Forest Area (ha)794,000
Percent Forest Cover28.98%
Primary Forest Cover (ha)85,000
Primary Forest, % total forest10.71%
Primary Forest, % total land3.10%
Other wooded land (ha)261,000


Albania : Forest types
Tropical (% forest area)0%
Subtropical (% forest area)83%
Temperate (% forest area)17%
Boreal/polar (% forest area)0%


Albania: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
Primary forest (ha | %)85,00010.7%
Modified natural (ha | %)621,00078.2%
Semi-natural (ha | %)-0.0%
Production plantation (ha | %)3,0000.4%
Production plantation (ha | %)86,00010.8%


Albania: Change in Forest Cover
TOTAL FOREST COVER
Forest 1990 (ha)789,000
Forest 2000 (ha)769,000
Forest 2005 (ha)794,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(2,000)-0.25%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)5,0000.65%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)5,0000.63%
Change in rate (%)-356.50%
PRIMARY FOREST COVER
Primary 1990 (ha)85,000
Primary 2000 (ha)85,000
Primary 2005 (ha)85,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)-0.00%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)-0.00%
Change in rate (%)#DIV/0!
OTHER WOODED LAND
Other 1990 (ha)256,000
Other 2000 (ha)255,000
Other 2005 (ha)261,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(100)-0.04%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)1,2000.47%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)5,0001.95%
Change in rate (%)-1304.71%
PLANTATIONS
Other 1990 (ha)103,000
Other 2000 (ha)96,000
Other 2005 (ha)88,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(700)-0.68%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)(1,600)-1.67%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)(15,000)-14.56%
Change in rate (%)145.24%
TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations
Other 1990 (ha)942,000
Other 2000 (ha)928,000
Other 2005 (ha)967,000
Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %)(1,400)-0.15%
Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %)7,8000.84%
Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %)25,0002.65%
Change in rate (%)-665.55%


Albania: Primary
Primary or "old-growth" vegetation
Primary Forest 2005 (ha)85,000
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)0
Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha)85,000
Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area)3.10%


Albania: Forest designation
Ownership of forest land, 2000
Public (%)99.1%
Private (%)0.9%
Other (%)0.0%
Ownership of other wooded land, 2000
Public (%)98.8%
Private (%)0.9%
Other (%)0.0%
Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005
Production (%)68.3%
Protection (%)22.7%
Conservation (%)9.0%
Social Services (%)-
Multiple Services (%)-
None of Unknown (%)-


Albania: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
Forest Area annually affected by
Fire (%)0.39%
Insects (ha)9.10%
Diseases (ha)12.61%
Other (ha)2.99%


Albania: Protected areas
Protected areas
Biosphere reserves, 2005
Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 20052
World Heritage sites, 20041
Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land2.0%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land1.18%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 20040.77%
Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 20040.63%


Albania: Biodiversity - Wildlife
Amphibians
total species16
endemic species0
threatened species2
Birds
total species303
endemic species0
threatened species9
Mammals
total species73
endemic species0
threatened species1
Reptiles
total species37
endemic species0
threatened species4
Wildlife diversity
total species429
endemic species0
threatened species16


Albania: Biodiversity - Plants
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Growing stock composition
3 most common species
% of total growing stock
-
Number of Native tree species
Native tree species280
Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Critically Endangered0
Endangered0
Vulnerable0
Vascular Plant Species, 2004
Total3031
Number endemic24
Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004
Species threatened0


Albania: Value of forests
Biomass stock in forest, 2005
Above-ground biomass (M t)78
Below-ground biomass (M t)25
Dead wood (M t)29
Total (M t)132
Carbon stock in forest, 2005
Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t)39
Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t)13
Carbon in dead wood (M t)15
Carbon in litter (M t)12
Soil carbon (M t)70
Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr)
1990-200060
2000-2005540
Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005
Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr)
1990-20000.33
2000-20050.06
Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m)24
Wood fuel (1000 cubic m)144
Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m)168
Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock)n.s.
Plant products 2005
Food (t)72
Fodder (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)2,208
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)358
Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t)711
Ornamental plants (t)-
Exudates (t)-
Other plant products (t)-
Animal products 2005
Living animals (units)-
Hides, skins and trophies (units)-
Wild honey and bee-wax (t)-
Bush meat (t)-
Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t)-
Raw material for colorants and dyes (t)-
Other edible animal products (t)157
Other non-edible animal products (t)-
Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005
Industrial roundwood (US$)$662,000
Wood fuel (US$)$237,000
Non-wood forest products (US$)$110,016,000
Total value (US$)$110,915,000
Total value ($USD/ha)$140
Employment in forestry 2000
Total people employed2,000


Albania : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production222
Imports0
Exports67
Consumption155
Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production83
Imports0
Exports29
Consumption54
Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production97
Imports128
Exports87
Consumption138
Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002
Production37
Imports136
Exports1
Consumption172
Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production0
Imports4
Exports0
Consumption4
Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002
Production3
Imports18
Exports1
Consumption20
Albania: Environment
Environment - current issuesdeforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial and domestic effluents
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Natural hazardsdestructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern coast; floods; drought


Albania: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 21.09%
permanent crops: 4.42%
other: 74.49% (2001)
Natural resourcespetroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper, iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower


Albania: Economy
Economy - overview:Lagging behind its Balkan neighbors, Albania is making the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Greece and Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture, which accounts for about one-quarter of GDP, is held back because of frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure contribute to Albania's poor business environment, which make it difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved transmission and distribution facilities will help relieve the energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to sustained economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong in 2003-05 and inflation is not a problem.
GDP - per capita$4,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)6% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productswheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets, grapes; meat, dairy products
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 23.6%, industry: 20.5%, services: 55.9% (2005 est.)
Industries food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement, chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower
Economic aid - recipientODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000 est.)
Debt - external$1.41 billion (2003)
Population below poverty line (%)25% (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2004 est.)


Albania: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)3,563,112
Population growth rate (%) (2005)0.52%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)130.1
Percent rural (2003)56.2%
Median age (years)total: 28.52 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)2.04 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb, Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)


Largest Cities in Albania

Cities and urban areas in Albania with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
TiranaAlbania404000404000
DurresAlbania112300112300
ElbasanAlbania101700101700




 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
 Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
 Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
 Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
 RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
 World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
 The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
 Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
 With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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