Project English

Title:I love differencesMade by:Egli Tafa

Albi Shani

2.Where I am?

• Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë; Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is less than 72 km (45 mi) from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which connects the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea.

Flag

History

• Prehistory• The history of Albania emerged from the prehistoric stage from the 4th century BC,

with early records of Illyria in Greco-Roman historiography. The modern territory of Albania has no counterpart in antiquity, comprising parts of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia (southern Illyricum) and Macedonia (particularly Epirus Nova).

• Middle Ages• The territory now known as Albania remained under Roman (Byzantine) control

until the Slavs began to overrun it from 548 and onward, and was captured by Bulgarian Empire in the 9th century. After the weakening of the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire in the middle and late 13th century, some of the territory of modern-day Albania was captured by the Serbian Principality. In general, the invaders destroyed or weakened Roman and Byzantine cultural centers in the lands that would become Albania.

Independence

• At the All-Albanian Congress in Vlorë on 28 November 1912[ Congress participants constituted the Assembly of Vlorë.The assembly of eighty-three leaders meeting in Vlorë in November 1912 declared Albania an independent country and set up a provisional government. The complete text of the declaration stated the following:

• In Vlora, on the 28th of November, the President of Albania was Ismail Kemal Bey who spoke of the great perils facing Albania today. The delegates have all decided unanimously that Albania, as of today, should be on her own free and independent.

• Albania's independence was recognized by the Conference of London on 29 July 1913, but the drawing of the borders of the newly established Principality of Albania ignored the demographic realities of the time.

Ismail Qemali and his cabinet during the celebration of the first anniversary of independence in Vlorë on 28

November 1913.

Albanian Peasants costumes - illustration by Percy Anderson for Costume Fanciful, Historical and

Theatrical, 1906

Government

• The Albanian republic is a parliamentary democracy established under a constitution renewed in 1998. Elections are held every four years to the 140-seat unicameral Assembly of the Republic of Albania. In June 2002, a compromise candidate, Alfred Moisiu, former Army General, was elected to succeed President Rexhep Meidani. After parliamentary elections in July 2005, Sali Berisha, the leader of the Democratic Party, became prime minister, while on 20 July 2007 Bamir Topi became president. The current Albanian president Bujar Nishani was elected by Parliament in July 2012.

Cabinet of Albania Logo

Geography

• Albania has a total area of 28,748 square kilometres (11,100 square miles). It lies between latitudes 39° and 43° N, and mostly between longitudes 19° and 21° E (a small area lies east of 21°). Albania's coastline length is 476 km (296 mi) and extends along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The lowlands of the west face the Adriatic Sea.The 70% of the country that is mountainous is rugged and often inaccessible from the outside. The highest mountain is Korab situated in the district of Dibër, reaching up to 2,764 metres (9,068 ft). The climate on the coast is typically Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and warm, sunny, and rather dry summers.

A satellite image of Albania

Climate

• With its coastline facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons, Albania has a high number of climatic regions relative to its landmass. The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean climate; the highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south.

The Albanian Riviera, panoramic view

Landscape of Albanian countryside

Flora and fauna

• Although a small country, Albania is distinguished for its rich biological diversity. The variation of geomorphology, climate and terrain create favorable conditions for a number of endemic and sub-endemic species with 27 endemic and 160 subendemic vascular plants present in the country. The total number of plants is over 3250 species, approximately 30% of the entire flora species found in Europe.Over a third of the territory of Albania – about 10,000 square kilometres (3,861 square miles);– is forested and the country is very rich in flora. About 3,000 different species of plants grow in Albania, many of which are used for medicinal purposes.Phytogeographically, Albania belongs to the Boreal Kingdom, the Mediterranean Region and the Illyrian province of theCircumboreal Region. Coastal regions and lowlands have typical Mediterranean macchia vegetation, whereas oak forests and vegetation are found on higher elevations. Vast forests of black pine, beech and fir are found on higher mountains and alpine grasslands grow at elevations above 1800 meters

• There are around 760 vertebrate species found so far in Albania. Among these there are over 350 bird species, 330 freshwater and marine fish and 80 mammal species. There are some 91 globally threatened species found within the country, among which the Dalmatian pelican, Pygmy cormorant, and the European sea sturgeon. Rocky coastal regions in the south provide good habitats for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal.Some of the most significant bird species found in the country include the golden eagle – known as the national symbol of Albania– vulture species, capercaillie and numerous waterfowl. The Albanian forests still maintain significant communities of large mammals such as the brown bear, gray wolf, chamois and wild boar.The north and eastern mountains of the country are home to the last remaining Balkan Lynx – a critically endangered population of the Eurasian lynx

The lynx still survives in Albania.

Golden eagle–the national symbol of Albania

Tourism

• A large part of Albania's national income comes from tourism. Tourism - as of 2013 - funds 10% of its gross domestical product, and this is expected to increase. Albania welcomed around 4.2 million visitors in 2012, mostly from neighbouring countries and the European Union. In 2011, Albania was recommended as a top travel destination, by Lonely Planet.In 2014, Albania was nominated number 4 global touristic destination by the New York Times.The number of tourists has increased by 20% for 2014 as well.The bulk of the tourist industry is concentrated along the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea coast. The latter has the most beautiful and pristine beaches, and is often called the Albanian Riviera. Albanian seaside has a considerable length of 360 km, including even the lagoon area which you find within. The seaside has a particular character because it is rich in varieties of sandy beaches, capes, coves, covered bays, lagoons, small gravel beaches, sea caves etc. Some parts of this seaside are very clean ecologically, which represent in this prospective unexplored areas, very rare in Mediterranean area. The increase in foreign visitors is dramatic, Albania had only 500,000 visitors in 2005, while in 2012 had an estimated 4.2 million tourists, an increase of 740% in only 7 years.

Ancient ruins of Butrint Beach in Himarë on the Albanian Riviera

Spectacular Lake Koman Ferry only comparable to the Scandinavian fjords

Seaside town of Saranda across from Corfu

Albanian Alps in northern Albania

UNESCO World Heritage Site of Berat Gjirokastër, the city of stone

• Albania is home to two World Heritage Sites (Berat and Gjirokastër are listed together)

• Butrint, an ancient Greek and Roman city• Gjirokastër, a well-preserved Ottoman medieval town• Berat, the 'town of a thousand and one windows‘• The following is the UNESCO Tentative List of Albania:• Gashi River and Rrajca (latter part of Shebenik-Jabllanica National Park) under

Primeval Beech forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech forests of Germany

• Durrës Amphitheatre• Ancient Tombs of Lower Selca• Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region• Ancient City of Apollonia

Language• Albanian is the official language of Albania. Its standard spoken and written form is

revised and merged from the two main dialects, Gheg and Tosk, though it is notably based more on the Tosk dialect. Shkumbin river is the rough dividing line between the two dialects. Also a dialect of Greek that preserves features now lost in standard modern Greek is spoken in areas inhabited by the Greek minority. Other languages spoken by ethnic minorities in Albania include Vlach, Serbian, Macedonian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Gorani, and Roma.Macedonian is official in Pustec Municipality in East Albania.

Map showing the various dialects of Albanian in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy and Greece

Culture

• Albanian folk music falls into three stylistic groups, with other important music areas around Shkodër and Tirana; the major groupings are the Ghegs of the north and southern Labs and Tosks. The northern and southern traditions are contrasted by the "rugged and heroic" tone of the north and the "relaxed" form of the south.These disparate styles are unified by "the intensity that both performers and listeners give to their music as a medium for patriotic expression and as a vehicle carrying the narrative of oral history", as well as certain characteristics like the use of rhythms such as 3/8, 5/8 and 10/8.The first compilation of Albanian folk music was made by Pjetër Dungu in 1940. Albanian folk songs can be divided into major groups, the heroic epics of the north, and the sweetly melodic lullabies, love songs, wedding music, work songs and other kinds of song. The music of various festivals and holidays is also an important part of Albanian folk song, especially those that celebrate St. Lazarus Day, which inaugurates the springtime. Lullabies andvajtims are very important kinds of Albanian folk song, and are generally performed by solo women.

A dark page of story of Albania

In 1913 The Conference of Ambasadors in London deside to dissmember albanian land and give our territories others states.This is a big crime but albanian voice never heard .Now we lives separated and for other territories that are not with Albania ther states try to asimileted the albanian culture.

In 1991 with fallen of communism all country was in misery.There was no hope for built a new life in Albania.The only way is to go on other countries like Italy or Greece.The exodus of Albania happened.More than the half of the population left the country and go in Italy.Most f them people still lives and works in Italy.

“The Great Exodus of Albania”

1997 the pyramidal firms falimeted.Peoples in Albanian lost a lot of money and thiscaus angry.People around the Albania stole from state over 1 million ammo and Civil War.State doesn’t functions anymore.Everywhere has thiefs,murder and the economic situation was very bad.In march 1997 was form a new goverment.With this the situation normalized.

A picture from ‘97

21 January 2011 is another plague of Albania history.It never forget from mind who lived that day.In 21 January has gonna be a.That take out of control and the army has called to disband peoples but the army open fire againist the civillian population.Four mens are killed.Four families are destroyed.These are some of great plague of Albania, but are many others that wait to show up in light.

21 January 2011