History of Albania in Timeline

Albania is a country in Southeast Europe, situated on the Balkan Peninsula. It borders Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece, with coastlines along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Its diverse geography includes mountains like the Albanian Alps and coastal plains. Tirana serves as its capital and largest city, followed by Durrës, Vlorë, and Shkodër.

November 1912: Declaration of Independence

On 28 November 1912, Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire.

December 1912: Establishment of Government

On 4 December 1912, the Assembly of Vlorë established the Senate and Government of Albania.

1912: Adoption of "Himni i Flamurit"

Following Albania's independence in 1912, the national anthem "Himni i Flamurit", composed by Asdreni, was adopted.

1912: Albania Declares Independence

In 1912, Albania declared its independence, marking a significant turning point in its history.

1912: Declaration of Independence and National Flag

In 1912, during Albania's declaration of independence, Ismail Qemali raised the red and black national flag adorned with a double-headed eagle in Vlorë, symbolizing bravery, strength, fortitude, and sacrifices of the Albanian people.

1912: First Movie Theater

In 1912, the first movie theater exclusively devoted to showing motion pictures was built in Shkodër.

1912: Declaration of Independence

Since declaring independence in 1912, Albania has experienced a significant political transformation.

1912: Independence and Political Evolution

Since its independence in 1912, Albania has transitioned from a monarchy to a communist regime and finally to a sovereign parliamentary constitutional republic.

July 1913: Treaty of London

On 29 July 1913, the Treaty of London delineated Albania's borders, leaving many Albanians outside the country.

October 1913: Establishment of the International Commission of Control

On 15 October 1913, the International Commission of Control was established in Vlorë to administer Albania until its political institutions were in order.

November 1913: Pro-Ottoman forces offer throne

In November 1913, the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces offered the throne of Albania to Ahmed Izzet Pasha, the Ottoman war minister of Albanian origin.

February 1914: Proclamation of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus

In February 1914, the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was proclaimed in Gjirokastër by the local Greek population against incorporation into Albania.

June 1914: International Gendarmerie Joined by Rebels

In May and June 1914, the International Gendarmerie was joined by Isa Boletini and his men, who then defeated northern Mirdita Catholics.

August 1914: Rebels Capture Central Albania

By the end of August 1914, rebels had captured most of Central Albania.

September 1914: Prince Wied Leaves Albania

On 3 September 1914, Prince Wied's regime collapsed, and he left Albania.

1918: Congress of Durrës Seeks Protection

In 1918, the Congress of Durrës sought protection from the Paris Peace Conference but was denied, complicating Albania's international position.

1919: Serb Attacks on Albanians

In 1919, Serbs launched attacks on Albanian inhabitants, resulting in massacres and displacement.

1921: Southern Provinces Incorporated

In 1921, the southern provinces were incorporated into the Albanian Principality.

1924: Fan Noli Becomes Prime Minister

In 1924, Fan Noli became prime minister, aiming to establish a Western-style constitutional government.

1928: Transition to Monarchy

In 1928, Albania transitioned from a republic to a monarchy under Zog, who assumed the title of King Zog I.

1939: Italian Invasion

In 1939, Italy under Benito Mussolini launched a military invasion of Albania, leading to Zog's exile.

1943: Nazi Germany Assumes Control

In 1943, as Italy's control declined, Nazi Germany assumed control of Albania, subjecting Albanians to forced labor and economic exploitation.

1944: Liberation by Partisan Forces

In 1944, Albanian partisan forces, led by Enver Hoxha, liberated Albania from German occupation.

1946: Nationalisation of Religious Estates

In 1946, religious estates in Albania underwent nationalisation, and religious institutions were closed or transformed.

1946: Balkan Cup Win

In 1946, the Albania national football team won the Balkan Cup.

1953: Release of The Great Warrior Skanderbeg film

In 1953, the Albanian-Soviet epic film, "The Great Warrior Skanderbeg", was released, chronicling the life of the medieval Albanian hero. It was directed by Sergei Yutkevich.

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1954: International Prize Won at Cannes Film Festival

In 1954, "The Great Warrior Skanderbeg" won the international prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

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1955: United Nations Membership

Albania became a member of the United Nations (UN) in 1955.

1961: Diplomatic Separation from Soviet Union

In 1961, Albania experienced strained ties with Moscow, leading to diplomatic separation.

1962: Inauguration of Festivali i Këngës

In 1962, Festivali i Këngës, a traditional Albanian song contest organized by Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH), was inaugurated.

1968: Withdrawal from Warsaw Pact

In 1968, Albania withdrew from the Warsaw Pact in response to the invasion of Czechoslovakia.

1970: Relations with China Stagnate

In 1970, Albania and China's relations stagnated, prompting Albania to reduce its dependence on China.

1972: Albania's First Olympic Games

In 1972, Albania participated in the Olympic Games for the first time.

1972: World Weightlifting Championships win

In 1972, the Albanian weightlifting team won gold at the World Weightlifting Championships.

July 1973: Highest Recorded Temperature

On 18 July 1973, the highest temperature recorded in Albania was 43.9 °C (111.0 °F), observed in Kuçovë.

1976: Albania Declared Atheist State

In 1976, Albania became the world's first constitutionally atheist state, forcing citizens to renounce religious beliefs.

1980: Olympic Boycott

Albania missed the 1980 Olympic Games due to boycotts.

1984: Olympic Boycott

Albania missed the 1984 Olympic Games due to boycotts.

1987: Mediterranean Games Participation

Albania participated in the Mediterranean Games since the games of 1987 in Syria.

1988: Troop Reduction

Albania reduced the number of active troops from 65,000 in 1988 to 14,500 in 2009.

1989: Rise in Political Activism

After the revolutions of 1989, Albania witnessed a notable rise in political activism, particularly among students.

1990: Albanian Forest Cover

In 1990, Albania's forest cover was 788,800 hectares.

1991: Urban Transformation After Communism

After the collapse of communism in 1991, Albania underwent a remarkable transformation in its urban landscape, emerging as one of the fastest urbanising countries in Europe.

1991: Decrease in Human Resources

After the fall of communism in 1991, human resources in sciences and technology in Albania have drastically decreased.

1991: First Multi-Party Elections

After the first multi-party elections of 1991, the communist party maintained a stronghold in the parliament.

1992: Return to the Olympic Games

Albania returned to the Olympic Games in 1992, held in Barcelona.

1992: Democratic Party Victory

In 1992, the Democratic Party directed the parliamentary elections, defeating the communist party.

1994: Party to Convention on Biological Diversity

Since 1994, Albania has been a party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its associated Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols.

1996: Military Spending

As of 1996, military spending was an estimated 1.5% of Albania's GDP.

1996: Collapse of Pyramid Schemes

In late 1996, the pyramid schemes in Albania began to collapse, leading to protests.

February 1997: Violent Protests

In February 1997, protests against the government turned violent as government forces fired on demonstrators.

April 1997: Operation Alba

In April 1997, Operation Alba, a U.N. peacekeeping force led by Italy, entered Albania to assist with evacuation and secure the ground for international organisations.

1998: Transition to a Republic

In 1998, Albania transitioned into a sovereign parliamentary constitutional republic.

July 2000: Recreation of Counties

Counties in Albania were recreated on 31 July 2000 to unify the 36 districts of that time.

2000: Rising interest in languages

Among young people aged 25 or less, English, German and Turkish have seen rising interest after 2000 in Albania.

2000: Albania's Healthcare Performance

In 2000, Albania had the world's 55th-best healthcare performance, as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

2000: Malta Rothmans International Tournament Win

In 2000, the Albania national football team won the Malta Rothmans International Tournament.

2001: Urban Demographic Progress

In 2001, the proportion of Albania's urban demographic was 47%.

2002: Silver at World Weightlifting Championships

In 2002, the Albanian weightlifting team won a silver medal at the World Weightlifting Championships.

2003: Score Declining

Albania's score on the Press Freedom Index has steadily declined since 2003.

2003: Tirana International Film Festival Established

In 2003, the Tirana International Film Festival was established, becoming the largest film festival in the country.

2005: Scientists Leaving Albania

From 1991 to 2005, approximately 50% of the professors and scientists of the universities and science institutions in Albania left the country.

2005: Visitor Arrivals

In 2005, Albania had 500,000 visitors.

2006: Winter Olympic Games Debut

In 2006, Albania made their Winter Olympic Games debut.

2006: Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA)

In 2006, Albania signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union (EU).

February 2008: Participation in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor

Since February 2008, Albania has participated officially in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean Sea.

April 2008: Invitation to Join NATO

Albania was invited to join NATO on 3 April 2008.

2008: Recognition of Kosovo's Sovereignty

Albania recognized Kosovo's sovereignty in 2008.

2008: Religious Buildings in 2008

In 2008, Albania had a diverse range of religious buildings, with 694 Catholic churches, 425 Orthodox churches, 568 mosques, and 70 Bektashi takyas across the country.

April 2009: Full NATO Membership

Albania became a full member of NATO on 2 April 2009.

2009: NATO Membership

Albania secured NATO membership in 2009.

2009: Fruit and Vegetable Supply

In 2009, Albania had a fruit and vegetable supply of 886 grams per capita per day, the fifth-highest in Europe.

2009: Wine Production

In 2009, Albania produced an estimated 17,500 tonnes of wine.

2009: Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with EFTA

In 2009, Albania signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

2009: Approval of National Strategy

In 2009, the government approved the National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Albania covering the period 2009 to 2015.

2009: Peak Military Spending

Military spending in Albania peaked in 2009 at 2% of the country's GDP.

2010: Voluntary Military Service

Military service in Albania has been voluntary since 2010.

2011: Population Decline Statistics

In 2011, Albania's population recorded at 2,821,977 people, according to the census conducted.

2011: Bronze Medal in World Weightlifting Championship

In 2011, the Albanian weightlifting team won a bronze medal at the World Weightlifting Championships.

2012: Highest Placement in the Environmental Performance Index

Albania's highest placement in the Environmental Performance Index was at position 15 in 2012.

2012: Visitor increase

In 2012, Albania had an estimated 4.2 million visitors, a 740 percent increase since 2005.

2013: Medals at the Mediterranean Games

From 1987 to 2013, Albanian athletes have won a total of 43 medals (8 gold, 17 silver, and 18 bronze) at the Mediterranean Games.

2013: Socialist Party Victory

In 2013, Edi Rama of the Socialist Party won the parliamentary elections and became prime minister.

June 2014: EU Candidate Status

On 24 June 2014, Albania was granted official candidate status for membership in the European Union.

2014: EU Candidate Status

Albania obtained candidate status for European Union (EU) accession in 2014.

2014: Durrës Port Volume

As of 2014, Durrës is one of the largest passenger ports on the Adriatic Sea, with an annual passenger volume of about 1.5 million.

2014: AHC Report on Female Murder Victims

In 2014, the Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC) reported that the number of female murder victims remained high. The Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination raised concerns about family registration laws that discriminate against women.

2014: Inaugural Joint Meeting with Kosovo

The inaugural joint meeting between Albania and Kosovo governments was held in 2014.

2015: Access to Improved Sanitation

According to data presented in 2015 by the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP), about 93% of Albania's population had access to improved sanitation.

2015: Infant Mortality Rate

In 2015, Albania's infant mortality rate was estimated at 12 per 1,000 live births.

2015: ILGA-Europe Ranking in 2015

In 2015, ILGA-Europe ranked Albania 19th in terms of LGBT rights out of 49 observed European countries.

2015: Forest Ownership

In 2015, it was reported that 97% of Albania's forest area was under public ownership.

2015: Unified Municipalities

Municipalities in Albania unified and simplified the previous system of urban and rural municipalities or communes in 2015.

2015: National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation

The National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Albania covered the period 2009 to 2015.

June 2016: First Win in European Championship

On June 19, 2016, Albania secured their first-ever win in the European Championship with a 1–0 victory against Romania in a UEFA Euro 2016 match. They also scored their first ever goal in a major tournament.

2016: Adults Clinically Overweight

According to 2016 WHO data, 21.7% of adults in Albania are clinically overweight, with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more.

2016: Textile production growth and turnover

In 2016, Albania's textile production experienced an annual growth of 5.3% and an annual turnover of around 1.5 billion euros, according to the Instituti i Statistikës (INSTAT).

2016: Tourism Contribution to GDP

In 2016, tourism directly accounted for 8.4% of Albania's GDP, with indirect contributions pushing the proportion to 26%. The country received approximately 4.74 million visitors, mostly from Europe and the United States.

January 2017: Lowest Recorded Temperature

On 9 January 2017, the lowest temperature recorded in Albania was −29 °C (−20 °F), recorded in Shtyllë, Librazhd.

2017: Second Term for Edi Rama

Edi Rama of the Socialist Party won the 2017 parliamentary elections.

2017: Saimir Pirgu's Grammy Nomination

In 2017, Albanian opera singer Saimir Pirgu was nominated for the Grammy Award.

2017: Albania's Football Ranking in 2017

In 2017, the Albania national football team was ranked 51st in the world.

2018: Mobile and Internet Usage

As of 2018, Albania had approximately 2.7 million active mobile users and almost 1.8 million active broadband subscribers, according to the Electronic and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP).

November 2019: Earthquake

On 26 November 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake ravaged Albania, with the most affected areas being Durrës and Kodër-Thumanë.

2019: Global Competitiveness Index Ranking

In 2019, the Global Competitiveness Index assigned Albania a ranking of 81st.

2019: UNESCO World Heritage Site Sharing

In 2019, the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region became a shared UNESCO World Heritage Site with North Macedonia.

2019: Tirana Airport Passenger Volume

In 2019, the international airport of Tirana carried more than 3.3 million passengers, connecting to destinations in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

March 2020: COVID-19 Confirmed in Albania

In March 2020, COVID-19 was confirmed to have spread to Albania, leading the government to declare a state of emergency to limit the virus's spread.

June 2020: State of Emergency due to COVID-19

From March to June 2020, the Albanian government declared a state of emergency as a measure to limit the spread of COVID-19.

2020: Press Freedom Index Ranking

In 2020, Albania was ranked 84th on the Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.

2020: Albanian Forest Cover

In 2020, Albania's forest cover was approximately 29% of the total land area, which is equivalent to 788,900 hectares.

January 2021: COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Starts

On 11 January 2021, Albania started its COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

August 2021: Vaccination Doses Administered

As of 11 August 2021, a total of 1,280,239 doses of vaccines had been administered in Albania.

2021: Third Consecutive Victory for Socialist Party

During the 2021 parliamentary elections, the ruling Socialist Party led by Edi Rama secured its third consecutive victory.

2021: Birth Rate Decrease

In 2022, Albania's birth rate was 20% lower than in 2021, largely due to emigration of people of childbearing age.

2021: GDP Contribution by Tirana County

In the year 2021, Tirana County accounted for a significant 44% of the national GDP.

2022: Environmental Performance Index

In 2022, Albania held an overall ranking of 62 out of 180 countries in the Environmental Performance Index.

2022: Birth Rate Decrease

In 2022, Albania's birth rate was 20% lower than in 2021, largely due to emigration of people of childbearing age.

2022: ILGA-Europe Ranking in 2022

In 2022, due to a lack of progress, ILGA-Europe ranked Albania 28th out of 49 observed European countries in terms of LGBT rights.

2022: EU Accession Negotiations

Since 2022, Albania has been officially negotiating its accession to the European Union.

January 2023: Satellite Launch

In January 2023, Albania launched its first two satellites, Albania 1 and Albania 2, into orbit to monitor the country's territory and identify illegal activities.

December 2023: Government Collaboration with ChatGPT

In December 2023, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced plans for collaboration between the Albanian government and ChatGPT to streamline the alignment of Albanian laws with the regulations of the European Union.

2023: Energy Transition Index (ETI) Ranking

According to the World Economic Forum's 2023 Energy Transition Index (ETI), Albania ranked 21st globally.

2023: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

In 2023, Albania emitted 7.67 million tonnes of greenhouse gases.

2023: 2023 Census Ethnic Composition

In 2023, the Albanian census recorded the ethnic composition of the country. Albanians comprised 91.04% of the total population, followed by Greeks (0.98%), Macedonians (0.09%), Montenegrins (0.02%), Aromanians (0.1%), Roma (0.4%), Balkan Egyptians (0.5%), Bosnians (0.12%), Serbians (0.02%), Bulgarians (0.29%), mixed ethnicities (0.03%), other ethnicities (0.15%), and 5.60% with unspecified ethnicity, out of a total population of 2,402,113.

2023: Urban Demographic Progress

In 2023, the proportion of Albania's urban demographic had progressed to 65%.

2023: Languages Spoken at Home

In the 2023 population census, 91.07% of people reported Albanian as the language spoken at home, 1.54% declared to speak at home another language, 0.57% multiple languages, 1.21% gave no answer and 5.59% were unavailable.

2023: Economic Freedom of the World Report

The 2023 Economic Freedom of the World report placed Albania in the 31st position.

2023: Population Decline Statistics

The 2023 census conducted by the Instituti i Statistikave (INSTAT) indicated Albania's population was 2,402,113.

2023: 2023 Census Religious Affiliation

The 2023 census provided insights into Albania's religious affiliations. Sunni Muslims constituted 45.86% of the population, followed by Catholics (8.38%), Eastern Orthodox (7.22%), Bektashi Muslims (4.81%), Evangelicals (0.4%), other religions (0.15%), believers without denomination (13.82%), Atheists (3.55%), and those who did not provide an answer (15.76%).

2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking

In 2024, Albania was ranked 84th in the Global Innovation Index.

2024: Albania Welcomed 11.7 Million Tourists

In 2024, Albania welcomed approximately 11.7 million tourists, marking a significant increase from previous years according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism).