What do you picture when you hear "Albania"? Especially if your answer is, "not much," I'm certain you will learn something new from this list of fun and interesting facts - I sure did!
There are more than 173,000 #bunkers across the country. They were built by the dictator leader Enver Hoxha and were designed to withstand atomic, chemical or other invasion by enemies. While they were never used for this purpose, they litter the countryside, and are starting to be converted to shelters for animals, museums or even hotels.
Once the poorest country in Europe, #Albania has worked hard to turn this distinction around. Since opening its doors to the public in 1991, and its first democratically elected President in 1992, it has been improving its infrastructure and has a growing tourism industry. The country is now working on being admitted to the #EuropeanUnion.
Speaking of the time the country lived under dictatorial rule, in 1991 when the Communist regime fell, there were between 3,000 and 7,000 cars in a country of 3 Million people! Everyone else used horse drawn carriages and bicycles. After that, cars became the ultimate status symbol with most households eventually coming to own one. Mercedes is a clear favorite among car brands with at one point more than 60% of cars in Albania being of the #Mercedes brand.
Albanians don't call their country "Albania." While it is known as Albania throughout the rest of the world, it is known internally as #Shqiperi (which loosely translates to "The Land of #Eagles"), and Albanians refer to themselves as #Shqiptar.
Albania has a very unique language called #Shqip, and it is unrelated to other European languages, making it an especially challenging language to learn.
The midday meal in Albania is the big meal of the day. Most often it includes veggies and meat and is followed by a salad. The Albanian diet is generally considered to be quite healthy.
We might assume the healthy Albanian diet is partially influenced by the fact that they are one of only a handful of countries on the planet that have no #McDonalds fast food restaurants.
However, they instead have #Kolonat restaurants, which has a suspiciously similar logo!
Albania's most popular #Olympic Sports are #weightlifting, #shooting and #wrestling, but unfortunately they have yet to win an Olympic medal in any sport.
Albania was the first official #Athiest country in Europe (having been declared so by dictator #Enver #Hoxha in 1967). Now, and since the fall of the regime, it is one of the few Muslim-majority countries in Europe, as 70% of the country identifies as #Muslim. Today, the country is generally considered very religiously tolerant.
When we think of going to the beach, Albania may not be first to come to mind, but there is an undiscovered hidden gem that should be higher on our lists - the #AlbanianRiviera! Gorgeous, less overrun beaches on the #Mediterranean promise lots of fun in the sun.
Every evening, Albanian's go for a walk. The '#Xhiro' is the official evening time when everyone comes outside, gathers with neighbors and walks around until nightfall. Some spend time getting dressed up ahead of time, and many roads are even closed for the occasion.
No ('Jo') means yes, and yes ('Po') means no! Not really, of course, but Albanians do shake their head when they are agreeing and nod up and down when agreeing - the opposite of what we might be used to!
#Scarecrows (or sometimes Teddy Bears) are often used at construction sites or even homes and other locations to bring good luck or generally ward off evil. They are called '#Dordolec' and are frequently seen all sorts of places across Albania.
#Pumpkins are common around the country - in food, used in decor and on display, and also as gifts to one another.
The heroine of Albania (and the only Albanian to ever win a Nobel Prize) is Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, a woman we all knew as '#MotherTheresa."
More Albanians live outside the country than in it.
Albania's former #KingZog I survived 55 assassination attempts during his reign and ultimately died peacefully of old age in his sleep years later in 1961.
If you get a haircut in Albania, the stylist will often slap your neck at the end of the cut and say, "Me Shendat" ("On Your Health").
Most Albanians follow customs called 'The #Kanun' which include #Honor, #Hospitality, #RightConduct and #FamilyLoyalty. Promises are kept and people are supposed to comfort others. In fact, many Albanians will often spend an entire month's salary to serve a special meal to visitors.
FAQs
13 Fun Facts About Albania
- There is no modern language similar to the Albanian language.
- Albanian culture has a unique superstition surrounding scarecrows.
- There are thousands of bunkers in Albania.
- The country has 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- In Albania you nod for no and shake your head for yes.
Albania is a country of contrasts that promises to captivate travellers through its unique selling points. The country boasts picturesque beaches, pristine waters, and charming coastal towns with its stunning coastline along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas.
What is a fun fact about Albania for kids? ›
10 facts about Albania
- Albania is called Shqiperi locally.
- Mother Teresa is of Albanian decent.
- The independence date of Albania is Nov 28th.
- Albania is made up of 12 counties.
- In 2014 Albania became a candidate for EU membership.
- There is no Mc Donald's in the Albania.
- Most of Albania is covered by mountains.
Albania is known worldwide for its religious tolerance. The two main religions in Albania are Islam and Christianity. Although, Muslims make up more than half of the population. Albania is a country which really respects all religions.
What is unique to Albania? ›
What makes this country so distinctive and special is the fact that nature has gifted Albania very generously with mountains in such a small area and amazing coastal landscapes not far away. Albania is a mountainous country, with mountains covering 70 percent of its territory.
What is a fun fact about Albanian food? ›
Albanian cuisine is typically Balkan influenced by Italian and Turkish cuisines, but also ancient Illyrian, Roman and Greek cooking. Most traditional Albanian food consists of vegetables, spices, meats, fish, vinegar, yogurt and herbs. Cow, lamb, rabbit and chicken meat is used heavily in various dishes.
What is Albania rich for? ›
For a small country, Albania is endowed with considerable resources. The southwestern part of the country is rich in petroleum and natural gas. The northeastern and central mountain regions have substantial reserves of metallic mineral deposits, including chromium, copper, and iron-nickel.
What do Albanians do for fun? ›
Sports and recreation
Football (soccer) is modern-day Albania's preferred sport; the country has a number of professional teams, and most cities and towns boast local amateur leagues. Other popular sports include tae kwon do, volleyball, swimming, and weightlifting. Chess is a common pastime.
What is Albania proud of? ›
Albanians are proud of their culture and their cultural heritage, and are making a great effort to preserve the cultural heritage and folklore of each area which is distinct from other regions in terms of musical instruments and tones, dances, and clothing.
How old is Albania in years? ›
Albanian territories were inhabited since 100,000 years ago. Over the centuries the Albanian culture has been influenced by the Romans, Greeks, Turks and Italians. The first inhabitants of the present day Albania were Illyrians tribes, a group of Indo-European people.
Albania, officially Republic of Albania, Country, Balkan Peninsula, southeastern Europe. Area: 11,082 sq mi (28,703 sq km).
Why is Albanian unique? ›
Albanian is an isolate within the Indo-European language family; no other language has been conclusively linked to its branch. The only other languages that are the sole surviving members of a branch of Indo-European are Armenian and Greek.
What is a funny fact about Albania? ›
It's one of the only capitals without a McDonalds (as well as the Vatican City). You can't set your clock by Albanian buses: Albanian buses (called furgons) have no timetable, they depart when they are ready or full.
What is the Albania's national animal? ›
The Golden Eagle is the most common official national animal in the world—it's the emblem of Albania, Germany, Austria, Mexico, and Kazakhstan.
What is Albania's national dish? ›
Tavë kosi is a national dish in Albania, but I only had it once, at a restaurant at the top of a mountain pass at Llogara. I wasn't predisposed to like it. Lamb with rice and yoghurt doesn't immediately appeal, but it turned out to be very good indeed, the same sort of dish as moussaka.
Is Albania a rich or a poor country? ›
Income distribution
Albania still ranks as the 28th most equal country out of 168. The gap between rich and poor has been declining over the past decade and a half – but this has largely been driven by a decline in consumption among the wealthy.
What is so great about Albania? ›
Albania's natural landscapes are wonderful
It displays a picturesque landscape on both land and water. Find swirling mountains and snow-coated peaks in the spectacular Albanian Alps. Verdant meadows and misty streams adorn the mountains' foothills, creating an unforgettable scene for everyone who visits.
Does Albania have McDonald's? ›
One of the amazing facts about Albania is that there are no McDonalds or Starbucks in Albania, which might sound very scary to you, but there are typical coffee shops and fast-food chains in Albania that serve really good coffee and food. But, I promise you that you are going to love Albanian food and coffee.
