There are countries that many people have heard about, but little is known about them. However, this makes these states no less interesting for us. Among the list of similar countries where Albania, Montenegro, Bulgaria, etc. are located, you can choose the perfect place to relax.
Albania is a small country not as far away from us as it might seem. It attracts with its originality and lack of total popularization. I am glad that at least small parts of the map of the civilized world remain attractive from the cognitive side.
In our article we will look at where Albania is located, we will give those geographical data that will become interesting and useful if you intend to spend your vacation there.
Geographic location
Let's start with the fact that the Republic of Albania is a small European state located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. In a more global view, this is the southeastern part of Europe. It will also help you visualize more clearly where you are. Albania, photo maps of Europe.
With its borders, the state from the east and north side is adjacent to Montenegro and Serbia. To the east, Albania's neighbor is Macedonia, and to the south and southeast, Greece.
The western outskirts of the country are the seashores. So, Albania is washed by the Adriatic Sea in the west, and a little to the south - by the Ionian. Together, the coastline of the state has 472 km.
Across the strait called Otranto is Italy. The width of this strait is 75 km.
The area of the country is 28 thousand km. sq. Looking at the map, we will see that Albania is stretched from north to south. The length in this direction is 345 km. From west to east, it extends from 145 (widest) to 80 (narrowest) km.
A bit of history
So we already know exactly where Albania is. We continue to be interested in it, so we will touch on the main historical data.
The first peoples who inhabited the territory of the country are the Illyrians. Greek explorers in the 2nd century AD e. called them Albanians, and this became the premise of the current name. At the same time, the locals themselves called themselves differently - Arbers, and the country, respectively, "Arber".
Conquests and preserved identity
The territories of Albania were repeatedly conquered by both neighboring countries and distant ones. There were Romans, and Turks, and Slavs. However, even after numerous ups and downs, the indigenous people managed to preserve their ethnic identity.
Mostan important forced change is the adoption of Islam at a time when conquerors, namely the Turks, dominated the territory of Albania. Today this religion remains predominant.
Albania became an independent state even before the First World War. First it was a republic, then it passed to a monarchy. After these stages, the political administration changed several times. Now, as you know, the republican system has been re-established here.
Natural Features
We already know where Albania is located, and important stages in the history of the country. But there are also luxurious natural resources. We will talk about the features of the nature of the territory in this information block.
According to the prevailing landforms, Albania is a mountainous country. The rest is occupied by alluvial and swampy plains. There are four physical and geographical regions within the country, three of which are mountainous.
Mountains stretch from northwest to southeast: the North Albanian Alps (the most difficult area of the country, called locally cursed), mountain areas of a more calm relief (for example, the Mirdita mountain plateau).
Narrow flat areas are located along the coastal part of Albania. But even they are not exceptionally flat surfaces: in some places their relief is disturbed by mountain ranges and hills. Local climatic conditions continue to actively influence the formation of the country's coastline.
The highest point in the country, Mount Korabit, is located in the eastern part, borderingYugoslavia. The height above sea level of its peak is 2764 m. This area belongs to the area of the Drin River.
The nature of the country contributes to the development of agriculture. The soils of the flat part are suitable for crop production, and cattle breeding is common in all regions.
Conclusion
So, we have learned where the country of Albania is located. The region of its placement on the map is the Balkan Peninsula, which is in the southeastern part of Europe. The peculiarity of this state is a long history, consisting of many conquests. At the same time, the local population managed to preserve their traditions, a recognizable Balkan identity. The global change affected only faith - after the seizure of territories by the Turks, Islam began to prevail.
Good location (wide access to the sea, economically beneficial neighborhood) makes Albania a promising country. Beautiful nature delights tourists, and favorable climatic conditions support local agriculture.
Hopefully, after reading the article, there will be no questions left regarding the basic information about the wonderful Balkan country called Albania. Where this state is located, you can easily find out by studying the map of Europe.
