Country
Maldives Albania
Leader
Population
393,988 3,011,405
Life Expectancy
74.920 years 77.770 years
Capital City
Male Tirana (Tirane)
Largest city
Male (population: 84,972) Tirana (population: 374,801)
Human Development Index
0.749 0.807 GDP per capita $8,700 US $8,000 US
Literacy Rate
96.3% 98.7%
Corruption Perception Index
2.8 3.4
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12% 7.1% Wealthiest Citizens Unemployment Rate 28.000% 13.000%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice Abolished
Political System
republic emerging democracy
Independence date
26 July 1965 (from UK) 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire) Religions Sunni Muslim Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10% note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November 1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice Languages Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English spoken by most government officials Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects Exports fish textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores, crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco External Debt $890,800,000 $ $5,281,000,000 US Exchange Rate rufiyaa (MVR) per US dollar - NA (2007), 12.8 (2006), 12.8 (2005), 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003) leke (ALL) per US dollar - 79.546 (2008 est.), 92.668 (2007), 98.384 (2006), 102.649 (2005), 102.78 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 5.000% 1.490% Beijing Olympics Medal Count Location Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, between Greece in the south and Montenegro and Kosovo to the north Area 298 km sq 28,748 km sq Coastline 644 km 362 km Climate tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August) mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry summers; interior is cooler and wetter
