50 General Knowledge / Trivia Questions on Albania
1. What is the capital and largest city of Albania?
Tirana is the capital and largest city of Albania. Tirana became the capital in 1920 and has over 421,000 people within the city proper.
2. What is Albania’s official language?
Albanian is the sole official language of Albania. It is an Indo-European language with its own unique branch within that family. Around 98% of Albanians speak Albanian as their mother tongue.
3. Which country did Albania declare independence from in 1912?
Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 after an uprising and short-lived monarchy. This ended nearly 500 years of Ottoman rule.
4. What is the highest point in Albania, located in the Albanian Alps?
Mount Korab at 9,068 ft (2,764 m) is the highest point in Albania. It lies on the border with North Macedonia in the Albanian Alps range in the east.
5. What percentage of Albanians adhere to the Muslim faith according to a 2011 census?
According to the 2011 census, 56.7% of Albanians adhere to Islam, mostly following Sunni and Bektashi sects.
6. What sea forms the western border of Albania?
The Adriatic Sea forms the entire western border of Albania opposite of Italy and the Strait of Otranto. It extends about 120 miles along the coast.
7. Which ancient people settled the region that is now Albania around 2000 BCE?
The Illyrians were an Indo-European people that settled the western Balkans including Albania starting around 2000 BCE.
8. Skanderbeg Square is located in which major city of Albania?
Skanderbeg Square is the main plaza located in Tirana, Albania’s capital. It is named for national hero Skanderbeg.
9. What currency does Albania use?
Albania uses the Albanian lek as its official currency. The lek was introduced in 1926 with 140 lekë equal to 1 euro today.
10. During what time period was Albania controlled by the Ottoman Empire?
The Ottoman Empire controlled Albania for nearly 500 years from around 1478 when Ottoman forces captured key cities until Albania declared independence in 1912.
11. What share does industry account for in Albania’s GDP?
Industry accounts for about 27.8% of Albania’s GDP as of 2018 estimates. Key industries include petroleum, mining, textiles, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and more.
12. About how many native Albanian speakers are there worldwide?
There are approximately 7-8 million native Albanian speakers worldwide, mostly residing in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and other Balkan countries.
13. What Albanian port serves as the terminal for the trans-Adriatic natural gas pipeline from Azerbaijan?
The Port of Vlora on the Adriatic coast serves as the terminal site of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline bringing natural gas to Europe from Azerbaijan.
14. What mountain range covers more than two thirds of Albania?
The Albanian Alps cover over two thirds of Albania. The mountains provide stunning peaks, lakes and high pastures along Albania’s eastern border.
15. Enver Hoxha served as Albania’s Communist leader from 1944 until what year?
Enver Hoxha served as Albania’s totalitarian communist leader for over 40 years from 1944 until his death in 1985.
16. Which republic borders Albania to the east?
The Republic of North Macedonia borders Albania to the east. Relations were tense but a friendship treaty was signed in 2008.
17. The Albanian Alps are located in which part of the country?
The Albanian Alps mountain range is located in northern and eastern Albania along its border with Montenegro and North Macedonia.
18. Which Albanian port is a popular tourist destination located along the Albanian Riviera?
The Port of Saranda is a popular beach resort town located along the Albanian Riviera on the Ionian Sea.
19. What strait separates Albania from Italy?
The Strait of Otranto separates Albania from Italy by about 45 miles at its narrowest point where the Adriatic and Ionian Seas meet.
20. Who was the Albanian Roman Catholic nun honored as a saint and People’s Hero of Albania?
Mother Teresa was an ethnic Albanian Roman Catholic nun who was born in Macedonia. She is honored as a saint and as a People’s Hero of Albania.
21. Which ancient ruin site in central Albania was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014?
The ancient city of Butrint located in southern Albania was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014 for its ruins spanning Greek, Roman, and Venetian rule.
22. About what percentage of Albania’s total area is agricultural land?
About 39.7% of Albania’s total land area is agricultural land. Key crops and livestock raised in Albania include wheat, corn, potatoes, fruits, sheep, and goats.
23. Which city’s castle was besieged by the Ottomans in 1478 to gain control over Albania?
The Ottomans laid siege to Scutari’s Rozafa Castle in 1478, capturing it after seven months. This allowed Ottoman forces to gain control of Albania.
24. Who is featured on Albania’s 100 lek banknote, an iconic figure in the country’s independence movement?
Albanian national hero Skanderbeg is featured on the 100 lek banknote. He led resistance to the Ottoman Empire to protect Albania’s independence.
25. About what percentage of Albania’s population lives in urban areas?
Approximately 58% of Albania’s population lives in urban areas as of 2018. Albania is undergoing rapid urbanization like many other developing countries.
26. Which country did Albania ally with after WWII until the Sino-Soviet split caused Albania to become politically isolated?
Albania was allied with China after WWII until the Sino-Soviet split in 1978 caused Albania to become politically isolated from both powers.
27. Which country shares a southern border with Albania?
Greece shares a southern land border with Albania of about 282 km or 175 miles in length. Relations were tense but have improved.
28. What date is Albania’s Independence Day?
November 28 is celebrated in Albania as Independence Day, marking the 1912 declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire after nearly 500 years.
29. Which Albanian port city is home to many 16th century Ottoman mosques and churches?
The coastal city of Vlora in southwestern Albania features many Ottoman religious sites like the Lead Mosque built in 1573 along with churches.
30. Which northern city is considered Albania’s cultural capital, known for its ancient castle and historic quarter?
The northern city of Gjirokastër is considered the cultural capital of Albania, known for its castle, old bazaar, and 18th-19th century architecture.
31. By what other name is the Albanian language known?
The Albanian language is also known by the endonym Shqip or Shqipëria to its speakers derived from the word for eagle. This references the double-headed eagle on Albania’s flag.
32. What sparks the Albanian National Awakening in the 19th century?
Resistance against the Ottoman Empire’s domination sparked the Albanian National Awakening or Rilindja Kombëtare in the mid-late 1800s. This consolidated Albanian national identity.
33. Which village is UNESCO-listed as a museum town known for its Ottoman architecture?
The village of Berat located in south-central Albania is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Town of a Thousand Windows” for its Ottoman-era houses, castle, churches, and mosques.
34. What 2000s decade leader spurred economic growth but sparked controversy over government corruption in Albania?
Prime Minister Sali Berisha from 2005-2013 spurred economic growth in Albania but his administration greatly weakened after allegations of vote rigging and corruption.
35. Albania boycotted the 1984 Summer Olympics for what reason?
Albania was one of the Eastern Bloc countries that boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in retaliation to the USA-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
36. Which western lowland region accounts for most of Albania’s agricultural output?
The Western Lowlands or Shepeli River Valley accounts for most of Albania’s wheat, corn, fruits, sugar beets, livestock and vineyard agricultural production within the country.
37. About how many people died during the communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha from 1944-1985?
An estimated 200,000 or more Albanians were killed, disappeared, or died in prison under Enver Hoxha’s brutal Stalinist dictatorship from 1944 until 1985.
38. Which 20th century Albanian leader changed his name to Enver Hoxha, meaning “Enver the Fighter”?
Enver Hoxha was born as Enver Gjergj Qerim, later changing his name to the nom de guerre Enver Hoxha meaning “Enver the Fighter” in the Albanian language.
39. What enters Albania through metering and regulating stations at Fier and Vlore?
Natural gas enters Albania via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline through regulating stations located at the Port of Vlora and Fier in south-central Albania.
40. Which country did Albania compete with to claim it descends from the ancient Illyrians?
Historically Albania competed with neighboring Greece to lay claim as the modern successor and direct descendants of the ancient Illyrian tribes and kingdoms.
41. Which country sent naval vessels in 1997 to evacuate its citizens during civil unrest in Albania?
Italy sent naval vessels in 1997 to the Port of Durres during widespread unrest to evacuate Italian and other foreign citizens living or working in Albania.
42. Mother Teresa was born in which city that is now part of Macedonia but had an Albanian population?
Mother Teresa was born in 1910 in Skopje, now the capital of North Macedonia, when it had a majority ethnic Albanian population under the Ottoman Empire rule.
43. Which country lies directly to the south of Albania?
Greece lies directly to the south of Albania, with which relations have often been tense but are recently improving between the two Balkan nations.
44. Who becomes Prime Minister in 2013 and launches business-friendly reforms of Albania?
Edi Rama of the Socialist Party won election as PM in 2013 and has launched fiscal reforms that have led to steady GDP growth, boosting Albania’s economy.
45. About when did Albania transition to a parliamentary democracy?
Albania transitioned to a parliamentary democracy with free multi-party elections in 1991, after the fall of its communist dictatorship.
46. Which late 20th century leader was a critic of the PRC and sought closer ties with Yugoslavia and the USSR?
Breaking with Mao Zedong, Enver Hoxha criticized China’s post-Mao reforms and instead sought close ties with Yugoslavia and then the Soviet Union.
47. Which early 20th century statesman served briefly as king when Albania was a short-lived monarchy?
Ahmed Zogu ruled Albania as President in 1925, then as King Zog I from 1928-1939 when Italy invaded at the start of WWII, ending Albania’s monarchy.
48. Who takes power in Albania in 1924 to launch reforms that outlawed arranged marriage and wearing veils?
Fan Noli established a short-lived liberal government in 1924, enacting religious reform while in power for just 5 months before being overthrown.
49. About what percentage of Albanians are Muslim, mostly Sunnis and Bektashis?
Approximately 60% of Albanians adhere to Islam, primarily following Sunni and Bektashi orders and interpretations of the religion.
50. Which Balkan country still has a territorial dispute with Albania over its southern border line?
Greece still has an ongoing dispute with Albania over delineation of its southern border along the Korçë region where minority Greeks populate villages.