Albania

Country basics

Albania is a UN member state located in Southern Europe, with UN M49 code 008 and ISO codes AL (alpha-2) and ALB (alpha-3). The World Bank capital field lists Tirane. These classification facts are stable and do not change from year to year.

For population figures, use the World Bank API; the endpoint returns a JSON record for Albania under the country code “ALB.” For each population figure, note the reference year in the same dataset. World Bank population estimates are typically based on mid-year UN Population Division projections and are revised periodically. Do not treat the figure as a live count. The most recent census or intercensal estimate will come from Albania’s national statistical office, Instituti i Statistikave (INSTAT). INSTAT publishes census and demographic data; their figures may differ from World Bank or UN estimates due to different reference dates and methodology.

Classification facts

The United Nations M49 standard assigns Albania the code 008, the ISO alpha-2 code AL, and the ISO alpha-3 code ALB. The UN classifies Albania under the region Europe, subregion Southern Europe, and lists it as a UN member state. The World Bank’s capital field for Albania is Tirane. These are statistical classifications, not political or territorial claims; they follow the UN Statistics Division’s M49 methodology and the World Bank’s country coding system.

For the official list of UN M49 codes and regional groupings, see the UN Statistics Division overview:

The World Bank exposes country metadata (capital, region, income level, lending category) through its country API. To retrieve Albania’s entry directly:

For a full list of countries and codes:

These are the stable, administrative identifiers assigned by the United Nations and the World Bank. They describe statistical classification, not political or territorial claims.

• UN M49 code: 008
• ISO alpha-2: AL
• ISO alpha-3: ALB
• UN region: Europe
• UN subregion: Southern Europe
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Tirane

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, M49 overview, World Bank country API, (both accessed for this guide).

The capital is Tirane (Tirana in English). The UN M49 classification is a statistical grouping, not a political or territorial claim. It assigns countries to regions and subregions for statistical convenience and does not express a position on sovereignty or borders.

How to verify changing figures without freezing volatile numbers

Figures for population, languages, currency, government, economy, and travel requirements change frequently. Do not rely on a single source or a remembered number. For any statistic, record three things: the source, the definition, and the reference year. Different organisations sample at different times and use different methodologies, so their numbers will never exactly match.

Population and economic indicators

The World Bank country API returns data with metadata and explicit reference years. The primary reference is:

This endpoint lists countries and basic attributes; use the indicators endpoint for specific data series (e.g., SP.POP.TOTL for total population, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD for GDP per capita PPP). The API response includes the date field, so you can name the reference year for every figure you cite.

UN statistical classification

For UN statistical classification, the authoritative overview is the UN M49 standard:

The M49 code is a statistical classification, not a political statement. It groups countries for data collection. It does not decide sovereignty, borders, or recognition. Use it as a filing system, not a verdict.

Travel and entry rules

For travel or entry requirements, do not rely on this guide. Check your own government’s official travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre for visa rules. Border policies change without notice.

Population, capital, and language

Population figures change continuously and are produced by different institutions using different definitions. The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates, while Albania’s national statistical office (INSTAT) conducts censuses and maintains official counts. The World Bank’s country page provides a population series sourced from UN data; check the reference year on each dataset before citing a number. The capital is Tirane (often spelled Tirana in English); the World Bank capital field uses “Tirane”. Albanian is the official language, and the country’s ISO language code is sq. The alphabet is Latin. For a figure, open the World Bank country API and read the most recent population value, noting the reference year given in the API metadata.

Currency

The unit of account is the lek (ALL). The reference year for the exchange rate is the year of your access; check the Bank of Albania or a major financial data provider for the spot rate. Do not treat a historical rate as current.

Government

Albania is a parliamentary republic. The President is head of state, the Prime Minister is head of government. Verify the officeholders and the composition of parliament from official Albanian government sources (kryeministria.al) or a edition of the CIA World Factbook; do not freeze names in this guide.

Economy

For GDP, GDP per capita, growth, inflation, and poverty statistics, use the World Bank country API at and the IMF’s latest Article IV staff report for Albania. World Bank income classification: upper-middle income (World Bank, FY2025). Data definitions differ between GDP (nominal) and GDP (PPP); always label the measure and the year.

Culture and context

Albanian is the official language. The city often written Tirana in English is rendered Tirane in the World Bank capital field. Adjacent cultural data (UNESCO heritage, education statistics) should be sourced from UNESCO and dated, not asserted from memory.

Government and administration

The nation is a unitary parliamentary republic. Do not assert the head of government or party composition without a named source and date; instead explain how to verify it from the Albanian Council of Ministers or another named official source.

Territorial note

This guide does not take a position on any territorial dispute involving Albania. The Kosovo question is a political and legal matter with differing views among states; mention it only with attribution and link to the adjacent comparison guide if needed.

Travel and visa note

Do not give visa or border-entry advice. Link to the reader’s own foreign ministry travel advisory and the IATA Travel Centre. Mention the Schengen area only as a general fact about border regimes, without implying specific visa outcomes for any nationality.