Albanian Language information - About Albanian

Albanian Language information - About Albanian

Albanian (Gjuha shqipe pronounced) is a unique Indo-European language spoken by nearly 6 million people,[1] primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, Montenegro, and southern Serbia. Albanian is also spoken by native communities in Greece, along the eastern coast of southern Italy, and on the island of Sicily.

Additionally, speakers of Albanian can be found elsewhere throughout the latter two countries resulting from a modern diaspora, originating from the Balkans, that also includes Scandinavia, Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. An estimated 3 million Albanians are believed to be the total of the diaspora concentrated mostly in Western Europe and North America.

Capital Tirana Economy and enviroment information

Tirana Economy and enviroment information

Economy

Tirana is Albania's major industrial centre. It has experienced rapid growth and established many new industries since the 1920s. The principal industries include agricultural products and machinery, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and metal products.

Tirana began to develop in the beginning of the 16th century, when a bazaar was established, and its craftsmen manufactured silk and cotton fabrics, leather, ceramics and iron, silver, and gold artifacts. Sited in a fertile plain, the Tirana area exported 2,600 barrels of olive oil and 14,000 packages of tobacco to Venice by 1769. In 1901, it had 140,000 olive trees, 400 oil mills, and 700 shops. The Tid tower at 85 meters is being constructed in the city. It will redefine architecture in Albania.


Environment

The city suffers from problems related to overpopulation, such as waste management, lack of running water and electricity as well as extremely high levels of air pollution from the 300,000 cars moving around the city. The problem is exacerbated by aging infrastructure. Despite the problems, Tirana has also experienced a very rapid growth in the construction of new buildings.[13] In recent years pollution has worsened as the number of cars has increased by several orders of magnitude. These are mostly older, diesel cars that pollute much more than the newer models in circulation elsewhere in Europe.

Additionally, most of the fuel used in Albania contains larger amounts of sulfur and lead than that allowed in European Union countries. In recent years pollution from construction has become a major concern for the inhabitants of the city. Another peril to the city comes from untreated solid waste.Saint Prokopi park, a vast forested park in the outskirts of the city, has some effect on absorbing CO2 emissions. Tirana is cleaned by governmental workers everyday, and trees have been planted around many sidewalks. Mayor Edi Rama promised that he'll plant 100,000 more trees in Tirana and make a machine that sucks all the dust and carbon out. He said by 2012-2014 Tirana will have the cleanest air in the Balkans. This will increase Albania's life expectancy.Until now this green project is going well and until now over 2000 trees are planted