Geographical position, Climate, Environment...

Geographical position

Albania is a country situated in Southeastern Europe, inwest of the Balkan peninsula. It is situated between the geographical coordination of39 degrees and 38 degrees; 42' and 39' in the northernwidth and 19' and 16' in the eastern width; it is situated in anequal length from Equator and the Northern Pole.The general surface is 28.728 square meters and its capital is Tirane.
Geographical position and natural conditions
The boundary line is 1094 km long, out of which 657 km areground border, 316 seaborder, 48 km river border and 73 km arelake borders. In the north it is confined with Montenegro, FYROM and Kosove, 529 km, while in south and southeast it borders on Greece, 271 km.In the west Albania has a wide exit in Adriatic andIonian sea. Albania has got a favorable geographical positionbecause it is situated in the crossing point of the shortestroads which pass from the western Mediterranean countries to theBalkans and Small Asia, and it (Albania) controls the passthrough the sea channel of Otranto.Its biggest valleys are those situated in Drin, Shkumbinand Vjose rivers which facilitate at the same time the innerconnection of the Balkans with the Adriatic sea and that of Small Asia with the Mediterranean countries.The Adriatic coast lies from the Buna gorge tillGjuheza cape. Starting from Vlore bay towards the south theseaside is high, and a charecterisctic there is the dominationKaraburuni mountain.The main bays of Albania are: the bays of Drini, Lalezi,Durresi, Karavasta and that of Vlore in the entry of which issituated Sazani island.The main lagoons are: Lundra, Patoku, Bishtrake, Seman andVlore lagoons.The main beaches are: Velipoje, Tale, Durresi, Divjake,Seman and Vlore beach.The main capes are that of Rodon, Bishti i Palles andGjuheza.The relief of Albania is mainly rocky. The first alpinemountain-range were formed at the end of Jurassic, while duringthe Cenozoic area was accelerated the mountain-formation processin the Albanide eternity, which actually form the earth andunderground of Albania. The approximate height of the relief is708 meters, or two times more that the average height ofEurope. The greatest altitude is found in the Albanian Alps andin the eastern mountains (Korabi 2751 meters over the sea levelis the highest point of Albania).Fields are mainly found in the western part of the countryalong the Adriatic shore, but they lie as well in other parts ofAlbania. The highest fields are those situated in Kor]e basin,more than 800 meters over sea level. The fields are mainlysituated alongside the biggest rivers such as Vjose, Devoll,Osum, Shkumbin, Erzen, Mat and Drin, were are situated theagricultural lands and big urban centers, and where importantcommunication roads are found.The Albanian territory is divided in four big naturalparts; Albanian Alps, the central mountainous region, thesouthern mountainous region, and the western lowland.

Climate, Environment

Albania belongs to the subtropical belt (zone) and is comprised in the Mediterranean climatic zone. It has a relatively short and soft winter, and with a hot and dry summer. The climate of Albania varies widely from one zone to the other, and it hasgot huge contrasts in temperature, precipitation, sun rays, airhumidity etc.The solar radiation varies from 2731 hours a year in Xare,Sarande, 2246 hours a year in Vlore, 2560 in Tirane, 2246 hours a year in Peshkopi and 2046 hours a year in Kukes. Theprecipitation in Albania amounts to 1430 mm a year and theydecrease from west to the the east.

The impact of demographic changes in the environment ofTirane, Albania's capital, is considered even as "a hotenvironmental point" if referred to the biggest populationconcentration and its impact in a big territory.According to the statistics the city of Tirane in 1990 waspopulated by 243 000 people; in 1993 the population was 263 307people, in 1994 it was populated by 310 251 people, and in 1996the population numbered to be 4800 000, but in reality thisfigure should be higher.According to the preventions, the capital of Albania isexpected to be populated by 600 000 people in 2000, while in 2010 its population can amount to 700 000 people.The year rhythm of population growth in the capital isabove the average in Republic scale, in a a surface almost thesame for decades, and it has brought several degradingconsequences for the environment.The intensive influx of demographic migration towardsTirane has surpassed the capacity of the city for shelter, basicinfrastructure and in the opening of new activities which creatework places and bring incomes.New areas in the suborn of the capital are Bathore,Paskuqan, Kamez, Laprake, Kombinat, Yzberisht and others. Theincrease of peripheral perimeter of Tirane during the last 10years is not accompanied by a change in infrastructure network in the urban service, telecommunication and the like. Thesedemographic disturbances have caused negative consequences in the urban cleanness, in the quality of potable water etc.

Albanian Agency of Environment

Created in 1991, the Committee of Environmental Protection

AKM) has exercised its activity in Albania as the mainresponsible organ in environmental protection within thestructures of Health and Environment Ministry.Actually this committee is called National Agency onEnvironment and depends directly from the the Council ofMinisters.The function of this agency is to decide the strategy ofgovernment, to decide the important environment strategies, andthe investment priorities for its protection in accordancewith the economic and social development of the country.The local network of this agency is represented by 12regional agencies established in 1993 in prefecture level anddistributed almost in all the Albanian districts. The currentchairman of AKM is Maksim Deliana graduated in the Faculty ofNatural Sciences, University of Tirane, in the branch ofindustrial chemistry.The basic law to protect the environment in Albania is that numbered 7664 dated 21.01.1993, which after five years waschanged with the actual law numbered 8364, dated 02.07.1998. Thelaw is composed of 7 chapters with duties and rights onprotection of environment in the Republic of Albania.

Phare program in Albania's environment

The strategy and National Plan of the Action on Environment was drafted for the first time in 1993 by experts and wasfinanced by the World Bank.The Phare Program of European Council accorded 3,3 millionECCU-s on institutional strengthening, waters and naturalsources, treatment of urban residues and others.The unit on implementation of Environmental Projects (PIU)was created in September 1994.The first modules on management of the projects in Tirane,as well as two other modules in Italy were carried out onissues regarding the water populution, nature protection, urbanresidues and the like.The project demonstrated in Golemi beach influenced inkeeping clean other coastal areas of the country.-Pilot project on protection of National Park of Dajti.-National Strategy of waters.-Plants of sewages in Vlore and Pogradec.-Environmental study for the oil field of Patos-Marinzes.-Administration of Karavasta lagoon.-Treatment of solid residues in seven main cities suchas Shkoder, Lezhe, Fier, Pogradec, Kor]e, Vlore, Durres andElbasan.Phare program has accorded even other 200 000 ECCU on theinstitutional strengthening of AKM in 1996, and it provided 700000 ECCU in 1997 on continuation of the project of institutionalstrengthening and administration of Karavasta lagoon.The studies of 1992-1996 show that in the territory of theRepublic of Albania there are 94 zones with high environmentalvalues which are administrated on woods and on waters by therespective directory in the Ministry of Agriculture andFood.

Hydrography

Albania has got an abundant hydrographic network and greathydric wealth. The hydrographic surface is 43 305 m2, out ofwhich 28 550 are situated within its state borders. Thewater network is composed of 11 main rivers which together withtheir branches and with the big torrents amount to 152,while there are 4 big and very small bays, 5 artificial lakes,some irrigation aqueducts and some 200 underground resourceswhich deliver approximately 200 liters in a second each.The main rivers are: Drini, Buna, Mati, Ishmi, Erzeni, Shkumbini, Seman (with its branches Devoll and Osum), Vjosa,Kalasa, Bistrica and Pavlla. The biggest rivers are ofMediterranean type.Albania is a part in the convention "On moderation andprotection of interborder waters and international lakes", aswell as in the convention "On evaluation of impact in environment in the interborder context". The project of Ohrid, Shkoder andPrespe, the interventions in Drin and Vjose rivers, the study ofwater quality, the level of superficial waters and other issuesconnected with these conventions.

Ports

Wharfs were erected along the Albania coast since ancienttimes in Durres (Dyrrah), Ulqin, Tivar, Vlore (Aulone), Apoloni, Sarande (Onhezmi) and other parts. During VII-XII century Durreswas the main wharf in the western Byzantine empire. During the period of Arb principality were constructed small wharfs mainlythe beds of river Shirgj (Bune), Shengjin, Shufada (Mat),Rodon, Bashtove (Shkumbin), Pirg (Seman), Spinarice, and theirdevelopment was halted during the Second World War.Durres port and some concrete quays in Vlore, Sarande andShengjin were rebuilt after the liberation until 1952. Along theIonian coast are built epontile quays in the bay of Spile inHimare and in Sasaj (Lukove).The main port of the country is that of Durres, wherefunctions even the canteen of ships repairment, which is acooperation of Albanian part with the Polish port of Gdansku.

Erosion and its damages in Albania

Erosion, as one of the degradation forms of earth is quiteobvious in Albania. The geo-climatic conditions have had anhuge impact in this direction. The amount of showers in thecountry varies from 11 10 130 mm a year. The altitude is 700meters over the sea level (or two times more than the averagealtitude of Europe), while the average declivity (inclination) is approximately 25%. Negative factor in this aspect are theinterventions made to the Albanian nature during 30-40 last years such as the terraces made often without criteria, the kind ofirrigation of agricultural soils leading its most fertile soil to the sea together with the water, and especially deforestation are the main causes of erosion in the country.The studies show that about 1,6 mm, equal to 20 tons forhectares a year, is eroded. Every year is sent to the sea through the water system 60 million tons of solid material. Only fromthe irrigation and drainage system are deposited every year inthe field zones about 4 million aluvions. The filling of about600 existing aqueducts amounts to 3% of their volume in a year.The above mentioned factors make erosion a very threatening phenomenon, but in the meantime are carried out the firstencouraging steps on soil protection. According to the strategyof the agricultural development (the green strategy), presentedby the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in April 1989 are decided the short-time, middle-time and longtime objectives regarding the legislation and realization of investment projects for the soil.

Seismology and earthquakes in Albania

Albania belongs to Ionia-Adriatic seismologic zone (regionof Shkoder, Western Albania, Kor]e-Odrid-Peshkopi zone and withactual lines in Lushnje, Elbasan, Diber, Vlore, Tepelene andErseke.The Albanian Alps are less touched by earthquakes.Approximately 4-5 earthquakes estimated at 4-5 degrees onRichter scale occur every year in Albania and every 25 yearoccurs an earthquake measuring 9 degrees on Richter scale. SoAlbania is a region with a high seismic activity.In the ancient times the Apolloni earthquake occurring in217 A.D is known as the most powerful earthquake. In Durresearthquakes have struck the city in the years 334 and 506 of ourarea and in 1273. In the ancient times are also mentioned theearthquakes of Butrinti in 1153 and those of Kruje in 1617.A few studies which have reached our time result thatduring the 19th century in Albania are registered 77 earthquakesmore than 7 degrees on Richter scale.

Source: Albanian Government

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