Albania: Flag and Facts
Albania's flag shows a black eagle with two heads, spread across a solid red background.
- Official name
- Republic of Albania
- Capital
- Tirana
- Region
- Southeast Europe
- Population
- 2.6 million (2025)
- Languages
- Albanian
- Currency
- Albanian lek
- Area
- 28,748 km² (11,100 sq mi)
- People
- Albanian
- Calling code
- +355
- Highest point
- Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m
- Independence
- 28 November 1912 (from the Ottoman Empire)
- National symbols
- black double-headed eagle
- Borders
- Montenegro, Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo
About Albania
That eagle is more than decoration. Albanians call themselves Shqiptare, a name that translates as "sons of the eagle," and many see the bird as their ancestor. Tradition links the design to Skanderbeg, a 15th-century hero who led a revolt against Ottoman rule. Independence from the Ottoman Empire finally came on 28 November 1912, a date now celebrated as both Independence Day and Flag Day.
The 20th century was rough. A short-lived monarchy ended when Italy conquered the country in 1939, Germany moved in during 1943, and communist partisans seized power in 1944. Albania sided first with the USSR and later with China before dropping communism in the early 1990s. It entered NATO in 2009. Mountains and hills cover most of the land, and the peak of Maja e Korabit rises to 2,764 meters.
Did you know?
- Albania is slightly smaller than the state of Maryland.
- In 1999, around 450,000 ethnic Albanians fled from Kosovo into Albania to escape war.
- The country's national anthem is called "Hymni i Flamurit," which means Hymn to the Flag.
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Questions about Albania
What currency does Albania use?
Albania uses the Albanian lek.
How many people live in Albania?
About 2.6 million people lived in Albania in 2025, and the capital Tirana had roughly 520,000 residents in 2023.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.