Geography
This sea borders Albania to the west and southwest.
Adriatic Sea (and Ionian Sea
Albanian is written using this 26-letter script, the same one used for English.
Latin alphabet
For nearly 500 years, Albania was part of this empire until gaining independence
Ottoman Empire
This ethnic Albanian nun, born in North Macedonia, won the Nobel Peace Prize and is known as the "Saint of the Gutters."
Mother Teresa
This layered pastry dessert made with phyllo dough, nuts, and honey syrup is popular throughout the Balkans, including Albania.
baklava
Albania shares its longest border with this neighboring country to the east.
North Macedonia
This is the Albanian word for "hello" or "hi."
Përshëndetje
This communist dictator ruled Albania with an iron fist from 1944 to 1985, isolating the country from much of the world.
Enver Hoxha
This 15th-century Albanian national hero led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire and is honored with a massive statue in Tirana.
Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastrioti)
This Albanian dish consists of baked lamb and rice, traditionally served during holidays and celebrations.
tavë kosi
This is the capital and largest city of Albania.
Tirana
Albanian belongs to this branch of the Indo-European language family, making it unique with no close relatives.
its own branch (or the Albanian branch)
These distinctive concrete mushroom-shaped structures were built across Albania during the Cold War
bunkers
This singer gained international fame with hits like "Be the One" and "Levitating," though born in London to Albanian parents from Kosovo.
Dua Lipa
This Albanian spirit, similar to Italian grappa, is made from fermented grapes and often homemade.
raki
These rugged landforms cover about 70% of Albania's territory, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.
mountains
These are the two main dialects of Albanian, named after the Shkumbin River that divides them.
Gheg (northern) and Tosk (southern)
This ancient kingdom existed in the region of modern Albania before Roman conquest in the 2nd century BCE.
Illyria
This Albanian writer and poet won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize in 2005 for his novels exploring totalitarianism.
Ismail Kadare
These small meat-filled pastries, similar to Turkish börek, are a popular Albanian street food and appetizer.
byrek
This UNESCO World Heritage city in southern Albania is known for its well-preserved Ottoman architecture and "city of a thousand windows."
Berat
This neighboring country has a significant Albanian-speaking population, with Albanian as one of its official languages.
Kosovo (or North Macedonia)
Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in this year, the same year the Titanic sank.
1912
He was Albania's first post-communist president, elected in 1992 after decades of communist rule.
Sali Berisha
This traditional Albanian dish features peppers stuffed with rice, ground meat, and herbs, then baked or stewed.
speca të mbushura