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Way of Life in Albania
GEOGRAPHYArea 28,748 sq.km. A mountainous Balkan state on the Adriatic Sea, adjoining Yugoslavia (Montenegro and Kosovo/Serbia), Macedonia and Greece.
Over 500,000 Albanians fled or emigrated from the country in 1991-2000, reducing the above figures. A further 300,000 Kosovar refugees entered Albania in 1998-99. Capital Tirana 275,000. Unofficially the population is nearer 500,000. Urbanites 48%. PEOPLESAlbanian 91.5%. Tosk in south; Gheg in north. Other 8.5%. Greek 85,000; Roma (Gypsy) 80,000+; Vlach (Arumun) 40,000; Macedonian (Pataree and Gorani Muslim) 15,000. Literacy 92%. Official language Albanian. All languages 6. Languages with Scriptures 3Bi 1NT 1por 1w.i.p. ECONOMYThe combined effects of wars, 46 years of nationalistic Marxism and the chaotic situation in the Balkans in the 1990s have ensured its continuation as one of Europe’s poorest countries. Economic life is almost wholly dependent on remittances from Albanians abroad, smuggling and foreign aid. HDI 0.699; 100th/174. Public debt 24% of GNP. Income/person est. $670 (2.2% of USA). POLITICSThe Communist regime imposed on the country in 1945 crumbled in 1991 soon after Dictator Enver Hoxha’s death. Two multi-party elections finally resulted in a democratic government in 1992. Then ensued six years of anarchy followed by more stability since 1998. Restoration of land rights to pre-Communist landowners remains an unresolved issue. The unrest and potential for further bloodshed in Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia deeply impact Albania. RELIGIONNo religion was allowed to exist in Communist Albania. The ban was lifted in 1990, but no legal provision for religious freedom was made until 1998. Today's believers retain just about the same proportions which existed before the Second World War: approximately 71% Moslem [55% Sunni Moslem, l6% Bektashi (of which about 5% are Shiite)] to approximately 29% Christian, [19% Orthodox, 10% Catholic].
Missionaries from Albania Missionaries to Albania Growth of Christianity
Issues facing Christians1 Albania’s experience with Communism has been economically, morally and spiritually devastating. The savagery of the repression was such that 700,000 were killed or imprisoned for long periods. A high proportion of the population was coerced into spying on neighbours. The anarchy, chaos and corruption of the 1990s is an outworking of this grim past. 2 Religious freedom could be withdrawn. After Communism’s collapse the Muslims, Catholics (in the north) and Orthodox Christians (in the south) sought to regain their past influence and to limit any other religious activity. 3 Muslim countries have poured in huge amounts of aid and missionaries. Over one million Qur’ans have been distributed, 900 mosques refurbished or built between 1993 and 1995, and thousands given scholarships to study Islamic theology abroad. The government secretly joined the World Muslim League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference to the dismay of many. Most of the mosques are poorly attended and ignorance of Islam is high among professing Muslims. 4 The evangelical witness in Albania has grown dramatically since 1991. Before WWII there was one functioning evangelical congregation — in Korçe. By the end of 1992 there were over 1,000 believers gathering regularly in 19 congregations and 17 home fellowships. By 2000 there were over 55 denominations in over 130 congregations and 55 emerging groups. Over 80% of these are linked with the Albania Encouragement Project. The Albanian Evangelical Alliance links together 60% of all evangelical churches and agencies. 5 The training of leaders after the devastations wrought by the Communists is a major preoccupation of the Church. The Catholics and Orthodox had 136 in training for pastoral ministry in 1998. Evangelical agencies had to accelerate leadership development for the young congregations when so many expatriates were forced out of the country in the violence and anarchy of 1997. A number of agencies are involved in leadership training — Albanian Bible Institute, YWAM DTS, Church Multiplication International, Lightforce and others. About 75 Albanians are in full-time training and many more on TEE distance-learning programmes (ABI). 6 Evangelical mission agencies have multiplied since 1990. In 1995 Albania was the most heavily ‘missionized’ country in Europe — by both Muslims and Christians. Over 70 agencies have networked as part of the Albania Encouragement Project in both aid projects, literature production, evangelism and church planting. The larger groups are New Life (CCCI), YWAM (12 workers), Frontiers (11), OM (10), Ancient World Outreach (7), Albanian Evangelical Mission (10), Brethren (6). 7 The least reached-minorities: a) The 300,000 Bektashi are a Sufi dervish movement not recognized as Muslims by the Sunni majority as their beliefs are more influenced by folk religion and the occult. Some have become evangelical believers. b) The Vlach (related to the Romanians), Macedonians and Greeks are culturally Orthodox. Most live in the south and south-east of Albania. The Romanian Missionary Society has work among them in Gjirokaster. c) The Gorani and Pataree Macedonians who are culturally Muslim. The Cham, Muslim Albanians who fled from Greece between 1920 and 1945, are a socially closed people. d) The Roma speak Romany or Albanian and often live in town ghettos. Only a few Albanian-speaking Roma have become Evangelicals. Web links for AlbaniaCIA World Factbook
www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/al.html
Albanian Christian www.albchristian.com Albanian Home Page albanian.com
lb-Info Albanian Guide www.albinfo.com
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