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Albania has a population of about 3.1 million, and is a parliamentary republic. Albania is one of the poorest countries in the WHO European Region. Economic reforms started in 1991. The country experienced three crises in less than a decade (in 1991, 1997 and 1999). Its extensive informal economy hinders the calculation of its gross domestic product and gross national product. The country has recently experienced considerable economic growth with an increase in gross national income from about US$ 700 per capita in 1992 to US$ 2580 in 2005, according to the World Bank. 

Albania’s population is younger than that of other European countries, with over a quarter of the population under 15 years of age. The birth rate, however, is falling. A high proportion of Albania’s population lives in rural areas: to 55% in 2004. WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimate Albania’s infant mortality to be 12 per 1000 live births in 2007.

WHO estimated life expectancy in Albania to be 71.5 years in 2004, although the official figure is 76.2. The Government gives priority to health and education, but the brain drain that began in the 1990s continues to cause concern.

The leading causes of death are circulatory diseases, cancer, external causes of injuries and poisoning, and respiratory diseases. Road accidents are becoming a very pressing issue, with over 300 people killed every year.