Albania, in the south western corner of the Balkan peninsula was until recently probably the least known country in Europe. In virtual isolation from the end of the Second World War until the fall of its Stalinist Communist regime in 1990, it was a country that was very difficult to visit. All that has changed and Albania is now eager to join the world. It is a very attractive, very mountainous country, about 28,750 square kilometres, with a coastline of 362 km, with fascinating towns and villages and a proud and hospitable people of about 3,6 million.

Albania is unique in that its people are probably descended from the ancient Illyrians, and their language is a unique branch of the Indo-European family. Although "Albania" is the Medieval Latin name of the country and the name Arbër or Arbën was used by its inhabitants in the middle ages, the country came to be called "Shqipëria" by its inhabitants, a name that could be interpreted as "Land of the Eagles" (shqiponjë is Albanian for eagle); the double-headed eagle, probably derived from the arms of the Byzantine Empire, was the crest of the family of Skanderbeg, Albania's National hero, and came to be its symbol. However, the word Shqiptar (Albanian) appeared only around 1555, in the oldest known documents written in Albanian, and only to designate the language spoken in the region still called Arbër.

The Illyrians were a substantial force in the western Balkans from the Second Millenium BCE. Greek colonies were established in the 7th Century BCE to trade with the Illyrians, who formed a kingdom based at present day Shkodra. The Roman Empire gradually conquered the Balkans, but this was generally a peaceful era and Illyrian language and culture remained intact, although gradually Christianity took hold. In the year 395 the Roman Empire was divided and the region became part of the Byzantine Empire. During the great migrations of the 5th and 6th centuries, the region was invaded by, among others, Slavic peoples and in 1344 the Albanian region was annexed by the Slavic Serbian kingdom. In 1389 the Serbs were defeated by the Ottoman Turks who were now poised to occupy the whole Balkan peninsula.

Under the leadership of Skanderbeg (Gjergj Kastriot Skënderbeu), Albania's legendary hero, the country enjoyed a brief period of independence until it was overwhelmed by the might of the Ottomans. During more than 400 years of Turkish occupation most of the population converted to Islam, as Muslims were favoured; Christians had to give up a son to be converted to Islam and serve in the army while Muslims were exempt. On 10 June 1878 the League of Prizren was founded in Prizren (now in Kosovo) with the aim to defend the Albanian lands from being annexed by Slavic countries in the Balkans to seek autonomy under the Ottoman Empire. Put down by the Turks, there were further uprisings until finally in 1912 a provisional government was proclaimed in Vlora by Ismail Qemali.

However, the Great Powers acceded to Serbian demands that Kosovo, about one third of Albanian territory, was transferred to their control in 1913; territory in the north was lost to Montenegro, in the east large areas became part of what is now Macedonia and the Epirus region was lost to Greece. A German prince, Wilhelm Von Wied, was installed as ruler of what remained, but he didn't last more than six months. Then, during the First World War, various armies occupied the country and it was only in 1920 that the Italians were forced to leave. A Congress in Lushnja proclaimed a new government and 17 July 1924 Fan Noli, an orthodox priest, who had lived in the U.S.A., became Prime Minister and Regent. Earlier that year 1924 Ahmed Bey Zogu, a chieftain from the north who had served as Minister of the Interior and represented the conservatives, had been forced to flee the country; he came back with financial help from Yugoslavia and Britain in December the same year and Fan Noli had to flee. In 1925 a republic was proclaimed with Ahmed Zogu as President; three years he declared the country a monarchy with himself as King Zog I. Under his rule Albania allied itself with Mussolini's Italy and in 1939 the country was invaded and annexed by Italy.

During the war the resistance against fascist occupation by Italy and, later, Germany was led by communist partisans, led by Enver Hoxha. After the war the Communists were firmly in power: in 1946 the People's Republic of Albania was proclaimed. The country allied itself with Stalin's USSR as a safeguard against Tito's Yugoslavia, that had hoped to incorporate Albania. In 1960 Albania, incensed at the USSR's de-Stalinisation and heavy-handed demands for port facilities, broke with the Soviets and allied itself with China, still firmly under Maoist rule. It adopted many of the disastrous policies of China, with city workers transferred to the countryside, heavy polluting industries, collectivisation and a ban on religion of any kind. Then, after Mao had died and China sought better ties with the west, Albania broke with them as well and embarked on an isolationist "self-reliant" course, with the country almost completely closed off from the outside world. As an enduring symbol of the regime's paranoia. around 700,000 small bunkers were built all over the country.

In April 1985 Enver Hoxha died and slowly the regime started to unravel, people stopped working on the collective farms and industry ground to a halt. On 20 February 1990, after more than 50 years of communist dictatorship, the people of Tirana tore down and demolished the giant gilded statue of Enver Hoxha on Skanderbeg Square; Albanians tried en masse to emigrate that same year. Finally in March 1992 elections were held and communist rule came to an end. A wild "free for all" capitalism replaced tight control of the last half-century, stolen cars smuggled into the country (Mercedes-Benz is the most popular car!). Crisis after crisis followed, the government collapsed in 1997 in the wake of the additional collapse of pyramid schemes and widespread corruption, which caused anarchy and rebellion throughout the country until things quietened down. Albania is finally taking its place among European nations: membership of the European Union and NATO are now in the near future.