Albania – from Illyrians and Skanderbeg to an open European nation
In antiquity the land of today's Albania was inhabited by Illyrian tribes, while Greek colonies such as Apollonia and Epidamnos (Durrës) flourished on the coast. The region later became part of the Roman Empire, with the Via Egnatia linking the Adriatic to Constantinople, and afterwards belonged to the Byzantine world, contested over the centuries by Bulgarian, Serbian, Norman and Venetian powers.
In the fifteenth century the Ottoman Empire expanded into the Balkans. Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg, led a long resistance and became Albania's national hero, but after his death the country came under Ottoman rule for more than four centuries. During this time many Albanians converted to Islam, while Orthodox and Catholic communities continued to exist, creating a lasting religious diversity.
The national awakening of the nineteenth century led to the declaration of independence in Vlorë in 1912. The young state went through instability, a monarchy under Zog I and Italian occupation from 1939, followed by German occupation in the Second World War. After 1944 the communist regime of Enver Hoxha ruled with harsh repression and increasingly cut the country off from the rest of the world. The collapse of this system around 1990–1991 opened the way to a multi-party democracy, a difficult transition, emigration and economic change. Albania joined NATO in 2009 and is working towards membership of the European Union.
Today Albania is shaped by its mountains and coastline, a large diaspora and a strong tradition of religious tolerance.
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