Editing Albania (section)

== History ==
Albania was part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] from 1468 to 1912, when it became independent following the first [[Balkan War]]. After several years of anarchy, a republic was declared in 1925, then a monarchy in 1928. The king was known as the '''mpret''', a corruption of the [[Latin]] '''Imperator''' ([[Emperor]]).

During [[World War II]], the country was occupied by the [[Italy|Italians]] in 1939 then the [[Germany|Germans]] in 1943. [[Communism|Communists]] led by [[Enver Hoxha]] seized power in 1944 and elections in 1945 resulted in a communist-dominated parliament. In 1946, Hoxha declared a republic with himself as President. Albania would remain a one-party state until 1990.

Initially, Hoxha was an ally of the [[Soviet Union]]. However, in 1961, angered by Soviet leaders' denunciation of [[Joseph Stalin]]'s atrocities, he switched his support to [[China]]. He ended his support for China in 1978, and was an isolationist until his death in 1985. Following his death, reforms began, which led to a democratic election in 1992 and the end of communist rule.