Editing Albania

[[File:AL-map-s.png|thumb|right|Map of Albania.]]
'''Albania''' is a country in [[Europe]], population about 3.7 million (2009). Its coastline is on the [[Adriatic Sea]]. Its capital is [[Tirana]], population 410,000.

== 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.

==Song==
Coach, a fictional character on the sitcom ''Cheers'', came up with this song to the tune of ''When the saints go marching in''.  He used it as a mnemonic to help Sam pass a geography test so that he could get his high school diploma.

<poem>
Albania 
Albania 
You border on the Adriatic 
Your land is mostly mountainous
And your chief export is chrome
</poem>

[[Category:Albania]]
[[category:Europe]]
[[category:Countries]]