Interesting Facts about Albania - No. 8
The Ottoman Empire was a state and caliphate that controlled much of Southern Europe. The Albanian government has seen a lot of change. The government declared independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912 . Then, in 1939 , the country was successfully invaded by Italy. Shortly after that, in 1944 , Communist loyalist took control. For the next several decades, Albania aligned itself first with Russia (until 1960) and then China (until 1978). Finally, in 1991 , the people were able to end 46 years of strife when they once again declared independence and established a multi-party democracy. Not surprisingly, the new government has faced some pretty incredible challenges like high unemployment, corruption, and a crippled infrastructure. They’ve come a long way thanks to the indomitable Albanian spirit.