Located in the southeast of Europe, Albania is on the Adriatic Sea, bordering countries such as Greece and Kosovo. After the fall of Communism, Albania worked to enter NATO in 2009. Although it is in process of applying to enter the European Union, its economy is already classified as upper middle income by the World Bank.
Albania has a rich biodiversity due to its location near the Mediterranean, counting animals such as the golden eagle and Egyptian vulture among its variety. With Tirana as its capital, the majority of Albanians live in cities. Although many people emigrated out of the country after communism, Albanians continue to have a thriving economy and culture which includes rich architecture, art and music tracing back to the many civilizations that occupied the region over centuries. Bukë misri (a type of cornbread) is a staple on the Albanian table.
The official language is Albanian which is spoken by a majority, and although the country is officially secular, a recent census showed a majority of the population classify themselves as Muslim with about 20% following Christianity.