This Balkan country was for centuries Albania part of the Ottoman Empire and and consequently most of its population became Muslums. After World War II, Albania became a Stalinist state under dictator Enver Hoxha, and remained staunchly isolationist until its transition to democracy after 1990. That transition has proven challenging as successive governments have tried to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated physical infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks, and combative political opponents. Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy and an inadequate energy and transportation infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU. 

Gradually emerging from this isolation and opening up to the rest of Europe, Albanian television transmitted the Eurovision Song Contest for a couple of years before the country made its competitive debut in Istanbul in 2004. Anjeza Shahini sang "The Image Of You" and achieved a very respectable result, finishing 4th in the semi-final and 7th in the final. Having automatically qualified for the 2005 final, Albania achieved a disappointing result in Kyiv, finishing 16th. In the past two years, Albania has entered ethnic flavored songs by male singers, but on both occasions has failed to qualify from the semi-final.

Official name: Republic of Albania

Total area: 28,748 km².

Population: 3.2 million (2005)

Capital city: Tirana

Major language: Albanian

Major religion: Islam

Life expectancy: 74 years

Monetary unit: 1 lek = 100 qindars

GNI per capita: US $2,580 (World Bank, 2006)

Human Development Index ranking: 73rd

Internet domain: .al

International dialling code: +355

 

1956-2003: Did not enter

2004: "The Image Of You" - Anjeza Shahini (7th) 

2005: "Tomorrow I Go" - Ledina Celo (16th)

2006: "Zjarr e Ftohtë" - Luiz Elji (14th in the Semi-final)

2007: "Hear My Plea" - Frederik Ndoci (17th in the Semi-final)

Anjeza Shahini singing in 2004.

Eurovision broadcaster: RTSH (Radiotelevizioni Shqiptar)
EBU membership: 1999

First entry: 2005
Number of entries: 4
Number of winners: -
Top 3 finishes: -
Top 10 finishes: 1 (25%) 
Best result: 7th (2004) 
Worst result: 17th in the Semi-final (2007) 
Number of last place finishes: -
Highest score: 106 (2004)
Lowest score: Final: 53 (2005), Semi-final: 49 (2007) 
Number of contests hosted: -

Most points awarded to : Greece: 39, Turkey: 33, Bosnia-Herzegovina: 30 
Most points received from : FYR Macedonia: 24, Greece: 20, Switzerland: 17
Least points awarded to : Albania has not voted for the United Kingdom in four finals. 
Least points received from : Albania has yet to receive votes from 20 currently active countries
Where Albania's 12 points have gone : Greece: 2, Bosnia-Herzegovina: 1, Spain: 1

Where Albania's 12 points have come from : Albania has yet to receive a 12 in the final. 

Albania favours^ : Malta: 36%, Ireland: 31%, Spain: 15%

Albania is favoured by^ : FYR Macedonia: 17%, Greece : 14%, Switzerland: 13%.  

Average points awarded to the Eurovision winner: 4.5
Points Ratio#: 0.68

* Only points awarded and received in finals since 1975 are included.
^ Bias is is based on the Euronation Friend index. Percentages are based on the points awarded in the finals.
# Points ratio is points received in Eurovision finals divided by points awarded. A ratio of 1.00 would mean that a country has recived the same number of votes as it has given. The higher the number the better a country has done.