Climate
Albania has a high number of climatic regions for so a small area. The coastel lowlans have typically Meditterianean weather. The highlands have a Mediterrianean continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south. Average annual... ...solar days: 200-300 ...quantity of rain: 1200 - 1400mm ...speed of wind: 3m/s ...for whole Albania
sunshine hours wind speedAverage precipitation in Albania is heavy. The heaviest rain falls in the central uplands. Lowland rainfalls average from 1000 millimeters to more than 1500 millimeters annually, with the higher level in the north. Nearly 95% of the rain falls in the winter. Rainfall in the upland mountain ranges is heavier. annual averages are probably about 1800 millimeters and are as high as 2550 millimeters in some northern areas. The seasonal variation is not quite as great in the coastal area.
In the central uplands vertical currents initiated when the Mediterranean air is uplifted also cause frequent thunderstorms. Many of these storms are accompanied by high local winds an torrential downpours. When the continental air mass is weak, Mediterranean winds drop their moisture farther inland. When there is a dominat continental air mass, cold air spills onto the lowland areas, which occurs most frequently in the winter.
The energy problems:
Until 1989 albania has beenan exporter of oil-products. Actually, imported oil and its products contribute approximately of 63% of primar energy source.
Problems are...
...the increasing oil consumption (transport development sector) <=>
the decreasing oil usage
...the high percentage of sulphur and the high gravity in the oil
...the old technologies
Coal is one of the main sources in the country and it has been used as a source for central heating and electrical energy. But because of the following problems the import is cheaper than the own coal.
Problems are...
...the high percentage of sulphur
...the fact, that the coal is located in high depth (200m) and in Strata of relatively
small amounts
Also the gas fields are in the final phase and the usage of woods is decreasing.
Albania is rich in water resources, including rivers, groundwater, lakes, logoons and seas. Overall its resources exceed by far its consumption, although locally water shortage and conflicts among users may occur in the dry season. The hydrographic basin of Albania covers 43,3 km², of which 28,7km² lie within its boundaries. The rest (i.e. 33 per cent) is in Greece, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Yugoslavia, so Albania shares upstream and downstream water resources with its neighbours. Albania`s 247 natural lakes are an important componet of the country´s hydrographical network. resources are unevenly distributed throughout the country. The major water resource is surface water, and is found in rivers, lakes and lagoons.
Despite being naturally rich in water, Albania suffers from a shortage of availible drinking water. This is party because the rainfall is unevenly distributed across the country and partly because more than two thirds of the water is lost during transport and distribution as a consequence of the obsolete supply infrastructure. The towns are supplied with drinking water for only few hours each day while, in rural regions, the public supply does not even reach on citizen in two. In all rural areas as well as in the majority of towns, sewage is discharged in an uncontrolled manner. The consequences are that water is contaminated and the environment polluted; gastrointestinal illnesses are very common.
Tirana (41°18´N/19°48ß´E // 114m) has a generally Mediterranean climate. The average temperature varies from a low of 2°C in January to a high of 31°C in July and August which are also the driest months, each with around 3cm of precipitation an average. The wettest months are November, December, and February averaging between 15 to 20 cm.
