The Republic of Albania is located in South Eastern Europe, in the West of the Balkan peninsula. It extends to the Adriatic Sea (sandy coast) and to the Ionic Sea (rocky coast). Its co-ordinates are 39° 38' in the South (Konispol) and 42° 39' in the North (Vermosh) of the Northern geographical latitude and 19° 16' (Sazani Island) and 21° 40' (Vernik village, Korçë) of the Eastern altitude.

Albania has a surface area of 28 748 km² and a population of 3,3 million inhabitants. The country is administratively divided into 12 prefectures, 36 districts, 315 communes and 2 900 villages.

The coastal zone has a surface area of 7 000 km², or 25% of the country territory. The region with typical Mediterranean climate covers a surface area of 9 055 km², the; all surface water bodies drain into the Meditearrnean Sea. Albania's coastline is 476 km long, out of which 70% are sandy, and 30% are rocky shores. The surface of coastal protected areas (PA) is 38325 ha (35% of the surface of the protected areas of the country).[more info] [adminstrative map]