Sunni Islam, Roman Catholicism, Albanian Orthodoxy
Ethnic Group
Albanian
Demonym
Albanian
Government
Constitutional Monarchy Parliamentary Republic
King
Leka II
Prime Minister
Area
28,748 km²
Population
3,000,000
Established
1946
Currency
Lek
The Kingdom of Albania is a small constitutional monarchy located in southeastern Europe. Originally lumped into the Balkan Union following World War I, Albania was invaded by Italy at the start of World War II, and the Albanian governor, Ahmet Muhtar Zogolli, fled to England. When the London Pact returned to liberate Albania in 1945, Zogolli returned as well, and was personally there when the capital of Tirana was liberated. Propped up by Britain, and in order to prevent a civil war between royalists, democrats, and unitarians, Zogolli was crowned King Zog I along with a democratic parliament. The two allied factions crushed the unitarians, and Albania found itself on the Western side of the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. Zog's increasing attempts to increase his own power would result in his forced abdication in 1957, bringing his son Leka to the throne. Leka would pass away in 2011, and Albania's king is now Leka II. Albania is currently embroiled in a conflict with nationalists in the violent region of the former Balkan Union, which collapsed in 2004.