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Albania is a country in Southeastern Europe, sharing borders with Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Greece. The country boasts plenty of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which give it a unique look. They say that Albania has the most beautiful beaches in Europe, with a coastline called Albanian Riviera. Many people love this country for its beautiful Albanian Alps, castles, and ancient cities. It preserves artifacts from the world’s greatest empires. Albanian culture has a rich history.
The country is otherwise known as the land of eagles. According to Wikipedia, the double-headed eagle is the national symbol of Albania. It represents bravery, freedom, and heroism.
Albania is a rich-culture country. Let’s dive deeper into its cultural peculiarities.
Four Interesting Facts From Albanian Culture You Should Know
#1 Television in Albanian
Television in Albania appeared in 1960, and RTSH (Radio Televizioni Shqiptar) was the most popular broadcasting company up to the middle of the 1990s. Since that time, privately owned TV and radio stations have spread throughout the country. Also, there are companies that provide DTT (digital terrestrial television) and satellite services.
For those Albanians abroad, there are two streaming platforms that deliver Albanian TV live to other countries. TVALB serves Albanians in the USA and Canada, while NimiTV transmits IPTV shqip to European Union and Australia.
These platforms provide Albanians in other countries with their favorite shows and programs, as well as channels from Tring, Kujtesa, and ArtMotion. Users can also enjoy up to 10000 titles of VOD movies, series, music programs, and shows.
#2 Languages in Albania
In Albania, the majority of the population speaks the Albanian language. However, Italian, Greek, French, German, and English are widespread as a second language. There are many Albanian diasporas in other countries.
The Albanian language stems from the Indo-European group of languages but has its own subgroup. Some linguists believe that Illyrian is an ancestor of the Albanian language. But little information available makes it difficult to be sure.
Furthermore, the language under consideration has two dialects: Gheg, widespread in the northern part, and Tosk, spoken in the southern part of the country.
#3 Social Conventions in Albania
There is a fact that can cause misunderstandings between Albanians and other nations. People from the land of eagles tend to shake their heads from side to side to say “yes,” while “no” is indicated by nodding their heads up and down.
Albania is a country well known for its hospitality. This tradition is based on the kanun or code. It is a set of rules invented in the 15th century by an Albanian lord Prince Lekë Dukagjin. The kanun regulates all aspects of social relationships, such as family, religion, marriage, and death. Some citizens still follow these customs.
#4 Religion in Albania
Albanian practice different religions, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. People are free to worship without any restrictions, which represents the tolerance reigning in the country.
Islam stays the main religion, with the Sunni Muslim community prevailing in the country.
However, there is a number of atheist residents. According to different polls, the results vary, but some say that only 2.5% of the population are atheists in the country, and others claim there are 9% of it.
Final Thoughts
Albanian culture and history worth learning about. Albanians are friendly and hospitable people open to foreign travelers in their country. Learn more about their traditions so that you can dive deeper into their mentality. One of the greatest ways to do that is by watching TV and communicating with native speakers.
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