Albania:Energy and Natural Resources
Since classical times, people have exploited the fossil-fuel and mineral deposits present in the lands that now constitute Albania. Petroleum, natural gas, coal, and asphalt lie in the sedimentary rock formations of the country's southwestern regions. The predominantly igneous formations of the northern mountains yield chromite, ferronickel, copper, and cobalt. Albania also has deposits of phosphorite, bauxite, gold, silver, kaolin, clay, asbestos, magnesite, dolomite, and gypsum. Salt is abundant. About 70 percent of Albania's territory is about 300 meters above sea level, twice the average elevation of Europe. Jagged limestone peaks rise to over 2,700 meters. These great heights, combined with normally abundant highland rainfall, facilitate the production of hydroelectric power along rivers.
With its significant petroleum and natural-gas reserves, coal deposits, and hydroelectric-power capacity, Albania has the potential to produce enough energy for domestic consumption and export fuels and electric power. Mismanagement led to production shortfalls in the early 1990s, however, and forced the government to import both petroleum and electric power. For years after production dropped in the late 1970s, Albania's government considered statistics on the performance of its petroleum industry a state secret; as a consequence, data on the oil industry vary radically. Known petroleum reserves at existing Albanian drill sites totaled about 200 million tons, but in 1991 recoverable stocks amounted to only 25 million tons. Albania's petroleum reserves generally were located in the tertiary layers in southwestern Albania, mainly in the triangle-shaped region delimited by Vlorë, Berat, and Durrës. The principal petroleum reserves were in the valley of the lower Devoll; in the valley of the Gjanicë near Patos in the southwest, where they lay in sandy Middle or Upper Miocene layers; and in Marinëz, between Kuçovë and Fier. Petroleum was refined in Ballsh, near Berat; Cërrik near Elbasan; and Kuçovë. The three refineries had a capacity of 2.5 million tons per year.
In the 1980s, the petroleum and bitumen enterprises employed 10 percent of Albania's industrial work force, controlled 25 percent of the country's industrial capital, and received almost 33 percent of its industrial investment funds. Nevertheless, the industry's share of the country's gross industrial production fell from 8.1 percent in 1980 to 6.6 percent in 1982 and perhaps as little as 5 percent in 1985. Albania only produced between 2.1 million tons and 1.5 million tons of petroleum annually in the 1970s, according to reliable estimates. Output sagged further during the 1980s when extraction became increasingly difficult. Albania's wells pumped only 1.2 million tons of petroleum in 1990. At some sites, obsolete drilling equipment was extracting only 12 percent of the available petroleum in situations where modern drilling and pumping equipment would permit the extraction of as much as 40 percent.
Petroleum was the first industry to attract direct foreign investment after the communist economic system broke down. In 1990 and 1991, the Albanian Petroleum and Gas Directorate entered into negotiations with foreign drilling and exploration firms for onshore and offshore prospecting. In March 1991, the Albanian government and a German company, Denimex, signed a US$500 million contract for seismological studies, well drilling, and production preparation. Albania also negotiated exploration contracts with Agip of Italy and Occidental Petroleum, Chevron, and Hamilton Oil of the United States.
Albania's known natural-gas reserves have been estimated at 22,400 million cubic meters and lie mainly in the Kuçovë and Patos areas. The country's wells pumped about 600,000 cubic meters of natural gas annually during the late 1980s. Fertilizer plants consumed about 40 percent of Albania's annual natural-gas production; power stations consumed about another 15 percent. Planners projected an increase in natural-gas production to about 1.1 million cubic meters per year by 1995, but output tumbled during the first quarter of 1991.
Albania's unprofitable coal mines produced about 2.1 million tons in 1987. The coal, mainly lignite with a low calorific value, was being mined mainly in central Albania near Valias, Manëz, and Krrabë; near Korçë at Mborje and Drenovë; in northern Tepelenë at Memaliaj; and in Alarup to the south of Lake Ohrid. Coal washeries were located at Valias and Memaliaj. Albania imported about 200,000 tons of coke per year from Poland for its metalworks. Conditions inside Albania's coal mines were deplorable, with much of the work done by manual labor. Albania used most of its coal to generate electric power.
About 80 percent of Albania's electric power came from a system of hydroelectric dams built after 1947 and driven by several rivers that normally carried abundant rainfall. Electric- power output was estimated by Albanian officials at 3,984,000 megawatt hours in 1988. Outfitted with French-built turbines, Albania's largest power station, the Koman hydroelectric plant on the Drin River, had a capacity of about 600 megawatts. The hydroelectric stations at Fierzë and Dejas, also on the Drin River, had capacities of 500 megawatts and 250 megawatts, respectively, and used Chinese-built turbines. Albania had no capacity to generate nuclear power, but in the early 1990s a research nuclear reactor was reportedly under construction with United Nations funds. In 1972 high-tension transmission lines linked Albania's power grid with Yugoslavia's distribution system. Albania's first 400-kilovolt high-tension line carried power from Elbasan over the mountains to Korçë, where a 220- kilovolt line carried it to Greece.
Droughts in the late 1980s and in 1990 brought an energy crisis and a sharp drop in earnings from electric-power exports. In 1991 heavy rainfall allowed Albania to resume electric-power exports to Yugoslavia and Greece. In the early 1990s, labor strikes and transformer burnouts--caused by the overloading of circuits when many Albanians turned to electricity to heat apartments after other fuel supplies ran out--regularly resulted in blackouts in towns across the country, and even sections of Tiranë, producing disruption months at a time. Although the electrical grid reached rural areas by 1970, the amount of power per household in farm areas was limited to 200 watts, only enough to power light bulbs. The chaos caused by economic collapse led to the destruction of about 25 percent of Albania's 30,000 kilometer power-distribution network.
Albania's mineral resources are located primarily in the mountainous northern half of the country. Albanian miners extract mainly chromium ore, ferronickel, copper, bitumen, and salt. Obsolete equipment and mining techniques have hampered Albania's attempts to capitalize on its mineral wealth. High extraction and smelting costs, as well as Albania's overall economic collapse, have forced mine and plant closures. The government repeatedly has promised to take steps to reopen mines.
Some production estimates placed Albania just behind South Africa and the former Soviet Union in the output of chromite, or chromium ore, which is vital to the production of stainless steel. Foreign studies estimated that Albania had more than 20 million tons of chromite reserves, located mainly near the towns of Korçë, Mat, Elbasan, and Kukës. Export of chrome and chromium products provided one of Albania's most important sources of hard-currency income. Albania's chromite industry, however, consistently failed to meet plan targets and came under severe criticism in the waning years of the communist regime. Estimates for chromite output during 1989 ranged from 500,000 to 900,000 tons. The drought-related power cuts in 1990 and economic chaos in 1991 forced the closing of ferrochrome enterprises at Burrel and Elbasan, and the government desperately sought sources of foreign capital to invest in technological improvements.
Albania's high-grade chromite reserves had been largely exhausted by the 1990. The poor quality of the remaining ore accounted for the country's worsening position in world markets. Impurities present in Albania's highest-grade chrome were largely the by-product of poor mining and smelting techniques and the use of antiquated Chinese equipment. The country's chromium industry also suffered because of inadequate transportation facilities. In the late 1980s, construction was under way on a rail link connecting the main chromium-ore production center at Bulqizë, in central Albania with the port of Durrës and the main line to Yugoslavia. In the late 1980s, Albania exported its chrome products mainly to Sweden, the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), Yugoslavia, and other East European countries. In 1980 Albanian chrome sales to the United States accounted for about 75 percent of the approximately US$20 million in trade between the two countries. Despite its reported profitability, the chromium industry suffered from a lack of worker incentive because miners frequently went unpaid. In 1991 one of Albania's top economists revealed that the country had never earned more than US$60 million a year from chrome exports.
Albania also produced copper, iron, and nickel. The main copper deposits, estimated at about 5 million tons, were located near the northern towns of Pukë, Kukës, and Shkodër. During the 1980s, although the quality of copper ores was generally low, copper was the most successful industry in Albania's mineral- extraction sector. Copper production rose from about 11,500 metric tons in 1980 to 17,000 metric tons in 1988. The government aimed to export copper in a processed form and built smelters at Rubik, Kukës, and Laç. The industry's product mix included blister copper, copper wire, copper sulfate, and alloys. Albania's principal iron ore deposits, estimated at 20 million tons in the 1930s, were located near Pogradec, Kukës, Shkodër, and Peshkopi. The Elbasan Steel Combine was Albania's largest industrial complex. In operation since 1966, the steelworks had obsolete Chinese equipment. Annual nickel output ranged from 7,200 to 9,000 tons in the 1980s.
Albanian bitumen and asphalt deposits were located near the town of Selenicë and in the Vjosë River valley. Bitumen and asphalt production rose significantly after World War II, and most of the output was used for paving and waterproofing materials and in the manufacturing of insulators and roofing shingles. Miners had worked the Selenicë deposits continuously for centuries before a lack of soap, boots, and basic equipment forced operations to cease when the centrally planned economy stalled. Geologists estimated that the Selenicë deposits would not be exhausted until several decades into the twenty-first century at normal production rates. Albania also possessed abundant deposits of salt, found near Kavajë and Vlorë. Limestone, a principal raw material for Albania's construction industry, was quarried throughout the country.
These are a few excerts rewritten by the author:genti...the info is based on a document published by the United States Dept of Energy:Future American Foreign Investments;
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Monday, November 27, 2006
Girls like cars and money
1. Girls don't like boys, girls like cars and money
We all know about this one. It is the reason you never see a really hot woman riding the bus or standing in line at the local soup kitchen. Nearly every bad event in your life will usually be followed by losing your girlfriend. Wreck your car? Lose your house? Expect to get "the call".
2. They know within the first two minutes whether or not they are going to sleep with you
I am not exactly sure what it is, hell, not even our greatest scientific minds can figure this one out, but every woman you meet judges you on the first two minutes. She immediately knows whether or not you will be hitting the skins later on that night, or ever for that matter. It is strange how this works, but if you corner a woman who has already decided not to sleep with you, she will admit to it.
3. Confidence is a better attribute than money
Seemingly contradicting number one, this is but one of the many oddities we, as men, must deal with. The ugliest, fattest, poorest man in the world can sleep with the hottest woman if he just knows what he is doing. Unfortunately, most of us who are not fat, ugly, or broke have no idea what the hell we are doing, thus creating unbalance in the universe and a disturbance in the force.
4. They want you to be an asshole
For some reason, if you don't call or show any interest whatsoever in a woman, she will end up wanting you more. This proves true the old adage "people want what they can't have". The best way to get a woman interested in you is to make her think that you aren't.
5. Size does matter
A dirty lie told by all women. If you have ever heard this from one of your girlfriends, it means she has had bigger cock and that's what she thinks about when you are fucking her. If you have never heard it, then that means you are the guy that she thinks about when she is fucking her current boyfriend. It is a lose-lose situation either way.
6. They want to change you
Nothing is better for a woman than to feel she has tamed the beast. Sure, she may think it is "cute" now that you have pizza boxes all over your coffee table and like to get shit drunk every Tuesday just because, but trust me, deep down inside, she is plotting your beer-free future.
7. They want you to listen, they don't want to listen to you
Ever try talking to a woman about sports or computer games? See that far off look in her eyes? Yeah, she may be in the same room with you but her mind is not even in the same universe. Trust me, if she isn't talking, she isn't listening either.
8. Women remember everything
Remember that time three years ago, before you even met her, when you made that off color comment about Angelina Jolies breast's? Of course not, but somewhere in the vast database of the female mind, the girl you are with right now remembers. Even if she wasn't there, she remembers. You will never live down anything you have ever done. Another seemingly contradictory rule, it is more like a secret weapon they use to make it look like rule number seven doesn't apply.
9. They will end up knowing more about you than your mother
You know that thing you do every time you lie? Of course not, but she does. No embarrassing habit, no matter how small it is, will go unnoticed. You can bet her friends and family probably knows all about them too.
10. Women have secrets
The sky is blue, water is wet, and women have secrets. Joe Hollenbeck's wise words still echo through my mind as they did the first time I ever saw that great movie. No matter how honest you think she is, there is always some skeleton gathering dust that you will never, nor ever want to, know about.
Now that you have read these rules, you are still no better off than you were before. We will never understand women. Never.
We all know about this one. It is the reason you never see a really hot woman riding the bus or standing in line at the local soup kitchen. Nearly every bad event in your life will usually be followed by losing your girlfriend. Wreck your car? Lose your house? Expect to get "the call".
2. They know within the first two minutes whether or not they are going to sleep with you
I am not exactly sure what it is, hell, not even our greatest scientific minds can figure this one out, but every woman you meet judges you on the first two minutes. She immediately knows whether or not you will be hitting the skins later on that night, or ever for that matter. It is strange how this works, but if you corner a woman who has already decided not to sleep with you, she will admit to it.
3. Confidence is a better attribute than money
Seemingly contradicting number one, this is but one of the many oddities we, as men, must deal with. The ugliest, fattest, poorest man in the world can sleep with the hottest woman if he just knows what he is doing. Unfortunately, most of us who are not fat, ugly, or broke have no idea what the hell we are doing, thus creating unbalance in the universe and a disturbance in the force.
4. They want you to be an asshole
For some reason, if you don't call or show any interest whatsoever in a woman, she will end up wanting you more. This proves true the old adage "people want what they can't have". The best way to get a woman interested in you is to make her think that you aren't.
5. Size does matter
A dirty lie told by all women. If you have ever heard this from one of your girlfriends, it means she has had bigger cock and that's what she thinks about when you are fucking her. If you have never heard it, then that means you are the guy that she thinks about when she is fucking her current boyfriend. It is a lose-lose situation either way.
6. They want to change you
Nothing is better for a woman than to feel she has tamed the beast. Sure, she may think it is "cute" now that you have pizza boxes all over your coffee table and like to get shit drunk every Tuesday just because, but trust me, deep down inside, she is plotting your beer-free future.
7. They want you to listen, they don't want to listen to you
Ever try talking to a woman about sports or computer games? See that far off look in her eyes? Yeah, she may be in the same room with you but her mind is not even in the same universe. Trust me, if she isn't talking, she isn't listening either.
8. Women remember everything
Remember that time three years ago, before you even met her, when you made that off color comment about Angelina Jolies breast's? Of course not, but somewhere in the vast database of the female mind, the girl you are with right now remembers. Even if she wasn't there, she remembers. You will never live down anything you have ever done. Another seemingly contradictory rule, it is more like a secret weapon they use to make it look like rule number seven doesn't apply.
9. They will end up knowing more about you than your mother
You know that thing you do every time you lie? Of course not, but she does. No embarrassing habit, no matter how small it is, will go unnoticed. You can bet her friends and family probably knows all about them too.
10. Women have secrets
The sky is blue, water is wet, and women have secrets. Joe Hollenbeck's wise words still echo through my mind as they did the first time I ever saw that great movie. No matter how honest you think she is, there is always some skeleton gathering dust that you will never, nor ever want to, know about.
Now that you have read these rules, you are still no better off than you were before. We will never understand women. Never.
Dardania being united with ALbania, now! No way!
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Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Gent, Genc, Genthios, or Gentius? I am confused
I am a little bit confused of the morphological suffixes of my name. Perhaps, I have hardly any knowledge on morphological origins of the Illyrian names. I say this because the very people who studied Illyrians, also did extensive research on the ancient Roman and the Greek culture. The puzzle about the written Illyrian was attempted to be centered-resolving towards adopting Greek or Roman letters. At the later age with the advancement of archeology and other historical sciences, these notions have faded and become less acceptable among scholars. At the awake of ethnic nationalisms, particularly against Albanians-descendants of Illyrians (a notion widely accepted by the most revered scholars of the 16 thru 21 century), the early obscure forms of Illyrian origin notions were adopted as a tool to debauch our ancient history.At that time, the Albanology did not exist. Of course, the flesh-eating assault against our ancient history has failed. Nevertheless, we Albanians, the direct descendants of Illyrians should make sure we understand the roots (prefixes, suffixes) before we make such modifications.
Monday, November 20, 2006
What's Happening, Kosova or Dardania?Flag?
some "të çmendura mendime" i had for today....
Flag.....
Well, concerning the flag, we are going to be an independent country, a new state, certainly,sadly, we can't share the same flag with Albania, therefore we must make modifications so we will be recognized unless you want to keep the same one, bring a nice argument for serbia to consider you a minority within its territory.A statehood flag is a must, whether we like it or not....
Names........
As for UNMIK official names of Pec, GJakovica, Pristina, we have worked a little on this issue or perhaps hardly ever, since we're not yet recognized as an independent country. After we get the independence, we will be the state and the names will be recognized as they are officially tagged. However, embracing the idea of keeping the name kosova(black bird=slavic) is a grave mistake, since the ancient/original NAME Dardania existed and is well-documented in many archives until the 18 century, when ottoman empire made major administrative reforms, which among them were also the names of towns, cities and so on. 'The victor (A) always changes its history' and the loser (B) keeps its real names until the the A is vanquished again and the former loser (B), now a victor in this case, or someone else (x) wins the war and changes the names to the original/historically accepted ones.These are very much acknowledged arguments by revered scholars. A very few people know about Toponyms, or have read books written by Cabej, Domi and so forth. Wrongly, many folks do have an obscure presumption that the name Dardania was invented by Rugova, a person I never liked.
......Enough for today...
p.s. Certainly, this is my last political opinion posted on my blogger.
Flag.....
Well, concerning the flag, we are going to be an independent country, a new state, certainly,sadly, we can't share the same flag with Albania, therefore we must make modifications so we will be recognized unless you want to keep the same one, bring a nice argument for serbia to consider you a minority within its territory.A statehood flag is a must, whether we like it or not....
Names........
As for UNMIK official names of Pec, GJakovica, Pristina, we have worked a little on this issue or perhaps hardly ever, since we're not yet recognized as an independent country. After we get the independence, we will be the state and the names will be recognized as they are officially tagged. However, embracing the idea of keeping the name kosova(black bird=slavic) is a grave mistake, since the ancient/original NAME Dardania existed and is well-documented in many archives until the 18 century, when ottoman empire made major administrative reforms, which among them were also the names of towns, cities and so on. 'The victor (A) always changes its history' and the loser (B) keeps its real names until the the A is vanquished again and the former loser (B), now a victor in this case, or someone else (x) wins the war and changes the names to the original/historically accepted ones.These are very much acknowledged arguments by revered scholars. A very few people know about Toponyms, or have read books written by Cabej, Domi and so forth. Wrongly, many folks do have an obscure presumption that the name Dardania was invented by Rugova, a person I never liked.
......Enough for today...
p.s. Certainly, this is my last political opinion posted on my blogger.
Welcome!
Hello or Tungjatjeta my dearest Albanian fellows,
This is my first blogging post. The word blog, blogger, blogging has always brought an odd perception of its meaning. Is it just me, or I guess everyone holds a hidden enigma inwardly laying in our minds?! Any obstacles stemmed by inflicting obstinate problem-resolving pathways towards understanding 'blogging', it will not allow our goals to ascend to where we aim to be layed. Though, I must admit it has been steeply etched into our minds. Ever since its grandiose recognition by prestigious newspapers such as New York Times, polemicizing the very meaning of it, would sound a rather out-of-touch judgement with the modern vocabulary. Of course, pop culture, particularly, peer pressure has its undeniable effect.Blogging makes our lives lucid. Attempting to avoid the lurid blogging tales of pulp magazines/newspapers, I would like to end my first post with this: "Let's start the fire, and see who can catch its sparks"....
Genti
This is my first blogging post. The word blog, blogger, blogging has always brought an odd perception of its meaning. Is it just me, or I guess everyone holds a hidden enigma inwardly laying in our minds?! Any obstacles stemmed by inflicting obstinate problem-resolving pathways towards understanding 'blogging', it will not allow our goals to ascend to where we aim to be layed. Though, I must admit it has been steeply etched into our minds. Ever since its grandiose recognition by prestigious newspapers such as New York Times, polemicizing the very meaning of it, would sound a rather out-of-touch judgement with the modern vocabulary. Of course, pop culture, particularly, peer pressure has its undeniable effect.Blogging makes our lives lucid. Attempting to avoid the lurid blogging tales of pulp magazines/newspapers, I would like to end my first post with this: "Let's start the fire, and see who can catch its sparks"....
Genti
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