Albania

Located on the Adriatic coast of the Balkan peninsula, Albania is a mountainous country with a population largely established along the coast. The country reformed itself into a democracy during the political shift across Europe that accompanied the collapse of the USSR, but suffered from poor economic performance, including the rise of pyramid schemes with liabilities in excess of national GDP during the 1990s. Despite democratic reforms, human rights violations continue, particularly with regards to violence against and the trafficking of children.