Pekka, OH2TA will be active again as ZA/OG1N from Albania in CQ WW WPX CW Contest, 25 - 26 May 2024.
He will operate in Single Op Single Band Category.
Before the contest he will be active on WARC Bands.
QSL via OH2TA, LOTW.
Ads for direct QSL:
PEKKA HOLSTILA, LINNAISTENTIE 7, 01640 VANTAA, Finland.
The Mediterranean Republic of Albania
A dramatic history of the formation of the state
Albania's favorable geographical position at the crossroads of important trade routes has always made the country a tidbit in the eyes of the stronger and more powerful powers. Albania was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for a long time. The country gained its freedom only in 1912. The country's right to independence after World War I was contested by Yugoslavia, Italy and Greece within the framework of the Paris Peace. To fight for national freedom, the first parliament was established in the country. Independence was defended for a short time - in 1939 Albania was occupied by fascist Italy. This time the liberation struggle was led by the Communist Albanian Labor Party. The country manages to defend the right to independence at the cost of political isolation from the outside world. Almost all the second half of the XX century Albania lived in a state of combat readiness. Every family was obliged to build a bomb shelter for themselves. It was not until the 1990s that a multi-party system was declared in the country. Albania opened its borders and joined NATO. However, the long years of isolation still have an impact - the country has a very low standard of living.
Albania in modern times
Albania occupies the western part of the Balkan Peninsula and has access to the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. The capital of the state, Tirana, was founded by the Turks in the distant 17th century. The country is headed by a president, whose power is limited by the parliament and the Constitutional Court. The population is 2,806,000. Albania has a high level of migration. Due to the low standard of living, locals tend to move to prosperous Europe. The ethnic composition of the country is homogeneous - 95% of the population are Albanians, and only 5% are Greeks, Roma, Romanians, Serbs, and Macedonians. Atheism was proclaimed in the country during the rule of the Communist Party. At present about half of the population, represented by Sunnis and Bektashas, professes Muslimity, and the other half belongs to Christians of different interpretations - Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism.
Albania is an agrarian country with a poorly developed economy. Almost half a century of political isolation has prevented the formation of stable trade ties and now a quarter of the population is below the poverty line.
Mediterranean nature
Albania has a comfortable Mediterranean climate with hot, arid summers and mild, wet winters. The country is dominated by hilly and mountainous terrain. Along the Adriatic coastline there are hills and snow-white beaches. On the border with Yugoslavia there is a mountain range - the North Albanian Alps. One third of the country's territory is covered with deciduous and coniferous forests, there are picturesque orange groves and alpine meadows in the mountains. The mild Mediterranean climate created favorable conditions for abundant growth of medicinal plants - sage, linden, thyme, mint, juniper. The fauna of the country is very diverse: roe deer, wild boars, deer, lynx, wild cats, bears, wolves, jackals live in the forests. The national symbol of the country is the golden eagle. This bird of prey is found in the wilderness of Albania.
Original culture
Albania has a unique and distinctive culture. The change of different ruling regimes and states over the centuries has left its mark, making Albania's architecture diverse and unlike any other European country. The influence of Turkish conquerors, Christian civilization and the communist regime of the 20th century can be traced here.
In the capital of Albania - Tirana there are national art galleries, in the southern part of the city there is a picturesque park with a lake. On Skendeberg square there is an ancient mosque of Eteghei Beya, built in XIX century. The second largest city of Albania - ancient Durres amazes with the Venetian Tower, a huge amphitheater, ancient Roman ruins and fortifications, ancient walls of the Byzantine city. In the ancient town of Drilon there is a Christian Basilica, which has survived since the V century. In the south of Albania is the famous Gjirokastra - the city of a thousand tents or stone city, recognized as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Here you can visit the famous Turkish baths.
The communist regime also left its traces in the form of concrete bunkers, which are strewn all over the country. On average there are 24 bunkers per 1 square kilometer. The shelters are located on city streets and in backyards, stretching along the sea line and national borders. Nowadays concrete bunkers are used for domestic purposes, as warehouses or kitchens.
Albania's culinary traditions are characteristic of the Mediterranean region. Albanian dishes are prepared with seafood, olive oil, spices, garlic and wine.