Albania - Forestry

Forests cover 1,046,000 hectares (2,585,000 acres), or about 38% of the total land area. As a result of exploitation, erosion, and neglect, about 70% of the forested area consists of little more than shoots and wild shrubs, and exploitation of the remaining accessible forests exceeds optimum annual limits. Roundwood production in 2000 totaled 443,000 cu m, with about 73% used for firewood. Between 1971 and 1978, 65,310 hectares (161,380 acres) were forested, compared with a total of 61,900 hectares (153,000 acres) for 1961–70.