TIRANA, June 25 – Some 2,200 fewer enterprises were reported in 2012 although 12,681 new enterprises, the overwhelming majority of which SMEs, were established, according to data published by the country’s state Institute of Statistics (INSTAT). In its 2012 business register, INSTAT reports some 106,837 active enterprises, down from 109,039 in 2011.
More than half of the active enterprises in 2012 were based in the Tirana and Durres region which account for around one third of Albania’s resident 2.8 million population.
Trade enterprises and hotels, bars and restaurants dominate Albanian SMEs with around 41 percent of the total. Manufacturers account for 26.3 percent of enterprises but employ some 26 percent of private sector workers. Service providers dominate in every region varying from 80 to 87 percent.
Industry and other services activities, mainly education, health and financial intermediation, represent 70.3 percent of enterprises with more than 50 percent of employees.
Around 90.2 percent of enterprises have only 1 to 4 employees, with the majority 67 percent of them having only one self-employed person.
The enterprise birth rate in 2012 was higher in the northern Shkodra region at 14.1 percent. More than two-thirds of Albanian enterprises operate in the largest regions of Tirana, Durres, Vlora and Fier.
Data show some there are some 3,811 foreign owned enterprises in Albania mainly operating in telemarketing and banking services, manufacturing of garment and footwear and oil exploration. The majority 80 percent of them are based in the Tirana and Durres region.
Women manage around one third of trade and service enterprises ranging from 14.2 percent in the northeastern region of Kukes to 30.2 percent in Tirana.
According to INSTAT’s 2011 labour force survey, paid employees accounted for 40 percent of total employees. Self-employed men accounted for 35 percent of total employed men, while self-employed women for 21.7 percent of total employed women.
Some 42.5 percent of employed women were unpaid family business workers, 35.8 percent paid workers and around 20 percent self-employed. Only 20 percent of men were unpaid workers in a family business, while 43 percent were paid workers.
Some 7,300 households nationwide were interviewed for the 2011 labour force survey which was based in the 2011 housing and population census.
Employment by sector
The services sector employs 37 percent of people aged between 15 to 64 years old. Employment in market services such as trade, transport, financial activities, hotels and restaurants and car repair, communication and real estate accounts for 21 percent of total employment.
The public services composed of public administration, security, compulsory insurance, education and health accounts for 16 percent of total employment.
Employment in the agriculture sector in 2011 accounted for 44 percent of total, compared to 19 percent in the industry sector.
The public sector provides only 17.7 percent of total employment in Albania. The private non-agricultural sector accounts for 27.6 percent while the private agricultural sector has a 47 percent share.
While construction and extractive industry are dominated by male employment, the manufacturing industry mainly involving garment and footwear manufacturing is dominated by women. Women employed in the public services slightly dominate over men, mainly because of having a majority in the education and health sectors.
