Albania; Selected Issues and Statistical Appendix

This Selected Issues paper and Statistical Appendix analyzes causes and consequences of real exchange rate appreciation in Albania. The paper highlights that Albania has experienced a sustained real appreciation since 1992, which appears to have been brought about by largely beneficial developments: price liberalization, productivity growth, external inflows, and a successful stabilization policy. The pace of appreciation has slowed in the last few years, and a real depreciation in 2002 has brought the real effective exchange rate back to its January 2000 level.