food
intake was carbohydrates. Fruits and green vegetables were in short
supply, and meats were a real scarcity. Little progress had been made in
increasing livestock herds during the period of Communist rule, and
credits to procure adequate supplies of protective foods from sources
outside the country were not available (see ch. 8, Economic System).

The diet generally depicted scarcity and, in the mountain and rural
areas, was simple and routine. Dishes, high in starch content, made from
corn, wheat, rice, and potatoes were basic. Yogurt, cheese, and prepared
dry beans were among the most commonly found other foods. Green
vegetables and fruits appeared seasonally in limited quantities.

While some progress has been made in improving sources of drinking
water, the vast majority of rural families, and some in the smaller
cities, must rely on unprotected sources. Central sewage systems are
found in only the largest cities.

Housing

Living quarters became increasingly overcrowded as population expanded
at consistently high rates. Party First Secretary Enver Hoxha stated in
December 1967 that the entire country, especially urban areas, was
experiencing a housing crisis. Reports on housing construction indicated
that the situation further deteriorated in the late 1960s because of the
necessity to divert resources to even higher priorities, to the building
of industry and procurement of food and clothing. War and natural
catastrophes added to the burden. In World War II some 35,000 dwellings
were destroyed. Earthquakes in November and December of 1967 demolished
3,500 homes. In April 1969, when 6,500 buildings were damaged or
destroyed by earthquakes, additional thousands of homes had to be
replaced or repaired.

Hoxha stated in late 1969 that 185,000 flats and houses had been built
since World War II. The average annual rate of construction, as
indicated by incomplete reports for the 1960s, was 6,000 private
dwellings and 3,000 state-owned and cooperative apartment units. Total
requirements were not stated, but with annual population growth at
approximately 40,000 to 50,000 persons, and considering reports relating
to crowded conditions, the critical condition was unresolved. Hoxha
stated in late 1967 that the housing situation had reached the point
where in some instances five persons were living in one room.

Most rural houses are of one or two rooms, with a hearth, and are of
simple construction. They are small