shrine was erected at the place of the church. In 1992, with the escalation of violence against ethnic Greek communities in southern Albania, Greek shops in the city were burnt down and the headquarters of the Omonoia organization was destroyed (the latter being the political party of the Greeks in the country). During the Albanian Civil War of 1997, units comprised by the local Greek minority were able to achieve the first military success for the opposition through the capture of a government tank. Geography Part of the Albanian Riviera, Sarandë is situated on the arch-shaped bay of Sarandë between the Gormarti and Berdeneshi Hills and the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast in southwestern Albania. Sarandë Municipality is encompassed in Vlorë County as part of the Southern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of Ksamil and Sarandë. Its total area is 58.96 km2. Climate Sarandë has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa) as of the Köppen climate classification. Economy Given its coastal access and Mediterranean climate, Sarandë has become an important tourist attraction since the fall of communism in Albania. Saranda as well as the rest of the Albanian Riviera, according to The Guardian, "is set to become the new undiscovered gem of the overcrowded Med." Tourism is thus the major economic resource, while other resources include services, fisheries and construction. The unemployment rate according to the population census of 2008 was 8.32%. It has been suggested that family tourism and seasonal work during the summer period help mitigate the real unemployment rate. Recently, the town has experienced an uncontrolled construction boom which may hamper the city's future tourism potential. Since 2012, the Port of Saranda is undergoing an expansion to accommodate cruise ships at its terminal. Tourism Sarandë is viewed as the unofficial capital of the Albanian Riviera, and can be used as a base for excursions along it. The region is prosperous with varied attractions and activities relating to nature and wildlife. Notable sights include the ancient archaeological site of Butrint and the Blue Eye Spring. Ksamil is notable for its beaches and islets. Demography During the late Ottoman period until the Balkan Wars (1912–1913) Sarandë consisted of only a harbour and was without permanent residents. In 1912, right after the Albanian Declaration of Independence, the settlement had only 110 inhabitants. At the 1927 census, it had 810 inhabitants, but was not yet a town. In