Karavasta Lagoon
Encyclopedia
The Karavasta Lagoon is the largest lagoon
in Albania
and one of the largest in the Mediterranean Sea
.
The lagoon is situated in the west of Albania and the largest town found near the lagoon is Lushnjë
. The lagoon is cut of from the Adriatic Sea
by a long sandy bar. The Karavasta lagoon has many pine
trees and small sandy islands. The lagoon is famous for the rare Dalmatian Pelican
which nests there: In fact 5% of the world's population of this type of pelican is found in this lagoon.
The Karavasta Lagoon is within the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance and part of the Divjake-Karavasta National Park.
Inside the park's boundary are found a number of restaurants with the most famous being Alfa-Yur, also known as Ali Kali Restaurant. A former gymnast, Ali is known to serve food portions while doing acrobatic moves with his white horse.
Since disinfection campaigns have long been halted, the area is known to have a very active mosquito season.
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and one of the largest in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
.
The lagoon is situated in the west of Albania and the largest town found near the lagoon is Lushnjë
Lushnjë
Lushnjë or Lushnje is a city in Central-West Albania located at 40.95°N, 19.71°E. It is the center of the District of Lushnje in the County of Fier and has a population of about 54,813. The town was founded in late medieval times by a Turkish widow called Salushe. She built a rest stop on the...
. The lagoon is cut of from the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
by a long sandy bar. The Karavasta lagoon has many pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees and small sandy islands. The lagoon is famous for the rare Dalmatian Pelican
Dalmatian Pelican
The Dalmatian Pelican is a member of the pelican family. It breeds from southeastern Europe to India and China in swamps and shallow lakes. The nest is a crude heap of vegetation....
which nests there: In fact 5% of the world's population of this type of pelican is found in this lagoon.
The Karavasta Lagoon is within the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance and part of the Divjake-Karavasta National Park.
Inside the park's boundary are found a number of restaurants with the most famous being Alfa-Yur, also known as Ali Kali Restaurant. A former gymnast, Ali is known to serve food portions while doing acrobatic moves with his white horse.
Since disinfection campaigns have long been halted, the area is known to have a very active mosquito season.