Lake Scutari
Encyclopedia
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër ' onMouseout='HidePop("22217")' href="/topics/Serbian_language">Serbian
: Skadarsko jezero / Скадарско језеро, skâdarskɔː jɛ̂zɛrɔ) is a lake
on the border of Montenegro
with Albania
, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania ' onMouseout='HidePop("27244")' href="/topics/Serbian_language">Serbian
: Скадар/Skadar).
and drained into the Adriatic by the 41 km (25.5 mi) long Bojana
, which forms the international border on the lower half of its length. There are additionally some fresh water sources at the lake bottom. Some small islands like Beška, with two churches on it and Grmožur, a former fortress and prison can be found on the southwest side of the lake.
The Montenegrin part of the lake and its surrounding area were declared a national park
in 1983. The Albanian part has been designated as a Managed Nature Reserve. It is one of the largest bird
reserve
s in Europe
, having 270 bird species, among which are some of the last pelican
s in Europe, and thus popular with birders. The lake also contains habitats of seagulls
and heron
s and is abundant in fish, especially in carp
, bleak
and eel
.
In 1996, by Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
, it was included in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance
.
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
: Skadarsko jezero / Скадарско језеро, skâdarskɔː jɛ̂zɛrɔ) is a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
on the border of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
with 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...
, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania ' onMouseout='HidePop("27244")' href="/topics/Serbian_language">Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
: Скадар/Skadar).
Geography
Its surface, 6 m (19.7 ft) above sea level, can vary between 370 km² (142.9 sq mi) and 530 km² (204.6 sq mi), of which 2/3 is in Montenegro. The lake is a cryptodepression, filled by the river MoračaMorača
Morača is a river in Montenegro. It originates in northern Montenegro, under Rzača mountain. It generally flows southwards for some , before emptying into Lake Skadar....
and drained into the Adriatic by the 41 km (25.5 mi) long Bojana
Bojana
-Places:* Bojana , a river in Albania and Montenegro* Ada Bojana / Bojana Island* Boyana, a quarter of Sofia, Bulgaria- People :* Bojana Jovanovski* Bojana Novakovic* Bojana Radulović* Bojana Popović* Bojana Atanasovska* Bojana Bobusic* Bojana Panić...
, which forms the international border on the lower half of its length. There are additionally some fresh water sources at the lake bottom. Some small islands like Beška, with two churches on it and Grmožur, a former fortress and prison can be found on the southwest side of the lake.
The Montenegrin part of the lake and its surrounding area were declared a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in 1983. The Albanian part has been designated as a Managed Nature Reserve. It is one of the largest bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
s in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, having 270 bird species, among which are some of the last pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s in Europe, and thus popular with birders. The lake also contains habitats of seagulls
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
and heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and is abundant in fish, especially in carp
Carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
, bleak
Bleak
The common bleak is a small pelagic fish of the Cyprinid family. It is often referred to simply as a "bleak", though this term can refer to any species of Alburnus.-Description:...
and eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
.
In 1996, by Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
, it was included in the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance
Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance
This is the list of wetlands of international importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value.The Convention...
.