Lake Prespa
Encyclopedia
Prespa is the name of two freshwater lake
s in southeast Europe
, shared by Greece
, Albania
, and Macedonia
. Of the total surface area, 190 km² (73.36 sq mi) belongs to Macedonia, 84.8 km² (32.74 sq mi) to Greece and 38.8 km² (14.98 sq mi) to Albania. They are the highest tectonic lakes in the Balkans
, standing at an altitude
of 853 m (2,798 ft).
The Great Prespa Lake (Macedonian
: Преспанско Езеро, Prespansko Ezero, Greek
: Μεγάλη Πρέσπα, Limni Megáli Préspa, Albanian
: Liqeni i Prespes) is divided between Albania, Greece and Macedonia. The Small Prespa Lake
(Greek: Μικρή Πρέσπα, Mikri Prespa; Albanian: Prespa e Vogël) is shared only between Greece (138 km² (53.28 sq mi) drainage area; 43.5 km² (16.8 sq mi) surface area) and Albania (51 km² (19.69 sq mi) drainage area; 3.9 km² (1.51 sq mi) surface area).
("Large Town"), and Snake Island (Zmiski Ostrov). The other island Mal Grad
(Small Town, in Albania) is the site of a ruined 14th century monastery dedicated to St. Peter. Today, both islands are uninhabited.
Because Great Prespa Lake sits about 150m above Lake Ohrid
, which lies only about 10 km (6.21 mi) (6 miles) to the west, its waters run through underground channels in the karst
and emerge from springs
which feed streams running into Lake Ohrid.
For many years, the Greek part of the Prespa Lakes region was an underpopulated, military sensitive area which required special permission for outsiders to visit. It saw fierce fighting during the Greek Civil War
and much of the local population subsequently emigrated to escape endemic poverty and political strife. The region remained little developed until the 1970s, when it began to be promoted as a tourist destination. With an abundance of rare fauna and flora, the area was declared a Transnational Park in 2000. In 1999 the Society for the Protection of Prespa received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award
for its conservation efforts regarding the Lake Prespa Ramsar
site.
The area contains four National Parks located in Albania
, Greece
, and Macedonia
. The largest town in the Prespa Lakes region is Resen in Macedonia.
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,...
s in southeast Europe
Southeast Europe
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a relatively recent political designation for the states of the Balkans. Writers such as Maria Todorova and Vesna Goldsworthy have suggested the use of the term Southeastern Europe to replace the word Balkans for the region, to minimize potential...
, shared by Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, 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 Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. Of the total surface area, 190 km² (73.36 sq mi) belongs to Macedonia, 84.8 km² (32.74 sq mi) to Greece and 38.8 km² (14.98 sq mi) to Albania. They are the highest tectonic lakes in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, standing at an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 853 m (2,798 ft).
The Great Prespa Lake (Macedonian
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
: Преспанско Езеро, Prespansko Ezero, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Μεγάλη Πρέσπα, Limni Megáli Préspa, Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
: Liqeni i Prespes) is divided between Albania, Greece and Macedonia. The Small Prespa Lake
Small Prespa Lake
Small Prespa Lake is a lake shared between Greece and Albania . It is the smaller of the two Prespa Lakes.-Details:...
(Greek: Μικρή Πρέσπα, Mikri Prespa; Albanian: Prespa e Vogël) is shared only between Greece (138 km² (53.28 sq mi) drainage area; 43.5 km² (16.8 sq mi) surface area) and Albania (51 km² (19.69 sq mi) drainage area; 3.9 km² (1.51 sq mi) surface area).
History
In the 10th century, the tsar Samuil built the fortress and church of St. Achillius on an island called Agios Achillios in the Small Prespa Lake, on the Greek side of the border. The biggest island in the Great Prespa Lake, on Macedonia's side, is called Golem GradGolem Grad
Golem Grad , meaning Big City, also known as Snake Island, is an island in the Republic of Macedonia. The island covers an area of 18 hectares. It is located in Lake Prespa, a few kilometers from Greek and Albanian territory. Golem Grad is home to several ancient ruins and churches. It is also home...
("Large Town"), and Snake Island (Zmiski Ostrov). The other island Mal Grad
Mal Grad
Maligrad is an island situated deep within the Albanian part of Lake Prespa, with many caves suitable for wildlife and a circularcliff. Shaped like a tadpole, it contains some trees and an area of sand. The island contains a famous Saint Mary Church, built by Kesar Novak , a local noble, in 1369....
(Small Town, in Albania) is the site of a ruined 14th century monastery dedicated to St. Peter. Today, both islands are uninhabited.
Because Great Prespa Lake sits about 150m above Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance...
, which lies only about 10 km (6.21 mi) (6 miles) to the west, its waters run through underground channels in the karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
and emerge from springs
Spring (hydrosphere)
A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...
which feed streams running into Lake Ohrid.
For many years, the Greek part of the Prespa Lakes region was an underpopulated, military sensitive area which required special permission for outsiders to visit. It saw fierce fighting during the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
and much of the local population subsequently emigrated to escape endemic poverty and political strife. The region remained little developed until the 1970s, when it began to be promoted as a tourist destination. With an abundance of rare fauna and flora, the area was declared a Transnational Park in 2000. In 1999 the Society for the Protection of Prespa received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award
Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award
The Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award was established in 1996 by a resolution at the 6th meeting of the Ramsar Convention, an international environmental treaty organisation, with the intention of recognising and honouring the work of governments, organisations and individuals in promoting the...
for its conservation efforts regarding the Lake Prespa Ramsar
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,...
site.
The area contains four National Parks located 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...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. The largest town in the Prespa Lakes region is Resen in Macedonia.
Source
- "Prespa, Lake". Encyclopædia Britannica, 2005.
- "Prespa, Lake". The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2004.
See also
- PrespaPrespaPrespa is a region in Republic of Macedonia. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Resen with 9,000 inhabitants....
, adjacent region in Macedonia - PrespesPrespesPrespes is a municipality in the Florina peripheral unit, Greece. Population 1,851 . The seat of the municipality is in Laimos.-Municipality:...
, adjacent municipality in Greece - Prespa e Vogël and Golloborda, adjacent region in Albania