Small Prespa Lake ( el, Λίμνη Μικρή Πρέσπα, ''Limni Mikri Prespa''; sq, Prespa e Vogël; mk, Мало Преспанско Езеро, ''Malo Prespansko Ezero'') is a

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

shared between

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

(138 km² drainage area; 42.5 km² surface area) and

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

(51 km² drainage area; 4.3 km² surface area). It is the smaller of the two

Prespa Lake The Lake Prespa is located on the tripoint of North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. It is a system of two lakes separated by an isthmus: the Great Prespa Lake, divided between the three countries, and the Little Prespa Lake, mostly within Greece ...

Details

Small Prespa Lake in particular has been recognized as an important wetland ecosystems favoring breeding and feeding of rare water bird species. It is best known for hosting the largest breeding colony of the

Dalmatian pelican The Dalmatian pelican (''Pelecanus crispus'') is the largest member of the pelican family, and perhaps the world's largest freshwater bird, although rivaled in weight and length by the largest swans. They are elegant soaring birds, with wingspan ...

in the world. The flora in the region is composed of more than 1,500 plant species of which 146 endemic species in the Lake Ohrid and 39 endemic species from the

s. The villages of Rakickë, Shyec, Buzliqen and Tren surround the Albanian portion of the lake. In Greece the villages surrounding the lake are

Agios Germanos Agios Germanos, ( el, Άγιος Γερμανός), is a village in the Prespes Municipality in West Macedonia, Greece. Agios Germanos is located at an altitude of approximately 1,100 meters (3,606 feet), on a hillside, part of the Varnoundas Mou ...

Laimos Laimos ( el, Λαιμός, before 1926: Ράμπη - ''Rampi'') is a village in the Florina Regional Unit in West Macedonia, Greece. It is the seat of the Prespes Municipality. Name The village was originally known as ''Rampi'' (Greek: Ράμπ ...

, Milionas, Platy, Kallithea, Lefkonas,

Prespes Prespes ( el, Πρέσπες) is a municipality in the Florina regional unit, Western Macedonia, Greece. Its population in 2011 was 7,380. The seat of the municipality is in Laimos. It was named after Lake Prespa The Lake Prespa is located o ...

, Karyes, Mikrolimni, Oxia,

Pyli Pyli ( el, Πύλη) is a municipality in the Trikala regional unit, Greece. Situated 18 km west of Trikala, right at the bottom of two mountains Itamos, and Koziakas, which mark the beginning of the Pindos mountainline, Pyli marks the entra ...

and Vrontero. During 1970 significant amounts of water from the

Devoll river Devoll ( sq, Devoll; sq-definite, Devolli) is a river in southern Albania. It is one of the source rivers of Seman. It is long and its drainage basin is . Its average discharge is . Its source is in the southwestern corner of the Devoll munic ...

was diverted into the lake with the intention to use it latter during the summer time for the irrigation purposes. Due to the high suspended solids in the river water significant siltation did occur on the Albanian side. The practice has recently stopped. The Albanian part of this lake has a surface of 420 hectares. In 1999 the Society for the Protection of Prespa received the

Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award The Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award honours the work of governments, organisations and individuals in promoting the wise use and conservation of wetlands. The Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award was established in 1996 at the 6th meeting of the co ...

for its conservation efforts regarding the Lake Prespa

Ramsar Ramsar may refer to: * Places so named: ** Ramsar, Mazandaran, city in Iran ** Ramsar, Rajasthan, village in India * Eponyms of the Iranian city: ** Ramsar Convention concerning wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran ** Ramsar site, wetland listed in ...

site.

Agios Achilleios

Small Prespa Lake contains the island of Agios Achilleios (Saint Achilleus); in February 1948, in the midst of the

Greek Civil War The Greek Civil War ( el, ο Eμφύλιος �όλεμος ''o Emfýlios'' 'Pólemos'' "the Civil War") took place from 1946 to 1949. It was mainly fought against the established Kingdom of Greece, which was supported by the United Kingdom ...

, Nikos Zachariadis, the General Secretary of the

Communist Party of Greece The Communist Party of Greece ( el, Κομμουνιστικό Κόμμα Ελλάδας, ''Kommounistikó Kómma Elládas'', KKE) is a political party in Greece. Founded in 1918 as the Socialist Labour Party of Greece and adopted its curren ...

, married Roula Koukoulou, his long-time lover, on this island, in a widely publicized ceremony. Located on the island of Agios Achilleios is also the Basilica of Saint

Achillius of Larissa Saint Achillius of Larissa, also known as Achilles, Ailus, Achillas, or Achilius ( el, Άγιος Αχίλλειος, ''Ágios Achílleios'') (died 330 AD), was a 4th century bishop of Larissa and one of the 318 persons present at the First Counc ...

. It is an example of the survival of Early Christian architectural style in the Byzantine period. Agios Achilleios was also an early capital of Bulgarian ruler

Samuel Samuel ''Šəmūʾēl'', Tiberian: ''Šămūʾēl''; ar, شموئيل or صموئيل '; el, Σαμουήλ ''Samouḗl''; la, Samūēl is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the bibl ...

in the 10th century. The island became a tourist and fishing centre in the 1970s.

Gallery

File:Μικρή Πρέσπα (5).jpg, Mikri Prespa File:Agios Axillios.JPG, Walkway to Agios Achillios islet File:View towards Small Prespa Lake, from St. Achillios Island (6).jpg, View from Agios Achillios File:Βασιλική Αγίου Αχιλλείου.jpg, Ruins of St Achillios Basilica File:Monastery of Pavayia Porfaras.JPG, Exterior of Monastery of Panagia Porfyras, Agios Achillios File:Interior Monastery of Pavayia Porfaras.JPG, Interior of Monastery of Panagia Porfyras, Agios Achillios File:Summit of Agios Axillios.JPG, Marked summit of Agios Achillios

References

Sources

* http://www.ekby.gr/ekby/en/alwet_web/alwet_site/en/alwet_aims_Prespa_en.html

External links

*
Transboundary Prespa Park
{{authority control

Prespa Prespa ( mk, Преспа, sq, Prespa, el, Πρέσπα) is a region shared between North Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Rese ...