The Southern Mountain Range ( sq, Krahina Malore Jugore) is a

physiogeographical Physical geography (also known as physiography) is one of the three main branches of geography. Physical geography is the branch of natural science which deals with the processes and patterns in the natural environment such as the atmosphere, h ...

region in southern

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 ...

. It is defined by high mountains and few valleys and plains between them. It is also one of the four geographical areas of Albania, the others being the Northern Mountain Range (the Albanian part of the

Prokletije The Accursed Mountains ( sq, Bjeshkët e Nemuna; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Проклетије, Prokletije, ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps ( sq, Alpet Shqiptare), are a mountain group in the western part of the B ...

), the Western Lowlands ( sq, Ultësira Bregdetare), and the Central Mountain Range ( sq, Krahina Malore Qendrore). The range notably includes two mountain chains: the Trebeshinë-

Dhëmbel Mount Dhëmbel is a mountain in southern Albania in the geographical region of Southern Mountain Range The Southern Mountain Range ( sq, Krahina Malore Jugore) is a physiogeographical region in southern Albania. It is defined by high mountains ...

- Nemërçkë and

Shëndelli Shëndelli () is a mountain located in the municipality of Tepelenë, in southern Albania. Situated at the emergence of the Shëndelli- Lunxhëri- Bureto mountain range, its highest elevation is . Geology Shëndelli is bordered by the Vjosa va ...

- Lunxhëri- Bureto. It also includes the Tomorr in its northern part, and the

Ceraunian Mountains The Ceraunian Mountains ( sq, Malet e Vetëtimës, "Thunderbolt mountains"; el, Κεραύνια Όρη, ''Keravnia ori''; la, Cerauni Montes), also commonly Akroceraunian Mountains ( grc, Ἀκροκεραύνια, sq, Malet Akrokeraune "male ...

with its summit Çika in the west, two mountains which are close to the Llogara National Park. The mountainous region of Kurvelesh is part of the range, while its coastal region is part of the Albanian riviera. The only notable plain in the region is the

Vurg Vurg ( sq-definite, Vurgu; el, Βούργος ''Vourgos'' or Βούρκος ''Vourkos'') is a plain and region in the southern part of Vlorë County, southwestern Albania. Name The toponym means marshland, in both Albanian and Greek. Before bonif ...

plain. The mean

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...

for November through January is 1,000 mm.

Nemërçkë Mountains

Nemërçkë is a short mountain range in southern Albania on the border between Albania and Greece, which extends from the north-west to the south-east. To the north Nemërçkë is separated from the Albanian

Pindus mountain The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metre ...

s, by the

Vjosë The Vjosa (; indefinite form: ) or Aoös ( el, Αώος) is a river in northwestern Greece and southwestern Albania. Its total length is about , of which the first are in Greece, and the remaining in Albania. Its drainage basin is and its ave ...

river, Albania's second longest river, while to the south it reaches the Albanian-Greek border.

flows to the east of the mountains. Some of northern part of the range, which is also the highest one, is protected by the

Fir of Hotova National Park Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related to ...

. In

geomorphological Geomorphology (from Ancient Greek: , ', "earth"; , ', "form"; and , ', "study") is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or n ...

terms, the Nemërçkes are part of the Nemërçka massif. The summit of the mountain range,

Maja e Papingut Maja e Papingut is a peak of the Nemërçkë mountain ridge located in the south of Albania, near the Vjosë river. Maja e Papingut is the highest point of Nemerçkë and the highest unshared peak in southern Albania at high. From the rocky sum ...

is the highest peak. Having an elevation of and a prominence of , it is the 44th most prominent mountain peak in Europe. The mountain is very steep and is characterized by its steep cliffs, which falls impressively on the Vjosë. Other peaks include Maja e Gatakut , Maja e Qesarit , and Maja e Poliçanit .

References

Geography of Albania {{albania-geo-stub