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 share ...

has more than 152

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of ...

s and streams, forming 8 large rivers flowing from southeast to northwest, mainly discharging towards the

Adriatic coast The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to the ...

. The rivers of Albania have a total annual flow rate of , or per year. A majority of the precipitation that falls on Albania, drains into the

s and reaches the coast on the west without even leaving the country. In the north, only one small stream escapes Albania. In the south, an even smaller rivulet drains into

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 wi ...

. Due to the topographical divide is east of the border with the

Republic of North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...

. An extensive portion of the basin of the White Drin, basin is in the Dukagjin region, across the northeastern border with

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a international recognition of Kosovo, partiall ...

. The Lake of Ohrid, Lake of Prespa and the Small Lake of Prespa on the southeast, as well as the streams that flow into them, drain into the Black Drin. The watershed divide in the south also dips nearly into Greece at one point. Several tributaries of the

Vjosa River 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 ...

rise in that area. About 65% of their watershed lies within the Albanian territory. The water temperature ranges from 3.5 to 8.9 °C in the winter, and from 17.8 to 24.6 °C in the summer months.

Main rivers

Other rivers

Basins

Organized by

drainage basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...

. Albanian-language names are listed if different from English. Italics indicate that the body of water is not in or bordering Albania.

Adriatic Sea

* Bojana – ** Great Drin – *** White Drin – *** Black Drin – **** Lake Ohrid – *** Valbona **** Gashi ***

Shala Shala (Šala) was a Mesopotamian goddess of weather and grain and the wife of the weather god Adad. It is assumed that she originated in northern Mesopotamia and that her name might have Hurrian origin. She was worshiped especially in Karkar ...

*** Kir ** Lake Skadar – *** ''

Morača The Morača ( sr-cyrl, Морача, ) is a major river in Montenegro that originates in the northern region in Kolašin Municipality under Mount Rzača. It meanders southwards for before emptying into Lake Skadar. Its drainage basin covers . ...

'' – **** Cem **** Mareza * Gulf of Drin – ** Small Drin; see Great Drin above *

Aoös 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 ...

– **

Drino The Drino or Drinos ( sq, Drino, el, Δρίνος) is a river in southern Albania and northwestern Greece, tributary of the Vjosë. Its source is in the northwestern part of the Ioannina regional unit, near the village Delvinaki. It flows init ...

** Shushicë ** Sarantaporos * Seman ** Osum ** Devoll *** Tomorrica * Shkumbin * Mat ** Fan *

Erzen The Erzen ( sq-definite, Erzeni) is a river in central Albania. The length of Erzen is , while the catchment area is including the southern Tirana District and eastern Durrës District. Name The ancient Illyrian name of the river was ''Ardaxa ...

* Ishëm ** Gjole *** Tërzukë *** Tiranë **** Lanë ** Zezë

Ionian Sea

* Pavllë * Bistricë ** Blue Eye (spring) –

Black Sea

* ''

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

'' – ** ''

Sava The Sava (; , ; sr-cyr, Сава, hu, Száva) is a river in Central and Southeast Europe, a right-bank and the longest tributary of the Danube. It flows through Slovenia, Croatia and along its border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and finally t ...

'' *** '' Drina'' **** Lim

References

{{Authority control *

Rivers A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

Landforms of Albania