Deshat ( 'Deshati'; ) is a
massif
A massif () is a principal mountain mass, such as a compact portion of a mountain range, containing one or more summits (e.g. France's Massif Central). In mountaineering literature, ''massif'' is frequently used to denote the main mass of an ...
situated in the
Korab mountain range, on the border between
Albania
Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
and
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...
. Positioned at the southeastern tip of the range, it is bounded by the
Dibër basin to the south (known as Gryka e Radikës), Banja stream valley to the north,
Black Drin
The Black Drin, or Black Drim (; ) is a river in North Macedonia and Albania. It flows out of Lake Ohrid in Struga, North Macedonia. It is long and its drainage basin is . Its average discharge is . After flowing through North Macedonia for , the ...
valley to the west, and Radikë valley (the right branch of the Black Drin) to the east.
The Deshat watershed serves as a dividing line between both countries. The larger section of the massif is located within Albania proper, including the two highest peaks, ''Velivar'' and ''Kërçinë'' .
Geology
Composed predominantly of
flysch
Flysch () is a sequence of sedimentary rock layers that progress from deep-water and turbidity flow deposits to shallow-water shales and sandstones. It is deposited when a deep basin forms rapidly on the continental side of a mountain building ep ...
and partially of
Mesozoic
The Mesozoic Era is the Era (geology), era of Earth's Geologic time scale, geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Period (geology), Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian r ...
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
, the massif presents a rugged structure with a combination of scaly and blocky formations. It has an elongated shape, aligned in a nearly north-south orientation, featuring a relatively gentle relief. Its two prominent peaks showcase typical dome-like shapes. The slopes of the mountain bear the marks of glacial
cirque
A (; from the Latin word ) is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by Glacier#Erosion, glacial erosion. Alternative names for this landform are corrie (from , meaning a pot or cauldron) and ; ). A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landform a ...
s, particularly on the eastern side.
Biodiversity
Vegetation on Deshat varies with altitude, encompassing oak forests from , with beech forests extending up to , and lush alpine meadows rising above . Additionally, sulfur deposits can be found at the foothills of Kërçinë, in the area known as Kërçisht.
See also
*
List of mountains in Albania
Albania is mostly mountainous, with the first alpine regions forming towards the end of the Jurassic period. During the Cenozoic era, the malformation of the ''Albanides'' accelerated, causing the subterranean landscape to take its present form. ...
References
{{reflist
Mountains of Albania
Two-thousanders of Albania
Korab