Geography in the south of the coastline.
Albania is located in the southwest of the
Balkan Peninsula and bordered by
Montenegro to the northwest,
Kosovo to the northeast, the
North Macedonia to the east, and
Greece to the south and southeast. Most of the country is rugged and mountainous with the
Albanian Alps located in the north, the
Korab Mountains in the east, the
Ceraunian Mountains in the south and the
Skanderbeg Mountains in the center. Being positioned in the
Northern Mediterranean Sea, the country's coast touches both, the
Adriatic Sea and
Ionian Sea, forming the renowned
Albanian Riviera. In contrast to the mountainous terrain of the country, the
western lowlands consists mostly of coastal lowlands and plains. The Albanian Ionian Sea Coast is known for its rugged natural beauty, with rocky highlands and a great marine life, while the
Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast consist of sandy beaches and shallow coastal waters. . The coastline covers an extensive part of the Ceraunian Mountains, which extends parallel immediately along the Ionian Sea, starting at
Sarandë, running for over 100 kilometers in a southeast–northwest direction along the Albanian Riviera, to
Orikum. The mountainous interior is fragmented into several
massifs often reaching 2,000 metres
above the Adriatic. This unique mountainous structure reaches its highest point at
Maja e Çikës, and is full of wide and steep terraces that slope down towards the sea. The extreme southern region has a flat and shallow character with the presence of
Lake Butrint that was formed during the
quaternary period. inside the
Ceraunian Mountains as seen from the beach of
Dhërmi. In terms of
geology, the major structural characteristic of the coastline is the presence of numerous
carbonate anticlines for example in
Karaburun and Sarandë. The core of these structures, which are mostly not visible at the surface, are constructed of
Permian–
Triassic evaporates, that were formed about 252 million years ago. The coastline is abundant in
dolomites from the
triassic period, the
carbonate rocks follows with
limestone from the
jurassic period and
bituminous schists,
cretaceous porcelain and
phosphate limestone. The coastline is dominated by several long straight and rocky
beaches, the most famous of which is the inaccurately named 5 kilometre long stretch of
Borsh Beach in the
Albanian Riviera's center. The slightly shorter
Dhërmi and
Himara Beaches lies further north. Nonetheless, the coastline is rugged and is dotted with
bays and
peninsulas such as
Porto Palermo in the center.
Sarandë is the largest city in the region and has wide beaches and a sheltered harbour. The climate of the coastline is considerably influenced by the sea and mountains. Under the
Köppen climate classification, the coastline experiences mostly a moderately hot and sunny
mediterranean climate under influences of the
continental climate. The mediterranean climate is typical of the coastal areas with considerable differences in temperature and rainfall between the seasons. The mountainous areas have a typical mountainous climate with frequent snow during winter.
Biodiversity thrives in the traditional rural landscapes of the coastline. The diversity, in terms of
topography,
geology,
hydrology and
climatic conditions, determined the broad variety of life in the region. The coastline features contrasting
habitats and
ecosystems impacted by various
environmental factors, many of which are with conservation of national significance. In terms of
phytogeography, the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast belongs to the
illyrian province of the
circumboreal region within the
boreal kingdom. It falls completely within the
illyrian deciduous forests terrestrial
ecoregion of the
Palearctic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. The
vegetation is predominantly represented by
evergreen and
deciduous shrubs associated with the
Mediterranean Sea. The
woodlands, close to
freshwater habitats, are represented by the
alluvial,
mixed and
conifer forests but also coastal woods. The
seagrasses are dominated by
posidonia oceanica,
halophila stipulacea and
cymodocea nodosa that are mostly to be found in the shallow waters which, however, can extend to more than 30 metres in the depth. The
fauna is incredibly rich and diverse, with many
endemic,
rare and
threatened species. Because of their size and untouched
landscapes, the inaccessible
caves, scattered along the coastline, provide habitats for resting shelters for the
critically endangered mediterranean monk seal.
Karaburun and
Butrint are frequently visited by the world's rarest
pinniped. The forests are inhabited by the
beech marten,
red fox,
wild boar,
golden jackal,
hare and
eurasian otter, while the
grey wolf is only present in winter.
Whales and
dolphins are frequent guests in the offshore waters of the coastline, though the most common are
cuvier's beaked whale,
sperm whale,
short-beaked common dolphin,
striped dolphin, while the
common bottlenose dolphin may be observed all around the coast of Albania. s along the coastline provide
habitats for many important
species, among them three types of
endangered sea turtles. Although not very large in size, the coastline is home to numerous species of
birds that vary from nesting to
breeding birds, and
migrating to wintering birds. At the minimum 246 species of birds have been reported only in
Butrint National Park. The rugged slopes and vertical
sea cliffs provides excellent breeding conditions for the endangered
egyptian vulture and
golden eagle. The
short-toed snake eagle is frequently to be found in open habitats with scattered trees,
meadows, forest and rocky slopes.
Protected areas provide a vast array of social, environmental and economic benefits to people and communities worldwide, containing outstanding areas of
biodiversity, essential and cultural significance. The region contains areas of great ecological importance and there are a number of designations of
parks and
protected areas in the coastline that reflect the great value and importance of the region. The
Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park is the most extensive national park in the region, encompassing the borderline of
Karaburun Peninsula and
Sazan Island in the north. Its terrain is dominated by a variety of landscape formations and most notable by the mountains of the peninsula which belongs to the
Ceraunian Mountains. It is host to a diverse
marine and terrestrial life attracting thousands of tourists all year around.
Butrint National Park is slightly smaller and is located in the extreme south of the country close to the border between
Albania and
Greece. The surroundings of
Butrint are not only home to numerous
globally threatened species, but offers also a rich cultural history. It comprises an extraordinary diversity of
habitats,
ecosystems and
wildlife. Although Lake Butrint was further recognised as a
wetland of international importance by designation under the
Ramsar Convention. The
Llogara National Park is located in the
Vlorë District and the third largest national park in the region. The park's natural environment is a vast one of exceptional beauty and unique biodiversity.
Maja e Çikës, part of the
Ceraunian Mountains, is located at the center of the park and is surrounded by dense forest which provide an exceptional view of nature and sea, bird watching, various peaks and animals. The park is covered with limestone and mountainous terrains providing various geological features. == Economy ==