Small Prespa Lake
Transboundary lake hosting the world's largest Dalmatian pelican colony.
Small Prespa Lake (Greek: Λίμνη Μικρή Πρέσπα, Limni Mikri Prespa; Albanian: Prespa e Vogël; Macedonian: Мало Преспанско Езеро, Malo Prespansko Ezero) is a lake shared between Greece and Albania. It is the smaller of the two Prespa Lakes and is recognized as an important wetland ecosystem favoring breeding and feeding of rare water bird species, best known for hosting the largest breeding colony of the Dalmatian pelican in the world.
- surface_area_greece
- 42.5 km²
- surface_area_albania
- 4.3 km²
- drainage_area_greece
- 138 km²
- drainage_area_albania
- 51 km²
- plant_species
- more than 1,500
- endemic_species_prespa
- 39
- endemic_species_ohrid
- 146
Quick Facts
- Location
- Balkans (primarily Greece, Albania – a small part)
- Countries
- Greece, Albania
- Area
- 46.8 km2
- Max Depth
- 7.7 m
- Elevation
- 853 m
- Islands
- Agios Achillios, Vidronisi
- Mapframe
- yes
- Mapframe-Zoom
- 12
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Small Prespa Lake contains the island of Agios Achilleios, which features the Basilica of Saint Achillius of Larissa, an example of the survival of Early Christian architectural style in the Byzantine period. The island became a tourist and fishing centre in the 1970s.
During 1970, significant amounts of water from the Devoll river were diverted into the lake for irrigation purposes, but due to high suspended solids in the river water, significant siltation occurred on the Albanian side. The practice has recently stopped. The Albanian part of the lake has a surface of 420 hectares. In 1999, the Society for the Protection of Prespa received the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for its conservation efforts regarding the Lake Prespa Ramsar site.
Reader's Guide
Small Prespa Lake is significant as a transboundary wetland of international importance, recognized by the Ramsar Convention. Its ecological value is underscored by hosting the world's largest breeding colony of the Dalmatian pelican, a rare water bird species. The lake's flora includes more than 1,500 plant species, with 39 endemic to the Prespa Lakes and 146 endemic to Lake Ohrid. The lake's Albanian portion is surrounded by the villages of Rakickë, Shyec, Buzliqen, and Tren, while the Greek portion is surrounded by villages including Agios Germanos, Laimos, and Mikrolimni. The island of Agios Achilleios adds historical depth, with its Byzantine basilica and role as a 10th-century capital of Bulgarian ruler Samuel. The 1970 diversion of the Devoll river caused siltation, but the practice has ceased. Conservation efforts by the Society for the Protection of Prespa earned the Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award in 1999, highlighting the lake's ongoing ecological importance.
Did You Know?
- Small Prespa Lake hosts the largest breeding colony of the Dalmatian pelican in the world.
- The island of Agios Achilleios features the Basilica of Saint Achillius of Larissa, a notable example of Early Christian architecture from the Byzantine period.
- Nikos Zachariadis, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece, married Roula Koukoulou in 1945, not on Agios Achilleios.
- The lake's flora includes more than 1,500 plant species, with 39 endemic to the Prespa Lakes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Small Prespa Lake?
Small Prespa Lake is a transboundary freshwater body split between Greece (42.5 km²) and Albania (4.3 km²), making it the lesser of the twin Prespa Lakes. It is recognized internationally as a critical wetland ecosystem situated right on the Greco-Albanian border.
What are Small Prespa Lake's powers/role?
Its core ecological function is providing breeding and feeding habitat for rare waterbird species, most famously the world's largest Dalmatian pelican breeding colony. It also sustains over 1,500 plant species and 39 endemics found nowhere else on the planet.
How does Small Prespa Lake's story end?
Because it is a living ecosystem rather than a finite narrative, its 'story' is still unfolding: today it remains a thriving, transboundary wetland whose long-term health depends on coordinated conservation between Greece and Albania. There is no final chapter yet—only ongoing stewardship.
Why is Small Prespa Lake important?
It shelters 39 species endemic to the Prespa region, making it one of southeastern Europe's most biologically irreplaceable sites. Its role as the planet's biggest Dalmatian pelican breeding ground elevates its significance to a global conservation priority.
Where does Small Prespa Lake live?
It straddles the border of Greece and Albania, with the Greek share covering 42.5 km² and the Albanian side adding 4.3 km². The combined drainage basin spans roughly 189 km² across both nations.
More in National parks of Greece 1-21
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