Lake Prespa

Lake Prespa
The Island of Maligrad in the Albanian part of the Lake
Location
Location	Balkans (Albania, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia)
Coordinates	40°54′N 21°02′E / 40.900°N 21.033°E / 40.900; 21.033Coordinates: 40°54′N 21°02′E / 40.900°N 21.033°E / 40.900; 21.033
Type	tectonic
Primary outflows	Lake Ohrid via karstic channels
Basin countries	Albania, Greece, Macedonia
Surface area	259 km²
Max. depth	54 m
Surface elevation	853 m
Islands	Golem Grad, Mal Grad
Ramsar Wetland
Designated	3 July 2013

Prespa is the name of two freshwater lakes in southeast Europe, shared by Albania, Greece, and the Republic of Macedonia. Of the total surface area, 176.3 km² (68.07 sq mi) belongs to the Republic of Macedonia, 46.3 km² (17.88 sq mi) to Albania and 36.4 km² (14.05 sq mi) to Greece. They are the highest tectonic lakes in the Balkans, standing at an elevation of 853 m (2,798 ft).

The Great Prespa Lake (Albanian: Liqeni i Prespës, Greek: Μεγάλη Πρέσπα, Limni Megáli Préspa, Macedonian: Преспанско Езеро, Prespansko Ezero) is divided between Albania, Greece and Macedonia. The Small Prespa Lake (Greek: Μικρή Πρέσπα, Mikri Prespa; Albanian: Prespa e Vogël) is shared only between Greece (138 km² (53.28 sq mi) drainage area; 42.5 km² (16.41 sq mi) surface area) and Albania (51 km² (19.69 sq mi) drainage area; 4.3 km² (1.66 sq mi) surface area).

The area contains three National Parks located in Albania, Greece, and the Republic of Macedonia respectively. The largest town in the Prespa Lakes region is Resen in the Republic of Macedonia. In 2014, the Ohrid-Prespa Transboundary Reserve between Albania and Macedonia was added to UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

In the 10th century, the Tsar Samuil built the fortress and church of St. Achillius on an island called Agios Achillios in the Small Prespa Lake, on the Greek side of the border. The biggest island in the Great Prespa Lake, on Macedonia's side, is called Golem Grad ("Large Town"), and Snake Island (Zmiski Ostrov). The other island Mal Grad (Small Town, in Albania) is the site of a ruined 14th century monastery dedicated to St. Peter. Today, both islands are uninhabited.