The Karavasta Lagoon is one of the largest lagoons in the Mediterranean Sea and is home to the Dalmatian Pelican, as well as over 250 bird, mammal, and amphibian species. Five percent of the world’s Dalmatian Pelican population is found in this lagoon.
Karavasta Lagoon is the largest lagoon in Albania and one of the largest adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, covering an area of 42 km² (16 mi²). Karavasta is part of the Divjakë Karavasta National Park and is separated from the Adriatic Sea by a wide strip of sand. It extends across the coastal plain of Myzeqe near Divjakë and about 20 km (12 mi) near Lushnjë.
Karavasta is home to many pine trees and small sandy islands. It is renowned for hosting the Dalmatian Pelican; 6.4% of the European Dalmatian Pelican population is found in Karavasta. The lagoon is part of the Illyrian deciduous forests terrestrial ecoregion part of the Mediterranean ecosystems and the Palearctic Mediterranean scrub biome. The climate is typically Mediterranean.
The lagoon is located within the boundaries of the Divjaka-Karavasta National Park and has been recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The lagoon has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, because it hosts a significant number of populations of various bird species.
