Islets of Ksamil

The Islets of Ksamil (Albanian: Ishuj të Ksamilit or Ishuj të Tetranisit), consist of four rocky islets located in the direct proximity to the Ionian Sea in Southern Albania. The village of Ksamil, after whom the islets are named, is located to the east of the islets. Furthermore, the islands are situated within the boundaries of the Butrint National Park.[2]

Islets of Ksamil
Native name:
Ishujt e Ksamilit
View of the largest island of Ksamil
Geography
Coordinates39°46′30″N 19°59′42″E
Total islands4
Area8.9 km2 (3.4 sq mi)[1]
Administration
CountyVlorë County
DistrictSarandë

The islets lie to the extreme south of the Albanian Riviera along the Ionian Sea. They are remote and can only be accessed by boat. The combined areas of the four islands is only 8.9 hectares (22.0 acres).[3] The two outer islands are connected by a narrow strip of sand. In terms of geology, islands has been shaped into its current form over the Jurassic period, with its disjunction of the mainland due to the water activity.[1]

The islets falls phytogeographically within the Illyrian deciduous forests terrestrial ecoregion of the Palearctic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub. The vegetation of the islands includes many communities of a Mediterranean type, while the most important habitats include the Mediolitoral and Infralitoral zone.[1] The seagrasses along the coast are dominated by posidonia oceanica, halophila stipulacea and cymodocea nodosa.[1] Posidonia oceanica is mostly abundant in the shallow waters and can extend more down to more than 30 metres in the depth. The forested land area is mostly covered by species such as holly oak, common alder, elm, bay laurel and myrtle.[4] The marine waters are rich in cetacean diversities including such as short-beaked common dolphin and common bottlenose dolphin.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Protected area gap assessment, marine biodiversity and legislation on marine protected areas" (PDF). undp.org. Tirana. pp. 79–83.
  2. "Bego Malltezi Ecotourism in Butrint NP". researchgate.net. p. 152.
  3. National Tourism Agency. "Albanian Nature and Active Holidays" (PDF). Republic of Albania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  4. Agjencia Kombetare e Zonave te Mbrojtura. "Ishujt e Ksamilit". akzm.gov.al (in Albanian). p. 1. Archived from the original on 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
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