Korana

Korana
Korana canyon at Slunj
Map
Location
Countries
Physical characteristics
Mouth 
 • location
Kupa
 • coordinates
45°30′00″N 15°34′30″E / 45.500°N 15.575°E / 45.500; 15.575
Length138.6 km (86.1 mi) [1]
Basin size2,301.5 km2 (888.6 sq mi) [1]
Basin features
ProgressionKupaSavaDanubeBlack Sea

The Korana is a river in central Croatia and west Bosnia and Herzegovina. The river has a total length of 138.6 km (86.1 mi) and watershed area of 2,301.5 km2 (888.6 sq mi).[1]

The river's name is derived from Proto-Indo-European *karr- 'rock'.[2] It was recorded in the 13th century as Coranna and Corona.[3]

Korana rises in the eastern parts of Lika and creates the Plitvice Lakes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Downstream from Plitvice Lakes, the Korana river forms a 25 kilometers long border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina near Cazin. From there it flows northwards through Croatia, where it finally reaches the river Kupa at Karlovac.

The soil of the karst region, through which this river flows consists of limestone. Under certain physical and chemical conditions the river is constantly creating new soil from plants (see: Plitvice Lakes).

The river Slunjčica flows into Korana at Rastoke/Slunj, and the river Mrežnica flows into it at Karlovac.

In the Korana exist rich molluscan assemblages composed of 33 species.[4]

  1. ^ a b c "Sava River Basin Analysis Report" (PDF). International Sava River Basin Commission. September 2009. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF, 9.98 MB) on 2010-07-17.
  2. ^ H. Barić, Slav. revija (1950) (3), cited in Šimunović 2013, p. 204
  3. ^ Šimunović 2013, p. 204.
  4. ^ Luboš Beran; (2013) Aquatic molluscan fauna (Mollusca) of the Korana River (Croatia) p. 232, Natura Croatica, [1]