Vjosa

"Aous" redirects here. For other uses, see Aous (disambiguation).
Vjosa
Αώος (Aoös)
Mouth of Vjosa discharging into the Adriatic
Location
CountriesAlbania and Greece
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationPindus, Greece
Mouth 
 • location
Adriatic Sea, Albania
 • coordinates
40°38′34″N 19°19′2″E / 40.64278°N 19.31722°E / 40.64278; 19.31722
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length272 kilometres (169 mi)
Basin size6,706 km2 (2,589 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average195 m3/s (6,900 cu ft/s)

The Vjosa (Albanian: [ˈvjɔsa]; indefinite form: Vjosë) or Aoös (Greek: Αώος) is a river in northwestern Greece and southwestern Albania. Its total length is about 272 kilometres (169 mi),[1] of which the first 80 kilometres (50 mi) are in Greece, and the remaining 192 kilometres (119 mi) in Albania.[2] Its drainage basin is 6,706 km2 (2,589 sq mi) and its average discharge is 195 m3/s (6,900 cu ft/s).[1] The main tributaries are Voidomatis, Sarantaporos, Drino and Shushicë.

The river arises in the Pindus mountains of Epirus, Greece, and generally flows northwest. It enters Albania near Çarshovë, and empties into the Adriatic Sea just north of Vlorë. Generally wild and unpolluted, the river is surrounded by the Vikos–Aoös National Park in Greece, and the Vjosa-Narta Protected Landscape near its mouth. In December 2020, the Albanian portion of the river was designated a "Managed Nature Reserve" by the government. A campaign by the environmentalist groups to designate the whole Albanian part of the course a national park, to guard against the prospective hydroelectric projects, ultimately resulted in the creation of the Vjosa Wild River National Park on 15 March 2023.[3][4][5][6]

  1. ^ a b Cullaj, A.; Hasko, A.; Miho, A.; Schanz, F.; Brandl, H.; Bachofen, R. (2005). "The quality of Albanian natural waters and the human impact". Environment International. 31 (1): 138. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2004.06.008. PMID 15607787.
  2. ^ Mema, Bresiloa; Boyle, Joseph (14 May 2021). "Undammed, undimmed: The battle over a unique European river". Bangkok Post. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  3. ^ Kryeministria (15 March 2023). "Vjosa, lumi i fundit i egër në Evropë u shpall sot 'Park Kombëtar' me mbrojtje të plotë kombëtare dhe ndërkufitare, sipas standardeve më të larta Ndërkombëtare" (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Vjosa, one of our last wild rivers, becomes Europe's first Wild River National Park". International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 15 March 2023. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  5. ^ McVeigh, Karen (15 March 2023). "'Historic moment' for nature as Europe's first wild river national park announced in Albania". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  6. ^ Baker, Molly. "Europe's First Wild River National Park Is Here". Patagonia. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.