It is the largest in the Balkans, with an area of 360-540 km2, and together with the Moraça, Drini and Buna Rivers represents a unique system with high natural, biological and hydrological potentials.
The lake is 45 km long and 13 km wide and collects water from the watershed of about 5,179 km2. The average depth is 7-10m, while the maximum is 44m.
From this lake originates Buna, which flows into the Adriatic. Once, the lake stretched to the foot of the Alps. Today’s features of the lake were formed not long ago. According to some authors, still late, in historical times, the size of the lake was very small. Later the area began to increase, and this increase continues even today. The greatest growth began especially in the middle of the last century, when a branch of the Drin was formed, flowing into Buna.
Its fauna is also rich and one of the most interesting in Europe. The Buna River serves as a passage for fish from the Sea to the Lake and vice versa. About 45 species of fish live in it, among which is the bilini (Acipenser sturio). Some have economic importance, such as: Gjuca, Krapi, Qefulli, Njala, Njila, Lloska, Kubla, etc.
Lake Shkodra is rated among the largest water spaces in the Balkans, with an ecosystem rich in fish and birds. For this reason, the Albanian and Montenegrin governments have declared it a “protected area”. At the same time, it is an important IBA area for birds in Europe (nearly 40 species of waterfowl) and for the globally threatened species Phalacrocorax pygmeus. It is used for fishing, irrigation and tourism.
The lake is characterized by a very rich and endemic flora and fauna, as well as a high capacity and diversity of birds, of which 168 species belong to aquatic habitats.
