Geomorphological sites of Albania

Abstract

Albania is characterized by a typically alpine accidented mountain relief. About half of the country (48.1 %) belongs to 200-1000 m altitude belt, and 28.5 % belongs to the levels higher than 1000 m. The average altitude is 708 m., i. e., twice more than high average of Europe. As a result the horizontal Smosh coefficient is more than 3 km/km2. There are formed some genetical types of relief, and namely, structural-erosional, karstic, river-erosional, erosional-denudated, glacial, seacoast. Geological-tectonical evolution, varied kinds of rocks, climate changes and countinuos action of the atmospheric agents have influenced the formation of different kinds of morphological forms of the relief. In such a manner are formed a number of geomorphological sites of natural aesthetic and scientific importance or with climate-curative features. The very dense river net with common tendence from east to west caused formation of many erosional sites. The large surface of carbonate rocks (6600 km2) and evaporite ones favoured formation of karstic plateaus, fields, holes, and caves. Glacial events have their traces as well, especially on the high mountains of Albania. They form lakes, circus, morains, lagoons, etc. often of geomonumental values. Geomorphological sites in Albania are widespread mainly in the Northern Mountain Region (Albanian Alps), central and southern mountain units and less in the hilly-field near the Adriatic sea coast. They are of local, district’s, national and some of Balkan or European importance.