Lake Ohrid is shared by North Macedonia and Albania.
The lake straddles the mountainous border between southwestern North Macedonia and eastern Albania in the Balkans. Most of its surface area and shoreline lie in North Macedonia, while Albania occupies the western and southwestern portion. The lakeside cities include Ohrid and Struga in North Macedonia and Pogradec in Albania.
Lake Ohrid is one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes. It formed in a tectonic basin millions of years ago and has persisted because of its great depth, continuing geological subsidence, and relatively low sediment input. Its isolated history has produced more than 200 known endemic aquatic species.
The lake is also internationally protected. North Macedonia’s side became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, Albania’s portion received World Heritage status in 2019, and the wider Ohrid–Prespa region is recognized as a transboundary biosphere reserve. Greece is nearby, but it does not border Lake Ohrid.