Lake Ohrid lies on the border of North Macedonia and Albania and is among Europe’s oldest lakes.
The lake occupies a tectonic basin in the southern Balkans and is estimated to be about 2 to 4 million years old. Its long geological history and relative isolation have allowed many species to evolve locally, giving Lake Ohrid an exceptional concentration of endemic plants and animals.
Lake Ohrid reaches a maximum depth of about 293 metres. It is fed by underground springs and surface streams, including water transferred from nearby Lake Prespa through porous karst rock. The lake drains northward through the Black Drin River.
The city of Ohrid and the lake’s shoreline are internationally important cultural and natural sites. Lake Ohrid is often confused with Lake Prespa because the two lie close together, but they are separate lakes with different basins and drainage patterns.