Which river forms the Skadar Lake outflow to the Adriatic Sea?

The Bojana River forms Lake Skadar’s outflow to the Adriatic Sea.

Known as the Buna in Albanian, the river begins where Lake Skadar drains near the city of Shkodër. It flows for about 41 kilometres through Albania and Montenegro before reaching the Adriatic coast. In this way, Lake Skadar’s waters ultimately leave the lake through the Bojana rather than through the Morača, which is a major river flowing into the lake.

The river’s course has changed over time. A large flood in 1858 redirected the Great Drin into the Bojana system, and the Drin now contributes more water than the Bojana itself in some measurements. The river also forms part of the border between Albania and Montenegro.

The names can cause confusion: Bojana is the Slavic name, while Buna is the Albanian form. Morača is the principal inflowing river associated with Lake Skadar, whereas Bojana is the downstream outlet carrying lake water toward the sea.