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Sazan

Coordinates:40°29′37″N19°16′50″E/ 40.49361°N 19.28056°E/40.49361; 19.28056
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(Redirected fromSaseno)

Sazan
Sazan seen from theKaraburun Peninsula
Sazan is located in Albania
Sazan
Sazan
Geography
Coordinates40°29′37″N19°16′50″E/ 40.49361°N 19.28056°E/40.49361; 19.28056
Area5.7 km2(2.2 sq mi)
Length4.8 km (2.98 mi)
Width2 km (1.2 mi)
Highest elevation344 m (1129 ft)[1]
Administration
StateVlorë County
MunicipalityVlorë
Sazan LighthouseEdit this at Wikidata
Constructed1871 (first)
Height11.9 m (39 ft)Edit this on Wikidata
Shapecylindrical tower attached to a 2-storey keeper's house[2][3]
Power sourcesolar powerEdit this on Wikidata
First lit1920s (current)
Focal height157 m (515 ft)Edit this on Wikidata
Range14 nmi (26 km; 16 mi)Edit this on Wikidata
CharacteristicFl(4) W 15sEdit this on Wikidata

Sazan(Albaniandefinite form:Sazani) is anAlbanianuninhabitedislandin theMediterranean Sea.Thelargestof Albania's islands, it is a designatedmilitary exclusion zone;it lies in a strategically important location between theStrait of Otrantoand the mouth of theBay of Vlorë,marking the border between theAdriaticandIonianseas.

In 2010, 2,721.87 hectares (6,725.9 acres) of the island's surrounding marine area was designated as theKaraburun-Sazan Marine Park.[4]In clear weather, Sazan is sometimes visible from the coast ofSalento,Italy,to its west. The island has been open to the public since July 2015.[5]The island has a surface area of 5.7 km2(2.2 sq mi). It is 4.8 km (3.0 mi) long and 2 km (1.2 mi) wide, and its coastline measures about 15 km (9.3 mi).[6]

History

[edit]
TheStrait of Otrantoon a map from the beginning of the 17th century.

Sazan was known asSason(Σάσων) to the ancient Greeks, andSasoto the ancient Romans. Pseudo-Scylax mentioned it in hisPeriplus.[7]Polybiuswrote that there had been a military encounter there in 215 BC between the forces ofPhilip V of Macedonand the Romans. The island was part of theRoman Empire,and later came underByzantinerule.

In 1279, it was captured by theAnjou of Naples,and in the 14th century, it was held by Albanian lords, often under the protection of theRepublic of Venice.

Around 1400, theOttomanscaptured it, but by 1696 it was controlled by the Venetians. In 1815, it came under the protection of Britain along with theIonian Islands,which were madean autonomous republic.[8]

Map of Sazan Island in 1688.

In 1864, the island was ceded toGreecealong with the rest of theIonian Islands.But Greece did not occupy it, and it came under thede factocontrol of theOttomans.It was not until theFirst Balkan War,in 1912, that Greece landed soldiers on the island and formally claimed it, calling itSasona(Σάσωνα). After the end of theSecond Balkan Warin 1913,ItalyandAustria-Hungarypressed Greece to evacuate all ofNorthern Epirus,including the island. Due to the risk of starting a war with Italy, Greece evacuated it.[9]

Italy in turn occupied it on 30 October 1914, and established a military commander on the island, which is called Saseno in Italian. This was later ratified on 26 April 1915 by the secretTreaty of London.AfterWorld War I,Albania formally ceded the island to Italy on 2 September 1920 as part of theAlbano-Italian protocol.

The island was part of Italy from 1920 until afterWorld War II,administratively part ofLagosta,in the province ofZara.In those years the Italian authorities built alighthouseand some naval fortifications, and populated the island with a few families of fishermen relocated fromApulia.[10]The island was united to the ItalianGovernatorate of Dalmatiain 1941 duringWorld War IIand ceded to Albania on 10 February 1947, under the postwarpeace treatywith Italy.

Post-World War II

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During theCold Warbetween theSoviet Unionand the United States, Albania relied heavily on the Soviet Union. During that time, the Soviets built a base forWhiskey-class submarinesand a chemical/biological weapons plant on the island and surrounding areas. After the fall ofcommunismfour submarines remained at Pasha Limani port in the bay of Vlore.[11]To this day, many Soviet-eragas maskscan still be found scattered around the valley of the island.

The island now is uninhabited but there is a small Italo-Albanian naval base, used mainly to countercontrabandbetween southern Italy and Albania and as a training field for the BritishRoyal Navy.[12][11]In 2010, the island's surrounding sea waters, and those of adjacentKaraburun Peninsulawere proclaimed a National Marine Park by the Albanian government.

Environment

[edit]

Geography and climate

[edit]
Map of Sazan Island

Sazan is the largest island in the country and Albania's westernmost point. It is strategically located at the entrance to theBay of Vlorë,in the easternStrait of OtrantoseparatingItalyfrom Albania. It is also located at the informal junction line of theAdriaticandIonian Seainside theMediterranean Sea,which is just to the south according to international scientific bodies.

The island is composed oflimestonerocks, which was formed during theCretaceous period,while the eastern part is partially composed of terrigenic and cleistogenic deposits.[13]It has four peaks, the highest standing at 344 m (1,129 ft)above sea levelfollowed by two peaks in the center 331 m (1,086 ft) and 307 m (1,007 ft), and the lowest with 228 m (748 ft) in the south of the island.[1]Sazan has a coastline of about 15 km (9.3 mi) characterized by sandy beaches, capes, rocky cliffs and underwater fauna.

Bay of St. Nicholas

Along its western shore the cliffs descending up to 40 m (0.025 mi) underwater. Capes of the island include the Bay of Paradise (Gjiri i Parajsës), Bay of St. Nicholas (Gjiri i Shënkollit), Cape of Shënkoll, Cape of Kallam, Cape of Jug, Cape of Pëllumba, and Cape of Pulbardha.[1]

The island has a climate unusual in Albania, due to its maritime location. It is notmediterraneanbut rathersubtropicalon account of its warm winters and hot summers.[citation needed]The climate and vegetation resemble those of the south ofCreteinGreece,Tunisiaand even parts ofEgypt.The flora is different from that of the rest of Albania in that it is subtropical. A smalltornadoorwaterspoutwas spotted along the coast coming inland in August 2002.[14]

Climate data for Sazan (1991–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 16.3
(61.3) 		17.5
(63.5) 		18.6
(65.5) 		20.1
(68.2) 		22.9
(73.2) 		25.6
(78.1) 		28.4
(83.1) 		28.4
(83.1) 		25.8
(78.4) 		23.4
(74.1) 		19.6
(67.3) 		17.4
(63.3) 		22.0
(71.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.2
(50.4) 		10.5
(50.9) 		11.7
(53.1) 		13.3
(55.9) 		16.4
(61.5) 		21.3
(70.3) 		23.7
(74.7) 		23.4
(74.1) 		21.2
(70.2) 		16.5
(61.7) 		13.1
(55.6) 		11.1
(52.0) 		16.0
(60.9)
Average precipitation days 10 9 7 6 4 3 1 2 4 7 10 11 74
Source: METEOALB Weather Station

Flora and fauna

[edit]
Jacobaea maritimacan be found on the eastern coast.[15]

Biogeographically,Sazan Island falls within theIllyrian deciduous foreststerrestrialecoregionof thePalearcticMediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub.Due to the combination of southern geographiclatitudeand highaltitudeand as well the variation of climate, geological and hydrological conditions have contributed to the formation of a uniqueflorainside the island.

The variety of flora and vegetation can be explained by its strategically position between the western and easternMediterranean Sea.[15]The island is home to 435 species (419indigenous) ofvascular plants,or 8.2% of Albania's entire vascular flora.[15]There are only one endemic (Limonium anfractum) and three subendemic (Centaurea pawlowski,Scutellaria rupestrisandVerbascum guicciardini) plants.[15]The varied relief creates various ecological environments for plants, further diversified by the dominant rock types which form siliceous and calcareous terrain on the territory of the park. The rocky shores andlimestoneseacliffson the southern corners of Sazan are home to numeroushalophilespecies such aslotus cytisoidesandlimonium anfractum.[15]The forests of Sazan are generally composed ofshrubs,sclerophyllforests withholm oak,deciduousforests withhophornbeamandsouth European flowering ash.[15]

Thedalmatian Algyroidesis the most remarkable reptile on Sazan.[16]

Due to its specific topography, climatic, hydrological and geological conditions, the island is characterized by housing a unique vegetation and biodiversity. The fauna is represented by 15 species ofmammals(including 8 species of bats such as thecommon pipistrelle,andsoprano pipistrelle[16]), 39 species ofbirds,[17]8 species ofreptiles,1 species ofamphibiaand as well as 122 species of invertebrates.[16]The bird species in Sazan with high conservation value include 23songbirds,5bird of preys,3pigeons,and 3swifts.[16]

The amphibians are represented by 1 of which include thegreen toadnesting in the wet deciduous forests and the forest streams. There are 8 reptile species. TheMediterranean house gecko,testudo hermanni boettgeri,Balkan pond turtle,sheltopusik,blue-throated keeled lizard,Balkan wall lizard,Montpellier snakeandBalkan whip snakeare present in most rocky, and wet natural habitats throughout the island.[16]

There are between 122 identified species, including 113insects,but their actual number is estimated to be higher.[16]Among the insects are 40 arebeetles,16butterflies,22heteroptera,20orthoptera,5dragonfliesand 10hymenoptera.[16]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toSazan.

References

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  1. ^abcAgjencia Kombëtare e Bregdetit."MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SAZANI ISLAND, ALBANIA"(PDF).bregdeti.gov.al.p. 11.
  2. ^List of Lights,Pub. 113:The West Coasts of Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Azovskoye More (Sea of Azov)(PDF).List of Lights.United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.2015.
  3. ^Rowlett, Russ."Lighthouses of Albania".The Lighthouse Directory.University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Retrieved6 April2017.
  4. ^"Management Plan for National Marine Park Karaburun-Sazan".mcpa.iwlearn.org.p. 10.The total area of National Park Karaburun-Sazan is 12,570.82 ha, with marine area near Karaburuni having 9,848.95 ha and marine area near Sazani island having 2,721.87 ha.
  5. ^"FOTOLAJM/ Anija e parë turistike me 119 turistë mbërriti në Sazan".26 July 2015.Retrieved2 July2016.
  6. ^Agjencia Kombëtare e Bregdetit."MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SAZANI ISLAND, ALBANIA"(PDF).bregdeti.gov.al.p. 9.
  7. ^Pseudo Scylax, Periplous, §26
  8. ^Sk (24 March 2009)."The island of Sazan (Saseno, Σασων)".pyrroulas.Retrieved2 July2016.
  9. ^"Νήσος Σάσων: Πώς παραχωρήθηκε στην Αλβανία με Νόμο".22 April 2017.
  10. ^Olinto Mileta.Popolazioni dell'Istria, Fiume, Zara e Dalmazia 1850–2002.ediz. A.D.E.S. Trieste, 2005
  11. ^abRyan (15 March 2015)."Take a Look Inside These Abandoned Submarines & Bases".History in Orbit website.p. 38. Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2019.Retrieved6 July2018.
  12. ^"Cooperation between Italy and Albania (in Italian)".Archived fromthe originalon 6 March 2012.Retrieved20 May2010.
  13. ^Agjencia Kombëtare e Bregdetit."MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SAZANI ISLAND, ALBANIA"(PDF).bregdeti.gov.al.p. 18.
  14. ^http:// tornadoit.org/lefoto28.htmTrombe marine e tornado sull'isola di Saseno (Albania) nell'agosto 2002, Tornadoit.org
  15. ^abcdefAgjencia Kombëtare e Bregdetit."MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SAZANI ISLAND, ALBANIA"(PDF).bregdeti.gov.al.pp. 21–26.
  16. ^abcdefgAgjencia Kombëtare e Bregdetit."MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR SAZANI ISLAND, ALBANIA"(PDF).bregdeti.gov.al.pp. 27–35.
  17. ^Euronatur."ADRIATIC FLYWAY – BIRD CONSERVATION ON THE BALKANS"(PDF).euronatur.org.pp. 107–118. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 May 2021.Retrieved13 June2018.
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