Montenegrin Littoral

The Montenegrin coast (Serbian Crnogorsko Primorje / Црногорско приморје ) is the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. It is one of the most pronounced karst cliffs on the Mediterranean and is characterized by one of the largest and deepest bays of the Mediterranean, the Bay of Kotor, which is sometimes referred to geologically inaccurate as Mediterranean fjord and long considered the most important natural harbor on the Adriatic coast time as an important naval base served.

The Montenegrin coast is one of the wettest regions of the Mediterranean. In the mountain village Crkvice even the highest value in Europe is measured with an annual rainfall of about 4500 mm. Due to the shielding effect of the above the narrow coastal zone uplifting steep mountains of Orjens as well as the applicable National Lovčen Mountains massif is found in the climatically favorable area, a specific humid subtype subtropical vegetation.

In the high seismic area most recently in 1979, a large quake occurred with the ML = 7.3 on the Richter scale, while the historic old town of Kotor was largely destroyed.

• 3.1 Bay of Kotor
• 3.2 Montenegrin Riviera
• 3.3 Velika plaža

Location

The Montenegrin coast extending between the Prevlaka peninsula on the Bay of Kotor ( ⊙ 42.39921388888918.51757222222230 ), to Ada Bojana ( ⊙ 41.862519.36111111111110 ) over 200 km. North includes the Dalmatian coast, south the Albanian coast. The Montenegrin coastal zone forms the conclusion of the Dinaric coastal littoral chains of the Dinaric Alps between Slovenia, Croatia and Albania.

Situated right in front of the greatest depth of the Adriatic, and is, therefore, unlike the Dalmatian coast, not influenced by offshore islands.

With the exception of the southernmost 12 km long stretch of coastline, the Montenegrin coastal cliffs distinguished by the highly folded and geologically complex structure also strongly on the Albanian coast lowlands.

Geography

Geology and tectonics

The Montenegrin coast is predominantly formed by the tectonic units of the Adriatic-Ionian wrinkles zone and the Pindus Cukali zone. Only in the interior of the Bay of Kotor, the high ceiling of the karst Dinaric orogen extends directly to the sea.

Are the high karst ceiling and the Adriatic Ionian zone dominated by Mesozoic limestones and thus water-permeable karstified rocks, the narrow strip of the Pindus Cukali zone is formed by calcareous flysch and waterproof conglomerates.

In particular, the coastal portion of the inner bays of Kotor Bay and the coast of Budva are particularly impressive due to their geological features cliffs. But the little varied limestones of the outer Pindus Cukali zone form especially on the peninsula Luštica a strongly sinuate cliff with some famous sea caves ( Plava spilja ).

As an essential distinction to the Dalmatian coast, the lack of a barrier island series and the deep incision of the Bay of Kotor is obvious. Thus the Montenegrin coast not also belongs to Canaleküste as the Dalmatian coast, but is a Riasküste. The Bay of Kotor is a flooded former river valley geologically one Ria, but with steeper slopes and greater height differences, as in the Rias in Spanish Galicia. Visually reminiscent of the Bay of Kotor, with partially share mountain slopes more like a Norwegian fjord.

The most active neotectonic areas between Shkodra and the Bay of Kotor are caused by the subduction of the small Adriatic plate under the Dinarides. Maximum uplift rates of 6 mm / yr experiencing this region of Orjens around the Bay of Kotor. The catastrophic earthquake of April 15, 1979 destroyed virtually the entire tourist infrastructure between Kotor and Ulcinj. 101 people died here and 100,000 people were left homeless.

Topography and relief

The abrasion of the sea waves on the Montenegrin coast, since a barrier island chain is missing, more than on the Dalmatian coast where the swell is hindered by the island chains. Since they also proposes a deeper drop in the southern Adriatic is located on 1280 m sea depth before a narrow base, here was the coast of the Mediterranean shift only slightly during the ice ages. In contrast, only 10 to 230 m deep central and northern Adriatic shelf during glacial eustatic sea level fluctuations mainland and the Dalmatian coast was developed accordingly only by a post-glacial transgression in recent geological time ( Ingressionsküste ).

260.2 km of coastline accounts for 249.1 kilometers closer to the coast and 11.1 km to the islands ( according to other sources the coastline is 293.5 km long). The Montenegrin coast can be divided into three landscape units. The beautiful bay of Kotor, the cliffs of the Montenegrin Riviera and the south Ulcinj lying Great beach ( Velika Plaza). Only in the southern part of Montenegro a lowland coast is developed from Ulcinj, which merges seamlessly into the Albanian coast lowlands.

The steep coast is separated by the limestone mountains of the hinterland ( Orjen Lovčen, Rumija ) from inland. Apart from minor islands of the Bay of Kotor as the former fortress island of Mamula, the small Catholic pilgrimage Islands Sveti Đorđe and Gospa od Škrpjela and the so-called Krtoljski archipelago ( with the Orthodox pilgrimage island Miholjska Prevlaka (also Sv. Arhanđel Mihailo or Ostrvo Cvijeca called ), Školj ( known as a former Club Mediterranée Resort Sveti Marko ) and Gospa od milosti ), Sveti Nikola, Sveti Stefan are the only islands of the Montenegrin coast, in the open sea. In the Bojana Delta still is the flat triangular island Ada Bojana. In this case, none of the small Montenegrin Islands is permanently inhabited.

The two major peninsulas Luštica and Vrmac members especially the Bay of Kotor.

The main coastal towns of Montenegro developed mostly protected natural harbor in the Bay of Kotor, the most important historical site outside of this natural harbor is located just 10 km from the coast and Stari Bar developed today Budva takes over, with the most dynamic economic and population growth, the first place among the central places of a Montenegrin coast.

Regionalization

Bay of Kotor

The Bay of Kotor connects directly to the Dalmatian coast and extends for 108 km of coastline 30 km in the high karst zone between the mountains Orjen and Lovčen into it. The bay is separated from the Luštica peninsula from the open sea. In particular, the inner bays are very impressive by their almost overhanging and some 1000 m far exceed their relationships. The Bay of Kotor reaches depths of up to 60 meters and is water- richest predominantly by numerous underground springs Montenegrin coast. Here, therefore, the numerically most Montenegrin coastal towns have formed, including Herceg Novi, Tivat, Risan, Perast, Kotor and Dobrota.

The Bay of Kotor has been received by its unique shape and the importance of its coastal towns in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Montenegrin Riviera

The Montenegrin Riviera stretches between the towns of Budva and Bar The coastline is separated from Lovčen, Paštrovci and Rumija in the hinterland in particular. Emerge several smaller islets and reefs on the Riviera. In particular, the now connected by a causeway to the mainland maritime town Sveti Stefan is known.

Some of the most famous beaches on the Montenegrin coast between Petrovac and sutomore, including the former royal beach Mogren.

Velika plaža

The 11- km long section of the Velika plaža starts at Ulcinj. The compensation coast extends to the delta of Bojana. In the Bojana estuary, the small island Ada has formed Montenegrin largest island. In addition to the lagoon of Ulcinjska solana the Bojana estuary is one of the most important areas of bird protection on the Adriatic coast.

The beach of Velika plaža is 100-125 m wide. Behind the beach are smaller dunes that lie to Bojana out in several seasons in a row. In addition to the land used for salt extraction lagoon of Ulcinjska solana have gained further smaller lakes inland towards lake Skadar ( Sasko Jezero ). These were once parts of bays, but are now separated by the Schwebstoffeintrag the Bojana far from the sea.

The Ada Bojana is situated in the Bojanamündung, which continues to advance its delta into the sea. The Ada has a circumference of 10 kilometers and is 4.7 km ².

Climate

The Montenegrin coast is one of the warmest parts of the Adriatic Sea, and also forms the rainiest part of the coast. The average temperatures range from 15.5 to 16.5 ° C, the precipitation totals between 1500 mm and 3000 mm per year. In the hinterland directly over the Bay of Kotor, the annual rainfall reach their European record. So falls in the Krivošije at Crkvice at 930 m altitude over 4500 mm of rain per year.

As a particularly mild and sunny properties is particularly true of the stretch of coast from the Croatian border on Igalo, Herceg Novi to Risan. This is also distinguished by the numerous original Eastern Mediterranean cypress, palm and laurel Oleander forest formations in Risan as thermally advantaged favor room. In Igalo Risan and therefore also rehabilitation clinics have settled.

Colonization

The Montenegrin coast is one of the most densely populated regions of Montenegro. In recent years, the large-scale migration from the hinterland to the coast (called Litoralisierung ) is noticeable.

The coast is predominantly inhabited by Serbs and Montenegrins. To Ulcinj the Albanian minority is well represented. In addition to the international port, which has a national significance by the railway line Belgrade - Bar, only the ports in the Bay of Kotor, Tivat, Risan Zelenika and can be visited by larger sea vessels.