The Erenik;
Serbian Cyrillic
The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet (, ), also known as the Serbian script, (, ), is a standardized variation of the Cyrillic script used to write the Serbian language. It originated in medieval Serbia and was significantly reformed in the 19th cen ...
: Ереник / Рибник) or Ribnik is a river in
Kosovo
Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
. Located in the west of the country, it measures -long, a right tributary to the
White Drin
The White Drin or White Drim (; , ) is a river in Kosovo and northern Albania, a ca. long headstream of the Drin.
Course
Kosovo
The Kosovo section of the White Drin flows entirely in the semi-karst part of Kosovo, in an arc-shaped -long ...
.
The Erenik originates near the
Albania
Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
n border, in the northern slopes of the
Junik Mountains, a part of the
Accursed Mountains
The Accursed Mountains (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Prokletije, Проклетије, separator=" / ", ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, Albanski Alpi, Албански Алпи, separator=" / ", li ...
, under the
Gjeravica
Gjeravica (Albanian indefinite form: ''Gjeravicë''; sr-Cyrl-Latn, Ђеравица, Đeravica, separator=" / ") is a mountain peak in Kosovo. It also is the second-highest mountain peak in the Accursed Mountains range and the Dinaric Alps ran ...
peak (), the
highest mountain in Kosovo. The river flows to the south and south-east, following the eastern edge of the Accursed Mountains, dividing them from the western region.
Before passing through
Gjakova
Gjakova or Đakovica, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the sixth largest city of Kosovo and seat of the Gjakova Municipality and the District of Gjakova, Gjakova District. According to the 2024 census, the municipality of Gjakov ...
, there is a string of settlements: the villages of Berjah, Stubëll, Nivokaz, Popoc, Shishman, and Ponoshec, the small town of
Junik
Junik ( sq-definite, Juniku; sr-Cyrl, Јуник) is a town and municipality in the Gjakova District in western Kosovo.
History
During the Ottoman occupation of the Balkans, Junik and the Municipality of Junik were part of the Nahiya of Altun- ...
and the village and mine of
Babaj i Bokës. It receives many streams from the right, flowing down from the Accursed Mountains (most notably, Shlepica and Reqica), but the Erenik's major tributaries are from its western side (Trava and Lumbardhi i Lloqanit).
After Gjakova, the Erenik flows beside the villages of Raçë and
Bishtazhin, soon emptying into the White Drin near the village and hill of
Pogragja. The river formed an epigene gallery feature called ''
Ura e Fshejtë'' in the hill. The river valley in this final section serves as a part of the route of the
Peja
Peja or Peć, ), is the fifth most populous city in Kosovo and serves as the seat of the Peja Municipality and the District of Peja. It is located in the Rugova region on the eastern section of the Accursed Mountains along the Peja's Lumbar ...
-Gjakova-
Prizren
Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
road.
The Erenik belongs to the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
drainage basin
A drainage basin is an area of land in which all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
, draining an area of . It is not navigable.
See also
*
Terzi Bridge
Notes
References
Bibliography
* ''Mala Prosvetina Enciklopedija'', Third edition (1985); Prosveta;
* Jovan Đ. Marković (1990): ''Enciklopedijski geografski leksikon Jugoslavije''; Svjetlost-Sarajevo;
Rivers of Kosovo
Accursed Mountains
Geography of Gjakova District
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