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The Šar Mountains (Template:Lang-sq, Template:Lang-mk, Template:Lang-sr) is a mountain range that extends from southern Kosovo and the northwest of the Republic of Macedonia to northeastern Albania.

Etymology

During Antiquity the mountains were known as Scardus Oros, Scordi montis and Scordus, and some believe that the modern name derives from these ancient ones.

Sometimes they are also called Carska planina ("Tzar`s mountain"), as a reference to the capitals (Prizren and Skopje), courts (Nerodimlje, Pauni, Svrčin, etc.) and monasteries (Sveti Arhangeli) of serbian Tsardom located around them; the Serbian word šar (шар) means "orb" (globus cruciger).

Geographical characteristics

The Šar Mountains have a total area of 1600km. 56,25% of that area is in the Republic of Macedonia, 43.12% in Kosovo, and 0,63% in Albania. There are three plains Sirinic, Vraca and Rudoka. The system is about 80 kilometers long and 10-20 kilometres wide. It includes several high peaks:

• Titov Vrv (2747 m), the highest peak
• Mal Turčin (2702 m)
• Borislavec (2662 m)
• Bistër (2651 m)
• Rudoka (2610 m)
• Maja e Zezë (2585 m)
• Vracë (2582 m)
• Kobilicë (2528 m)
• Piribeg (2524 m)
• Ljuboten (2498 m)
• Gemitash (2183 m)

The Šar Mountains extend to Mount Korab (2764 m) in the southwest, and pass into northeastern Albania.

Vegetation on the mountains includes crops up to around 1000 meters, forests up to 1700 meters, and above that lie high pastures which encompass around 550 square kilometres. The Šar Mountains are the largest compact area covered with pastures on the European continent. They are most known as the origin of the dog breed Šarplaninac, which was bred on these pastures. On some days the Šar Mountains can be seen from Pristina which is many kilometres away. Ljuboten (the nearest peak to Pristina) stands out the best.

Šar Mountains in Kosovo

The Šar Mountains are located in the south-east of Kosovo, where 43.12% of it is located. Many lakes are found on the Kosovan part of the Šar Mountains, especially south of the village of Dragaš. The ski resort of Brezovica, with an elevation of 900m - 2,500m above sea level, is located north-east of the mountain. The Ljuboten peak and the mountain of Skopska Crna Gora create the Kačanik Gorge in Kosovo. The Šar Mountains are split from the Nerodimka Mountain by the Sirinić Valley. Villages and towns that are found near the mountain are:

• Prizren
• Kačanik
• Dragaš
• Brezovica
• Štrpce

National Park

The Šar Mountains National Park is in the territory of Kosovo, and spreads on 380 square kilometres, on the northern slopes of the Šar Mountains. What this national park boasts in particular are the endemic relict Macedonian Pine and white-bark pine, as well as the Alpine rose. As for game, this is the habitat of the lynx, bear, chamois, wolf, roe deer, wild boar and other species.

See also

• List of mountains in Kosovo
• List of mountains in Serbia
• Mountains of the Republic of Macedonia

References

1. PRIRODNE ODLIKE GORE (in Serbian)
2. Nacionalni park Šar-planina (in Serbian)
3. Šar planina (in Serbian)
4. Veselinović, Andrija. Srpske dinastije (in Serbian). Novi Sad. ISBN 86-83639-01-0. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
5. Rista Nikolić: "Glacijacija Šar Planine i Koraba“, Beograd, 1912 godina.
6. Šar Planina, Živko Stefanovski, Napredok- Tetovo

Gallery

• Articles lacking sources from February 2008
• IUCN Category II
• Mountains of the Republic of Macedonia
• Mountains of Kosovo