{{Short description|Lake shared between North Macedonia and Greece}} {{Infobox body of water | name = Dojran Lake<br/>{{small|Дојранско Езеро}}<br/>{{small|Λίμνη Δοϊράνη}} | image = Star Dojran in 2012 (2).JPG | caption = | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = Region of Macedonia | coords = {{Coord|format=dms|display=it}} | lake_type = | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = Greece, North Macedonia | length = {{convert|8.9|km|abbr=on}} | width = {{convert|7.1|km|abbr=on}} | area = {{convert|43.1|km2|abbr=on}} | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{convert|148|m|ft|abbr=on}} | islands = | cities = <!-- Map --> | pushpin_map = North Macedonia#Greece | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Doiran Lake in North Macedonia | pushpin_map_caption = <!-- Below --> | website = | reference = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 11 | embedded = {{Designation list | embed = yes | designation1 = Ramsar | designation1_offname = Dojran Lake | designation1_date = 2 August 2007 | designation1_number = 1735<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dojran Lake|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1735|access-date=25 April 2018}}</ref>}} }}
'''Doiran Lake''' ({{Langx|mk|Дојранско Езеро}}, ''Dojransko Ezero''; {{Langx|el|Λίμνη Δοϊράνη}}, ''Límni Dhoïráni''), also spelled '''Dojran Lake'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mydestinationmacedonia.com/travel-articles/the-return-of-the-glorious-past---lake-dojran|title=The Return of the Glorious Past - Lake Dojran|access-date=28 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029050205/http://www.mydestinationmacedonia.com/travel-articles/the-return-of-the-glorious-past---lake-dojran|archive-date=29 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> is a lake with an area of {{convert|43.1|km2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.exploringmacedonia.com/dojran-lake.nspx|title=Dojran Lake|access-date=28 October 2016}}</ref> shared between North Macedonia ({{convert|27.3|km2|abbr=on|disp=comma}}) and Greece ({{convert|15.8|km2|abbr=on|disp=comma}}).
To the west is the city of Nov Dojran (Нов Дојран), to the east the village of Mouries, to the north the mountain Belasica/Beles and to the south the Greek town of Doirani. The lake has a rounded shape, a maximum depth of {{convert|10|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a north-to-south length of {{convert|8.9|km|abbr=on}} and is {{convert|7.1|km|abbr=on}} at its widest, making it the third largest lake partially in North Macedonia after Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.
==History== The lake was on the southern line of the Macedonian front during World War I, and its southern shore became the site of the various battles between allied troops and Bulgarian troops in 1916, 1917 and 1918. A monument to one of the battles and two cemeteries for Greek and British troops stand on a hill a few hundred metres south of the lake. It was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer.<ref>Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Robert Lorimer</ref>
center|thumb|500px|Landscape
==Ecology== The lake is shallow and eutrophic, with extensive ''Phragmites'' reedbeds.<ref name=bli/> Due to the overuse of the lake's water for agricultural purposes, Doiran's water nearly drained out, but the disaster was avoided after both countries took measures to replenish and sustain water levels. Frequent and heavy rainfall in later years helped restore water levels in the lake.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}
===Important Bird Areas=== North Macedonia's part of the lake has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of ferruginous ducks, Dalmatian pelicans and pygmy cormorants.<ref name=bli>{{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-dojran-iba-north-macedonia|title= Lake Dojran|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 10 March 2021}}</ref> Greece's part of the lake is a separate but corresponding IBA.<ref name=bli2>{{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-doïrani-iba-greece|title= Lake Doïrani|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 10 March 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/160000 Commonwealth War Graves Commission article on The Doiran Memorial]
{{Commons category|Lake Dojran}}
{{Greece topics}} {{North Macedonia topics}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Lakes of North Macedonia Category:Lakes of Greece Category:Shrunken lakes Category:Greece–North Macedonia border Category:International lakes of Europe Category:Ramsar sites in North Macedonia Category:Kilkis Category:Landforms of Central Macedonia Category:Landforms of Kilkis (regional unit) Category:Dojran Municipality Category:Important Bird Areas of Greece Category:Important Bird Areas of North Macedonia