Corfu Channel incident

The Straits of Corfu or Corfu Channel is the narrow body of water along the coasts of Albania and Greece to the east, separating these two countries from the Greek island of Corfu on the west. The channel is a passage from the Adriatic Sea on the north to the Ionian Sea that is used by shipping local to Albania and Greece to the ports of Saranda, Albania, and Igoumenitsa, Greece, and by local and tourist traffic in Albania and from the Greek mainland to Corfu, in addition to some international traffic from the Adriatic.

Peristeres (Greek: Περιστερές) is an island in Greece, to the west of Corfu, where it belongs administratively. It is the site of a lighthouse since 1826 and is inhabited by 1 person according to the Greek census of 2011. The small island and its lighthouse are visible from the southern Albanian coastal area containing the cities of Saranda and Ksamil.

The Islets of Ksamil (Albanian: Ishujt e Ksamilit or Ishujt e Tetranisit), consist of four rocky islets located in the direct proximity to the Ionian Sea in Southern Albania. The village of Ksamil, after whom the islets are named, is located to the east of the islets. Furthermore, the islands are situated within the boundaries of the Butrint National Park. The islets lie to the extreme south of the Albanian Riviera along the Ionian Sea. They are remote and can only be accessed by boat. The combined areas of the four islands is only 8.9 hectares (22.0 acres). The two outer islands are connected by a narrow strip of sand. In terms of geology, the islands have been shaped into its current form over the Jurassic period, with its disjunction of the mainland due to the water activity. The islets fall phytogeographically within the Illyrian deciduous forests terrestrial ecoregion of the Palearctic Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. The vegetation of the islands includes many communities of a Mediterranean type, while the most important habitats include the Mediolitoral and Infralitoral zone. The seagrasses along the coast are dominated by posidonia oceanica, halophila stipulacea and cymodocea nodosa. Posidonia oceanica is mostly abundant in the shallow waters and can extend more down to more than 30 metres in the depth. The forested land area is mostly covered by species such as holly oak, common alder, elm, bay laurel and myrtle. The marine waters are rich in cetacean diversities including such as short-beaked common dolphin and common bottlenose dolphin.

Ksamil (Albanian: Ksamili, Greek: Εξαμίλι) is a village and a former municipality in the riviera of Southern Albania, and part of Butrint National Park. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Sarandë. The population as of the 2023 census is 2,731, while according to the Civil Offices it was 9,137 in 2018. The municipal unit consists of the villages Ksamil and Manastir. During the communist era, the coastal village of Ksamil was built in 1966 and is located south of the city of Sarandë off the road to Butrint.

The Action of 8 July 1716 was an indecisive naval battle that took place on 8 July 1716 during a Turkish attempt to capture the island of Corfu (Kerkyra), off the west coast of mainland Greece.

Ali Pasha Castle (Albanian: Kalaja e Ali Pashës) is a castle in Albania. It is named after Ali Pasha of Tepelenë who resided there until 1820. The current fortress was rebuilt in 1819 from its surface with 3 towers. Until 1820 it was the second residence of Ali Pashe Tepelena.

The Vivari Channel (Albanian: Kanali i Butrintit, also known as Butrinto River) links Lake Butrint in the extreme south of Albania with the Straits of Corfu, and forms a border of the peninsula of Butrint. The natural channel flows in both directions every six hours, from the lake to the sea and vice versa during the rising tide facilitating the access of saline waters into Lake Butrint. A pontoon is situated near the gate of the Butrint National Park. Two small forts, the Ali Pasha Castle and the Venetian Triangular Castle, are located near the mouth of the channel; both were built during the rule of Ali Pasha of Ioannina. According to international organizations, the channel serves as the demarcation line where the Adriatic Sea ends and the Ionian Sea begins. The channel creates a unique situation in Lake Butrint, which is partly fed with fresh water and partly with salt water, thereby creating ideal conditions for mollusks farming. During the communist regime, many students used to volunteer in the summer time to search for ancient ruins in the Butrint National Park.

The Pavllë (Albanian definite form: Pavlla, Greek: Παύλα - Pavla) is a river in northwestern Greece and southern Albania. Its source is in the Mourgana mountains in Greece, near the village Ampelonas, Thesprotia. It flows west into Albania, along the villages Vagalat and Shkallë. It flows into the Ionian Sea a few kilometres southwest of the archaeological site Butrint. There is a bridge across the river near the village Ampelonas, built in 1798.

Kassiopi Castle (Greek: Κάστρο Κασσιώπης) is a castle on the northeastern coast of Corfu overseeing the fishing village of Kassiopi. It was one of three Byzantine-period castles that defended the island before the Venetian era (1386–1797). The castles formed a defensive triangle, with Gardiki guarding the island's south, Kassiopi the northeast and Angelokastro the northwest. Its position at the northeastern coast of Corfu overseeing the Corfu Channel that separates the island from the mainland gave the castle an important vantage point and an elevated strategic significance. Kassiopi Castle is considered one of the most imposing architectural remains in the Ionian Islands, along with Angelokastro, Gardiki Castle and the two Venetian Fortresses of Corfu City, the Citadel and the New Fort.

The Archaeological Museum of Butrint (Albanian: Muzeu Arkeologjik i Butrintit) was opened in 1938. It was reopened during the 1950s-1960s in the premises of the Venetian Acropolis Castle within the acropolis of the ancient city. It containes the Graeco-Roman archaeological finds from the Italian Archaeological Mission of the period between the two World Wars (1928 - 1940), led by Luigi Maria Ugolini.

St. George's Monastery (Albanian: Manastiri i Shën Gjergjit) is an ancient Orthodox monastery in Demë, near Sarandë, Sarandë. It is a Cultural Monument of Albania.

Vrinë (Albanian definite form: Vrina; Greek: Βρίνα) is a village in the former Xarrë municipality, Vlorë County in Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Konispol.