Shkumbin is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in central Albania

Albania

Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...

, flowing into the Adriatic Sea

Adriatic Sea

The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...

. It is considered the dividing line for the two dialects of the Albanian language

Albanian language

Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...

: Tosk

Tosk Albanian

Tosk is the southern dialect of the Albanian language. The line of demarcation between Tosk and Gheg is the Shkumbin River. Tosk is the basis of the standard Albanian language.- Tosks :...

 (to the south) and Gheg

Gheg Albanian

Gheg is one of the two major varieties of Albanian. The other one is Tosk, on which standard Albanian is based. The dividing line between these two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds its way through central Albania....

 (to the north).

On various historical periods the river was considered the northernmost natural boundary of the geographic region of Epirus

Epirus

The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...

. while during the 5th-6th centuries Shkumbin was the cultural border between the Illyrian and the Greek world.

The river is 181 km (112 mi) long. The sources of the Shkumbin river are in the mountains southwest of Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid

Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance...

, in the southwestern corner of the Pogradec District

Pogradec District

The District of Pogradec is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Korçë County. It has a population of 70,575 , and an area of 725 km². It is in the east of the country, and its capital is Pogradec...

. and also in the Librazhd District

Librazhd District

The District of Librazhd is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Elbasan County. It has a population of 63,192 , and an area of . It was formed as an administrative unit in 1958. It is in the east of the country, and its capital and administrative center is...

 at Valamra and the Guri i Topit Mountain. The Shkumbin is fed by the waters of the Dushna, Radicina, Bushtrica, Sheja, Hotolisht, and Dragostunja streams. The Shkumbin flows through the town of Librazhd

Librazhd

Librazhd is a town in eastern Albania, capital of the Librazhd District. It has a population of approximately 9,998. Librazhd is the nearest town to the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park...

. The Rrapun River joins the Shkumbin at Murrash.

The Shkumbin initially flows north, then northwest, through Qukës

Qukës

Qukës is a municipality in the Librazhd District, Elbasan County, eastern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Berzheshte, Dritaj, Fanje, Gurre, Karkavec, Menik, Pishkash, Pishkash Veri, Qukës-Shkumbin, Qukës-Skenderbej and Skroske....

, Librazhd

Librazhd

Librazhd is a town in eastern Albania, capital of the Librazhd District. It has a population of approximately 9,998. Librazhd is the nearest town to the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park...

, where it turns west and continues through Polis

Polis, Albania

Polis is a municipality in the Librazhd District, Elbasan County, eastern Albania....

, Elbasan

Elbasan

Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...

, Cërrik

Cërrik

Cërrik is a city in the Elbasan District, Elbasan County, central Albania. Altitude 69. The population is approximately 18,764. The football team is KS Turbina Cërrik. In 1997 the Massacre of Cërrik happened....

, Peqin

Peqin

Peqin is the capital of the Peqin District in central Albania. The town has a population of 10,000.The ancient name of Peqin was Claudiana. The city's modern name derives from the Ottoman form Bekleyin, which means a place of hospitality. During Ottoman rule Peqin belonged to the Sanjak of Elbasan...

 and Rrogozhinë

Rrogozhinë

Rrogozhinë is a municipality in Kavajë District, Tirana County in Albania. The population currently is 28,758. The football club is KS Egnatia Rrogozhinë....

. It flows into the Adriatic Sea northwest of Divjakë

Divjakë

Divjakë is a municipality in the Lushnjë District, Fier County, western Albania....

.

The two canals "Naum Panxhi" and "Ferras" stem out of the river in the Elbasan area and through an irrigation plan system satisfy the agricultural water needs of the Cërrik low plains.

Map