Lake Atanasovsko
Lake Atanasovsko or Lake Atanasovo (Bulgarian: Атанасовско езеро, Atanasovsko ezero [atɐˈnasofsko ˈɛzɛro]) is a salt coastal lake north of Burgas, Bulgaria, located in direct proximity to the Black Sea. The lake is about 5 km long and divided in two by a strip of sand in the middle. The lake is particularly known for the diversity of its flora and fauna and is surrounded by swamps and canals that drain the whole local basin into the sea.
| Lake Atanasovsko Nature Reserve | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Sentinel-2 satellite image from November 2022. | |
Location of Lake Atanasovsko Nature Reserve | |
| Location | close to Burgas and the Black Sea, Burgas Province, Bulgaria |
| Nearest city | Burgas |
| Coordinates | 42°34′55″N 27°28′12″E |
| Established | 1980 |
Ramsar Wetland | |
| Official name | Atanasovo Lake |
| Designated | 28 November 1984 |
| Reference no. | 292 |
Due to Lake Atanasovsko's high salt content that increases every year because of its link with the sea, salt has been produced in it since 1906, with 40,000 tons of sea salt produced a year. The lake's north part, a nature reserve since 1980, is connected by a canal to the Black Sea, while the smaller south part, which is mostly used for salt production, serves as a buffer zone for the reserve. A road connecting Varna with Burgas passes through the sand strip in the middle of the lake.