Ulcinj Salt Pans (Ulcinjska Solana) is located at the southernmost tip of Montenegro, on the border with Albania. The construction of the current saltworks began between 1926 and 1934. The first salt harvest took place in 1935, amounting to 6,000 tons. A record harvest of 41,882 tons was recorded in 1952.
For decades, the saltworks had a significant and major impact on the economy of the city of Ulcinj. In the history of this oldest Ulcinj company, it is recorded that there were only two instances when there was no salt harvest. One was in 1943, during World War II, and the other was in 1964 when prolonged rain completely melted the salt crystals. After 80 years of production, the harvest in 2013 was the last, jeopardizing the entire ecosystem.
The saltworks is situated among the most important ornithological sites in the Adriatic. Over 240 bird species have been recorded in the saltworks area, accounting for about 50% of the total bird population in Europe. What sets Ulcinj Salt Pans apart from other similar habitats in the vicinity is the quality and quantity of bird species. The population of more than 10 species that breed, winter, or migrate during the fall or spring migration here exceeds the threshold of 1% of the total global population.
