'Sazan' or Sazanit (in Italian 'Saseno'; in Greek 'Σάσων', '''Sason''') is a small island, strategically located at the entrance to Bay of Vlora in Albania. It has an area of 5 km², and has no population. It is a military facility.

Contents

History

Postage stamps

See also

Sources and references

History

Known in ancient times as 'Saso'.
In modern times, the island originally belonged to Venice, and became part of the British protectorate of the Ionian Islands following the Napoleonic Wars.
In 1864 it was ceded to Greece with the rest of the Ionian Islands. Following the end of the Second Balkan War in 1913, Italy and Austria pressed Greece to evacuate the southern part of modern Albania. Finding the island too unimportant to risk war with Italy, Greece evacuated the island which was in turn occupied by Italy on 30 October 1914, which posted a military commander there. This was later ratified on 26 April 1915 by the secret Treaty of London.
After World War I, Albania formally ceded the island to Italy, 2 September 1920 as part of the Albano-Italian protocol.
It was restored to Albanian control on 10 February 1947 under of the treaties ending World War II.

Postage stamps

During most of the Italian occupation, postage stamps of Italy were used. However, in 1923, eight of the current stamps of Italy were overprinted "SASENO". They are not particularly rare, and cost collectors about 8-10 US$ each, although uses on cover are harder to find.

See also

★ Geography of Albania

Sources and references

(incomplete)

★ WorldStatesmen- Albania

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