DRINA RIVER

river in the central Balkans, originating with the confluence of the Tara and Piva rivers and following a 215-mi (346-km) course, mainly northward, to enter the Sava. Its upper course is through canyons and gorges, while its lower course is wider. The Drina is entirely within Bosnia and Hercegovina, though it forms the boundary with Yugoslavia (Serbia) for part of its length. Two large man-made lakes, at Bajina Bata and Zvornik, supply the power for hydroelectric stations. The Drina Basin, taking in 7,556 sq mi (19,570 sq km), has considerable hydroelectric potential. The upper Drina and tributaries are noted for freshwater fishing. Major cities are Viegrad and Zvornik, site of a hydroelectric plant; the former is the locale of the historical novel Na Drini cuprija (1945; The Bridge on the Drina, 1959) by the Serbo-Croatian writer Ivo Andric, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1961.