Belene Island
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Belene Island (Bulgarian: остров Белене, also known as Persin Island, остров Персин) is the biggest island in Bulgarian waters. It is 14.5 km long and reaching 6 km in width and is located in the Danube, off the Bulgarian coast near the town of Belene. Belene Island is the fourth biggest Danube island.
Belene Island is a part of the Belene Islands Complex and of the Persina Natural Park, a home to over 170 species of rare water birds, such as the Glossy Ibis, Pygmy Cormorant, Lesser Grey Shrike, Red-breasted Goose and others.
The island is infamous for the concentration camp that functioned there. This camp operated from 1949 to 1959 (though a break in deportations to Belene occurred from 1954 to 1956); the enemies of the communist regime in Bulgaria were sent to perform hard labour there. It is still operating as a prison in the western part of the island, while the eastern part is a managed natural reserve.
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