Shkodra; historically known as Scodra or Scutari) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. Shkodra has been continuously inhabited since the Early Bronze Age (c. 2250–2000 BCE),[6][7] and it has roughly 2,200 years of recorded history. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Skadar (Lake Shkodër) and the foothills of the Albanian Alps on the banks of Buna, Drin and Kir.[8] Due to its proximity to the Adriatic Sea, Shkodër is affected by a seasonal Mediterranean climate with continental influences.[8]