The Mljet National Park covers the northwestern part of the island of Mljet, which extends over the area of 5,375 hectares of protected land and the surrounding sea. This area was declared a national park on November 11, 1960 and represents the first institutionalized attempt to protect the original ecosystem on the Adriatic. The Mljet National Park covers the western part of the island of Mljet, from the Blackbird area to the deepest point of the island, Cape Goli. In the composition of the national park are the villages of Polače (the main tourist and tourist port), Goveđari (in which are included settlements of Babine Kuće (the oldest settlement in Jezera), Soline (little place at the entrance to Veliko jezero) and Pristina (place with mail and management of national park) and Pomena (the former fishing village of Goveđari, and today the only hotel on the island).