Belene Island (Bulgarian: остров Белене, ostrov Belene) or Persin Island (остров Персин, ostrov Persin) is the biggest island in Bulgarian waters. The island is formed by the Danube River splitting into two branches passing north and south of it. The international frontier between Bulgaria and Romania follows the north branch of the river and therefore Belene Island is part of the Bulgarian territory. The island is 14.5 kilometres (9.0 mi) long and reaching 6 km (3.7 mi) in width; it is located in the Danube, north of the town of Belene. Belene Island is the fourth biggest Danube island: during an average tide it is 41.078 square kilometres (15.860 sq mi) in area. During a high tide, parts of the island are submerged.

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 flora of Belene Island is represented by willows, poplars and asps; there is some arable land. The island was formed of alluvial sediments.

Belene (Bulgarian: Белене) is a town in Pleven Province, Northern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Belene Municipality. The town is situated on the right bank of the Danube river, close to the town of Svishtov. As of December 2009, it has a population of 8,905 inhabitants.

Belene was proclaimed a town in 1964, which is celebrated every year in the first week of September with a market and cultural events.

The place is best known for the Belene prison (formerly a concentration camp) on Belene Island where thousands of innocent Bulgarians found their death during the communist dictature, and as the proposed site of Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant, which has been under construction 7 km east of the town until it was interrupted in 1990 due to the severe economic crisis that followed the fall of communism in the country. There are plans to start construction again as a replacement for reactors 3 and 4 at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant, which Bulgaria has shut down as a condition for EU membership. The total capacity of the two reactors will be 2,000 MW.