Balkans
From CrisisWiki
Introduction
The Balkans (often referred to as the Balkan Peninsula, although the two are not coterminous) is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia. The region has a combined area of 550,000 km2 (212,000 sq mi) and a population of 55 million people. Wikipedia:Balkans
The Balkan Peninsula
The Balkan Peninsula may be defined as an area of southeastern Europe surrounded by water on three sides: the Adriatic Sea to the west, the Mediterranean Sea (including the Ionian and Aegean seas) to the south and the Black Sea to the east. Its northern boundary is often given as the Danube, Sava and Kupa/Kolpa rivers. Wikipedia:Balkans
Countries which are geographically fully located within the Balkan peninsula:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Kosovo (partially recognized)
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
Countries which are significantly located on the peninsula:
The Balkans
The term "The Balkans" covers not only those countries which lie within the boundaries of the "Balkan Peninsula", but may also include Slovenia, and Romania. Slovenia, which was part of Yugoslavia from 1919 to 1991, lies partially north of the Danube-Sava line and therefore outside the Peninsula, but prior to 1991 the whole of Yugoslavia was considered to be part of the Balkans. The father of the term "The Balkans" August Zeune defined it in 1808 to describe areas that remained under Turkish rule after 1699. Wikipedia:Balkans
In most of the English-speaking world, the countries commonly included in the Balkan region are:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Greece
- Kosovo (partially recognized)
- Macedonia
- Montenegro
- Serbia
Other countries sometimes included are:
