Balkans population. Balkan countries

BALKAN PENINSULA, in Southern Europe. The area is about 505 thousand km 2. The length from west to east is about 1260 km, from north to south - 950 km. It is washed from the west and southwest by the Adriatic and Ionian seas, from the southeast by the Aegean and Marmara, and from the east by the Black Sea. The northern border runs from the Gulf of Trieste to the Sava River and further along it and the Danube (to the mouth). The following states are partially or completely located on the Balkan Peninsula: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia.

The coastline is heavily indented, especially in the Aegean Sea; the adjacent waters (except for the Black and Marmara Seas) are replete with islands. In Greece there are the large peninsulas of the Peloponnese and Halkidiki. The shores are predominantly high, steep, with alternating rocky cliffs and bays with sand and pebble beaches; on the Black Sea coast they are flat, with a few capes; sandy beaches are common almost everywhere.

Relief. The surface is predominantly mountainous. It is characterized by a combination of numerous ridges, massifs, highlands, plateaus and intermountain depressions. In the northeast are the Stara Planina mountains. To the south of them, separated by longitudinal basins, are the Rhodope Mountains, the Rila mountain range (height up to 2925 m, Mount Musala is the highest point of the Balkan Peninsula) and the Pirin mountain range (up to 2914 m). In the western part, parallel to the coast of the Adriatic Sea, there is the Dinaric Highlands, which to the south turns into the Pindus Mountains (height up to 2637 m, Mount Zmolikas) and the mountains of the Peloponnese Peninsula (height up to 2404 m). Karst landforms are widely developed, especially in the western and northwestern parts of the Dinaric Highlands (Karst Plateau). The plains are located in the north of the Balkan Peninsula (southern part of the Middle Danube Lowland and Lower Danube Lowland), in the east (Lower Thracian Lowland), in intermountain depressions (Upper Thracian Lowland, Thessalian Plain, etc.), and in places along the coasts.

Geological structure and minerals. The Balkan Peninsula is located within the Alpine-Himalayan mobile belt. Along its axis extends the Serbian-Macedonian Late Precambrian-Paleozoic crystalline massif, which separates the two branches of the Alps. To the west of the massif along the coast of the Adriatic Sea stretches the Dinaric fold-cover system (Dinarides), which continues in Albania and Greece with the arched Hellinide system. The Hellenide arc is underlain by a zone of subduction (thrust) of the crust of the Ionian and Levantine basins. It is associated with the high seismicity of the Balkan Peninsula and the volcanism of the Aegean Sea basin. To the east of the Serbo-Macedonian massif is the Balkan fold system (Balkanids).

On the Balkan Peninsula there are known deposits of oil and gas (Albania, Bulgaria, Greece), coal (Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina), nickel- and cobalt-containing iron ores (Albania, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro), manganese ores ( Greece, Bulgaria), chromite (Albania, Greece, Macedonia), bauxite (Greece, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina), tungsten ores (Bulgaria), copper (Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro), molybdenum, antimony (Serbia and Montenegro), lead and zinc (Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro), rock salt (Bulgaria, Albania), asbestos (Greece, Albania), barite (Bulgaria), sulfur, magnesite, marble (Greece). Numerous mineral springs in Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro.

Climate. In the west, south and southeast the climate is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Average temperatures in January are 7-11 °C, in July 25-27 °C. In the central and northern regions the climate is temperate continental. Average temperatures in July are about 20 °C, in January from 0 to -3 °C. In the mountains there is an altitudinal climatic zone; snow cover persists for several months. The western slopes of the Dinaric Highlands are the most humidified - up to 2000 mm of precipitation per year (in the area of ​​Kotor Bay - up to 5000 mm); in the eastern and southern parts (except for high mountains) - less than 1000 mm, in some places less than 400 mm.

Rivers and lakes. The largest rivers are Velika Morava, Iskar, Drina (Danube basin), Maritsa, Struma, Vardar (Aegean Sea basin), as well as the border Danube and Sava. Most rivers are mountainous in nature; their maximum flow occurs from March to June, and low water from August to September. Large lakes - Shkoder (Skadar), Ohrid, Prespa - are located in tectonic depressions. There are many karst lakes, and in the Rila Mountains there are lakes of glacial origin.

Soils, flora and fauna. In the mountainous and foothill regions of the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, mountain forest brown and mountain forest humus-carbonate soils, as well as brown forest soils, are developed. In the Middle Danube and Lower Danube lowlands there are chernozems and soils transitional from brown forest to brown; in the Upper Thracian and Lower Thracian lowlands there are black merged soils of smolnitsa. The southern part of the peninsula is dominated by subtropical brown, mountainous brown typical and carbonate soils; On the Adriatic coast, red terra rossa soils are common. In the north and central regions, forests of oak, beech, hornbeam, spruce, fir and pine predominate. In the south and southeast there are evergreen xerophytic forests and shrubs. Steppe communities are widely developed in the northeastern part. They grow olives, citrus fruits, grapes, tobacco; On the plains, grains (wheat, corn) and cotton are cultivated.

The fauna is quite rich and diverse, especially many birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. Mammals include bear, wolf, fox, jackal, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, etc., and rodents are numerous.

Lit.: Curry-Lindahl K. Europe. M., 1981; Ananyev G.S., Leontiev O.K. Geomorphology of continents and oceans. M., 1987; Khain V. E. Tectonics of continents and oceans (year 2000). M., 2001.

V. V. Bronguleev; V. E. Khain (geological structure and minerals).

The Balkan region is often called the “powder keg” of Europe. And not by chance. In the 20th century, wars and conflicts of various scales broke out here every now and then. And the First World War began right here, after the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed in Sarajevo. In the early 90s, the Balkan countries experienced another serious shock - the collapse of Yugoslavia. This event significantly redrew the political map of the European region.

Balkan region and its geography

All the Balkan countries are located on a relatively small area of ​​505 thousand square kilometers. The geography of the peninsula is very diverse. Its coastline is heavily dissected and washed by the waters of six seas. The territory of the Balkans is predominantly mountainous and heavily indented by deep canyons. However, the highest point of the peninsula - Mount Musala - does not even reach 3000 meters in height.

Two more natural features are characteristic of this region: the presence of a huge number of small islands off the coastline (mainly in Croatia), as well as the widespread occurrence of karst processes (it is in Slovenia that the famous Karst plateau is located, which served as the donor of the name for a separate group of landforms).

The name of the peninsula comes from the Turkish word balkan, which means “large and wooded mountain range.” The northern border of the Balkans is usually drawn along the line and Sava.

Balkan countries: list

Today, there are ten state entities in the Balkans (of which 9 are sovereign states and one is partially recognized). Below is a list of them, including the capitals of the Balkan countries:

1. Slovenia (capital - Ljubljana).
2. Greece (Athens).
3. Romania (Bucharest).
4. Macedonia (Skopje).
5. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo).
6. Serbia (Belgrade).
7. Montenegro (Podgorica).
8. Croatia (Zagreb).
9. Republic of Kosovo (a partially recognized state with its capital in Pristina).

It should be noted that in some regional classifications Moldova is also classified as a Balkan country.

In the second half of the 19th century, all the Balkan peoples were under the yoke of Turkey, as well as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which could not contribute to their national and cultural development. In the 60-70s of the century before last, national liberation aspirations intensified in the Balkans. The Balkan countries, one after another, are trying to take the path of independent development.

The first of them was Bulgaria. In 1876, an uprising began here, which, however, was brutally suppressed by the Turks. Outraged by such bloody actions, which resulted in the death of about 30 thousand Orthodox Bulgarians, Russia declared war on the Turks. Ultimately, Türkiye was forced to recognize Bulgaria's independence.

In 1912, following the example of the Bulgarians, Albania also achieved independence. At the same time, Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece created the so-called “Balkan Union” in order to finally free themselves from Turkish oppression. Soon the Turks were driven out of the peninsula. Only a small piece of land with the city of Constantinople remained under their rule.

However, after the victory over their common enemy, the Balkan countries begin to fight among themselves. Thus, Bulgaria, with the support of Austria-Hungary, attacks Serbia and Greece. The latter, in turn, received military support from Romania.

The Balkans finally turned into a big “powder keg” on June 28, 1914, when the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Prince Ferdinand, was assassinated in Sarajevo by the Serbian Princip. Thus began the First World War, which involved almost all of Europe, as well as some countries in Asia, Africa and even Central America.

Collapse of Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia was created back in 1918, immediately after the liquidation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The process of its collapse, which began in 1991, significantly redrew the then existing political map of Europe.

Slovenia was the first to leave Yugoslavia as a result of the so-called 10-day war. Croatia followed, but the military conflict between Croats and Serbs lasted 4.5 years and claimed at least 20 thousand lives. At the same time, it continued and resulted in the recognition of the new state entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

One of the last stages of the collapse of Yugoslavia was the referendum on the independence of Montenegro, which took place in 2006. According to its results, 55.5% of Montenegrins voted for secession from Serbia.

Kosovo's shaky independence

On February 17, 2008, it unilaterally declared its independence. The international community's reaction to this event was extremely mixed. Today, Kosovo, as an independent state, is recognized by only 108 countries (out of 193 UN members). Among them are the USA and Canada, Japan, Australia, most and some countries in Africa and Latin America.

However, the independence of the republic has not yet been recognized by Russia and China (which are part of it, which does not allow Kosovo to become a full member of the main international organization on the planet.

Finally...

Modern Balkan countries began their path to independence at the end of the 19th century. However, the process of border formation in the Balkans has not yet been completed.

Today, there are ten countries within the Balkan region. These are Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, as well as the partially recognized state of Kosovo.

14 days for the Balkans - nothing at all. It turns out to be a sightseeing tour, a gallop, an “aperitif” that will help you decide on points on the map for your next trip (after all, it’s impossible not to return to the Balkans!). The author of the route is Tatyana Tyukhay, she works in journalism and PR, she went to volunteer in and returned, and to celebrate the fall of 2017 she rushed together with her sister to where it is warmer than in Minsk. Catch a ready-made plan for two weeks - 5 countries and 8 cities, where mountains and the sea, Serbian rakia and Bosnian coffee, a paradise for a meat-eater (forgive vegetarians), Balkan hospitality and Albanian mystique await you.

Why the Balkans?

The Balkans for me were an old love, which, as you know, does not rust. First, an irrepressible passion for Kusturica’s films, then dozens of equally attractive films from the countries of the former Yugoslavia that touch, make you laugh, and surprise. The Balkans also attracted musicians who frequented Minsk - Goran Bregovic, No smoking orchestra... I don’t know anyone who would remain indifferent to the history of the Balkan Peninsula: starting with the influence of the Ottoman Empire on local people and customs and ending with the collapse of Yugoslavia and the war that, It seems like it ended the day before yesterday. In addition to everything, the countries of the Balkan Peninsula are simply a mecca for finding inspiration: the mountains and seas are captivating.

Route

The Balkan Peninsula is 10 countries, 505 thousand square kilometers of land and 7 seas. It’s unrealistic to travel that much in two weeks! We were attracted by the countries of ex-Yugoslavia, so the route included four “former” countries - Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and, in addition, once closed from the outside world for decades.

We flew to Belgrade and that same evening took the train to Montenegrin Bar. We soaked up the beaches of Bar and Ulcinj, and then rushed to Shkoder to look at the mysterious Albania. We returned to Montenegro - more precisely to the subjectively most beautiful local city of Kotor. We reached Croatian Dubrovnik, from where we drove to Bosnia and Herzegovina: we spent several days in Mostar and Sarajevo. And we ended the trip by returning to Belgrade, where we bought a ticket to Minsk.

How to get there?

The first and last point of our route was Belgrade. We flew on a Belavia flight from Minsk, which made a stop in Budapest. A round-trip ticket, purchased three months before the trip and without promotions, cost € 220 from the nose. You can also get to the Balkans from Vilnius, Warsaw, Kyiv and Moscow (cheaper, but longer). For example, you can fly non-stop from Warsaw to Belgrade with the Polish airline LOT.

From Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade you can get to the center by high-speed bus A1 (ticket - 300 dinars, equivalent to € 2.5) or regular bus No. 72 (half the price).

Travel, accommodation, visas, currency

Bar, Ulcinj and Kotor

From Belgrade we rushed straight to the coast of the Adriatic Sea, and not only because Belarusians are drawn to the sea. from the capital of Serbia to Montenegrin Bar - these are dizzying views of the mountains, river, canyon. The route is called the Trans-Balkan Railway, which was built from 1951 to 1973, and Tito himself became the first passenger of the single-track. 254 tunnels with a length of 114 km await you. And when pitch darkness reigns in the carriage, you will remember the footage from the Eurotrip. The longest tunnel, more than 6 km long, “Sozina”, took 5 years to build! The train runs once a day and departs every day from Belgrade railway station at 21.10. You can buy a shelf in a standard six-seat compartment or a two-seat SV class. In the latter case, get ready, like us, to say goodbye to 35 euros per person. But we had at our disposal not only a clean bed, but also sockets, and even a washbasin.

Shkoder

Our acquaintance with Albania was limited to a city in the north of the country. Shkoder is located on the shores of Lake Skadar and 20 km from the Adriatic coast. But something else beckoned - how locals with such a historical past live and how representatives of different faiths get along.

For several decades, Albania was a closed country: dictator Enver Hoxha, devoted to communism, ruled until 1985. Albanians had low utility bills, free meals at their place of study or work, and a ban on having a personal car or VCR. Repressive domestic policies did not prevent the emergence in those years of the country's first university, professional theater, television and 700,000 bunkers (one for four residents of the country), which began to be built immediately after World War II. Today, bunkers are being disposed of, some have been converted into warehouses or even cafes. But there are still so many of them that you will meet more than one on your way!

What to do in Shkoder? Sign up for one of the free city tours. For example, the guys from Kiri Adventures start every day at 10 am. Shkodra is an Albanian Amsterdam with crazy traffic on the roads. If you want to mix with the crowd of cyclists and motorists, you can rent a bike at every hostel. A day will cost no more than € 5, but the best copies are snapped up very quickly, so make an agreement in advance. By bicycle you can easily reach the shore of Lake Skadar: the views along the winding mountain path are stunning!

If a two-wheeler is not your type of transport, then walk more. Drink coffee with the locals in street cafes, eat heartily cooked meat and get ready for the language barrier. More than once, in response to our English, our interlocutors suggested switching to Italian. For reference: the coasts of Albania and Italy are separated by the Strait of Otranto, and during World War II Albania was occupied by the troops of fascist Italy. The Albanian language itself is unlike any other. We didn’t learn the local “thank you” (faleminderit) the first time. But the Albanian “goodbye” was quickly captured - mirupafshim (that’s how it reads: to those who fell).

Although even before 1991 Albania was considered the only atheist state in Europe, today in Shkodra there is a mosque, a Catholic church and an Orthodox church nearby (we visited each of these churches). And if the souvenir shop was closed on Friday, then the owner, like more than 60 percent of the country’s population, professes Islam. At the same time, Shkodra is the center of Catholicism in Albania. Don't be surprised by the monument to Mother Teresa in the city center: this saint was born in Macedonia into an Albanian family and is loved by Albanians.

For the best panorama of the city, go up to the Shkodër Fortress of Rozafa - in honor of the beautiful Rozafa, who, according to legend, was walled up to build a whopper. Walking among the ruins, know that 24 (!) centuries have passed since the founding of the fortress. Do you want to explore Albania better? Study another one of ours.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik greets everyone the same way - with crowds of tourists. It is not surprising that they came up with the law here, in the Old Town up to 4 thousand per day. Fans of Game of Thrones, Star Wars and Robin Hood come to Dubrovnik - blockbusters were filmed here. For us, this beautiful city in the very south of Croatia fits perfectly into the route on the way from Montenegrin Kotor to Bosnian Mostar. We stopped by for the day.

What to do in Dubrovnik if you don't watch Game of Thrones? Start in the Old Town: take a stroll along the pedestrian Stradun street, which became the main street in the historical center already in the 12th century. The street will lead you to the central Lodge Square with the town hall, fountains, and tower clock. Walk along the city walls: admire the view of the sea, the bay and swimmers on a small patch of beach.

Look at Dubrovnik from the sea - include the island of Lokrum in your program. Every hour, boats depart from the pier to the island. There are no hotels or shops on the island, and the main guests are fearless peacocks. There is an ancient Benedictine monastery and Napoleon's fort built by the French. According to legend, Richard the Lionheart landed on the island of Lokrum during a shipwreck. He did it - so can you! The only question is the price: a round trip ticket costs € 16.

Look at Dubrovnik from above - climb Mount Srd (more than 400 meters above sea level). The funicular ride from the Old Town costs €18 return, but there is an alternative - a 2 km long walking path (check the map carefully).

Among decent and not very expensive places for a snack (Dubrovnik was the most expensive point on our route), you can check out the cafe Presa (Djordjiceva 2) in the very center. We had to wait in line to get a seat at a table.

Mostar and Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina is the heart of the former Yugoslavia. The riddled and destroyed buildings here still remind us of the Bosnian War, as a silent reproach to the older generation. Young people boast that they live together in harmony, regardless of religious preferences, create interfaith families and influence each other’s lifestyles (it’s easy to meet a Muslim woman with her head covered and wearing a T-shirt). Half of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina (out of 3.5 million people) calls themselves Bosniaks and professes Islam, 30% are Orthodox Serbs, 15% are Catholic Croats. There are respectively three official languages ​​(although they differ very slightly from each other).

Mostar, where we arrived from Dubrovnik, is still divided into two parts: western - Croatian, eastern - Bosnian. And today there are two universities, two football teams, two post offices, the city is cleaned by two different utilities. Our couchsurfer Ruzica, with whom we stayed, is a Croatian Catholic, but this does not prevent her from renting accommodation in the Bosnian part of the city. At the same time, you can determine whether you are Bosniak or Croatian by knowing only your name.

Mostar is a city of bridges, so the plan is predictable. Walk along the Luchsky Bridge, the Musala Bridge or the miniature Crooked Bridge. The main attraction - the Old Bridge over the Neretva River - was built by the Turks in the 16th century, but during the war in 1993 it was destroyed. Restorers wanted to restore the appearance of the bridge as much as possible, so stones were collected from the bottom of the river. Along with the Old Bridge, a long-standing tradition has also returned - jumping from a 30-meter height into the cold water of the Neretva. Don't miss out on a great show and don't be surprised when swimmers ask for money.

One of the best views of the city (from a 75-meter height) opens from the bell tower at the Franciscan Monastery of Saints Peter and Paul. The elevator takes you to a height of 45 meters - to the 250th step, another 120 steps will have to be overcome on foot. For a panoramic view of the city, also go to Hum Hill - the highest point in the city.

When you arrive in Sarajevo, be sure to sign up for a free walking tour. Every day at 16.30 from the bridge where Franz Ferdinand was killed, excellent guys from Insider Agency drive around the city. They will tell you not only about the murder that thundered throughout the world, but will also give you advice on what souvenirs to bring from the market in the area of ​​the Bascarsija Square, a favorite among tourists.

The Sarajevo Tunnel Museum near the airport is a must visit (entrance € 5). Bosnians built the tunnel by hand - with shovels and picks - during the Serb siege of the city in the 90s. Thanks to these 800 meters, food, humanitarian aid, and weapons were transferred to the city, and civilians were able to escape from Sarajevo.

Serbia, and, also small parts of, and. The Balkan Peninsula is surrounded by the Mediterranean basin. To the west is the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, to the south is the Aegean Sea, to the southeast is the Sea of ​​Marmara, and to the east is the Black Sea. The Bosphorus and Dardanelles separate the peninsula from. Of all the Balkan countries, only three do not have access to the sea - Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo.

Relief

The Balkan Peninsula has exceptionally varied terrain, although most of its area is occupied by mountains. Most of them are young and belong to the Alpo-Himalayan mountain system. Therefore, the Balkan Peninsula is one of the most seismic zones in Europe, along with the island. The Balkan Mountains are medium in height. The highest point of the peninsula is the peak of Musala. It rises 2925 meters above sea level in the Rila Mountain in Southwestern Bulgaria. The longest chain is the Dinaric Highlands, which stretches along the entire coast of the Adriatic Sea. Between the high mountain ranges of the Balkans lie some of the most fertile plains on the continent. The coastline of the peninsula is extremely dissected. The only coasts of Scandinavia can be compared with those in the Balkans. The coasts of Croatia and Greece are especially dissected. The southernmost part of the Balkans is occupied by the Peloponnese peninsulas. In order to reduce trade routes between the Aegean and Ionian seas, the Corinth Canal, whose length is about 5.8 kilometers, was dug.

Climate

The Balkan Peninsula has a varied climate and falls into two very different climatic regions. The northern parts of the peninsula have a distinct continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters. In Bucharest, the capital of Romania, the average January daytime temperature barely exceeds 1°C, and in July and August thermometers show more than 29°C. The southern parts of the peninsula are mild and pleasant, sometimes hot. In the Greek capital Athens, the average daily temperature in January is around 13°C, and in July and August it is around 34°C. There are also significant differences in precipitation ratios. For example, the western coast of the peninsula is considered one of the most precipitation places in Europe, when in the east and south precipitation is quite scarce. Much of the northern part of the peninsula receives heavy snowfall during the winter, with the southern Aegean and Adriatic coasts receiving little rain and when snow cover does form it is usually thin and temporary.

Water

The Balkan Peninsula is rich in water, especially when it comes to mountainous areas. Large and many smaller rivers flow through the peninsula. The largest are the Danube, Sava, Morava and others. The largest lakes are Ohrid and Prespa (both located between Albania and Macedonia), Lake Scutari between Montenegro and Albania and others. In the high parts of the Balkans you can see beautiful glacial lakes. The most impressive are the Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria, which are a major tourist attraction.

Nature

The beauty of the Balkans is proverbial. They certainly have the wildest and most lush nature in Europe. Dense and impenetrable deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests cover large parts of the mountain ranges and plains in this part of the world. The vegetation in the southernmost part of the peninsula and on the Mediterranean coast is predominantly evergreen, but in the larger northern part and far from the seashore the plants lose their leaves during the winter months. Beautiful and breezy mountains, especially those in Bulgaria, attract winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. In winter, a thick and long-lasting snow cover forms in the higher parts, and the ski tracks are excellent. The Balkans are well known for their magnificent beaches. The Dalmatian coast, which covers the western parts of the peninsula, is considered the most picturesque and green part of the Mediterranean. Greece however is considered a tourist paradise with its exceptionally beautiful white sandy beaches and crystal clear bays. The Black Sea coast is completely different. The beaches there are quite large and covered with golden sand.

Animal world

The fauna in the Balkans is extremely diverse. Among the dense mountain forests there are brown bears, wolves, foxes, jackals, wild cats, as well as smaller predators such as weasels and ferrets. In more secluded and isolated places, mainly in Macedonia, large quantities of rice are also found. There are different types of herbivores such as deer, wild boars, wild horses and others. The Balkans are home to many bird species. Some reserves, such as Srebarna in Bulgaria, are home to many species on the verge of extinction and many species of rare birds such as the pink pelican. Many migratory birds nest in the Balkans, such as storks, cranes, swallows and others. Eagles, hawks, eagle owls and owls are found in forest areas. The Balkans are home to a huge variety of toads and lizards. There are different types of snakes, some of which are poisonous.

Cities

Five cities on the Balkan Peninsula have a population of over a million inhabitants: Istanbul (the largest city in Turkey), Athens (the capital of Greece), Bucharest (the capital of Romania), Sofia (the capital of Bulgaria) and Belgrade (the capital of Serbia). The largest, with a population of about 11 million inhabitants, is Istanbul, but it is partly located on a peninsula. Only the western half of the Turkish metropolis falls into the Balkans. Athens is actually the largest city located entirely in the Balkans. The Greek capital has a population of about 3.1 million inhabitants. In addition to those listed, other large cities on the peninsula are Thessaloniki, Skopje, Tirana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Plovdiv, Constanta and others.

Population

The population of the Balkan Peninsula is more than 70.5 million inhabitants. In terms of ethnic composition, the Balkans are among the most diverse places on the continent. People with different ethnic origins live here, speaking dozens of different languages. The Slavic language family includes Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian and Macedonian. Romanian is part of the Romance language family. Greek and Albanian languages ​​are independent language groups and have no relatives, and Turkish, which is widespread in the southeastern part of the peninsula, is part of the Turkic language family. In this part of the continent live migrants from other parts of the world, mainly from and. In recent years, there has been great interest among immigrants from developed Western countries such as Great Britain. They come here because of the good climate, beautiful nature, good food and low real estate prices. In addition to ethnicity and language, the Balkan region is also quite diverse in terms of religion. For example, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia are Orthodox countries. Croatia, Slovenia and Italy are Catholic, while Turkey's official religion is Islam. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christians slightly outnumber Muslims, and Albania is popular as one of the countries in Europe with the largest percentage of atheists. In the past, the Balkans was a land of numerous conflicts that stemmed from the great internal differences on the peninsula. Despite this, relations between countries in the region have been slowly improving in recent years, and many economic ties have already been created between some of them.

Economy

The Balkan Peninsula is still one of the poorest and most economically backward parts of Europe. Despite this, the local economy is experiencing significant growth as it struggles to catch up with the rest of the continent. The richer countries on the peninsula are Slovenia, Greece and Croatia, while Turkey's economy is the largest. At the other extreme are countries like Albania and Macedonia, which still have a fairly low standard of living. The tourism industry and agriculture are especially important for the economic development of the Balkans. During the years of the socialist regime, many states were inappropriately turned into industrial economies without the necessary base and traditions for this. If instead the economic efforts had been concentrated on the development of agriculture, today most would probably be more developed than the countries in Western Europe. It is a known fact that the Balkan Peninsula is one of the most fertile parts of Europe and has the potential to produce food products that could satisfy most of the demand on the continent if only enough money was invested. Dobrudja is considered the most fertile, often described as the “Granary of the Balkans”. It is located in the eastern part of the peninsula and covers parts of northeastern Bulgaria and southeastern Romania. Integration processes are currently taking place in the Balkans. Several countries are already part of the European Union, while others are still negotiating or expected to join the community soon.

The Balkan Peninsula is in southern Europe. There are few such places on the Balkan Peninsula. Modern photo The Balkan Peninsula has rich vegetation.

In antiquity, the Balkan Mountains were called in ancient Greek Αἶμος, in Latin Haemus. In addition, the Balkan countries are a real center of recreational childhood: there are a lot of children’s and youth camps and a whole bunch of schools teaching foreign languages. You can stay continuously in the territory of visa-free Balkan countries for 30-90 days within a six-month period.

In the north and northwest, the Balkan Peninsula, which is part of Southern Europe, borders on countries such as Austria, Hungary and Italy. To get acquainted with the color of the countries on the map of the Balkan Peninsula, it is worth visiting the eight most interesting destinations. The climate in the north and east is temperate continental, in the south and third it is subtropical Mediterranean. In the north and east there are broad-leaved and coniferous forests; in the south and third there are Mediterranean hard-leaved forests and shrubs; the plains are cultivated.

The steppes and forest-steppes in the north and east are plowed; corn, wheat, tobacco, and grapes are grown; gardens; in the south there are plantations of olives, citrus fruits, and pomegranates. Southern Europe. On ter. The peninsula contains parts of Slovenia and Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece and the European part of Turkey. It juts out into the sea for 950 km. It is washed by the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Ionian, Marmara, Aegean and Black Seas.

To the south it forms the Morea Peninsula (Peloponnese). To the east are the Balkan Mountains and the eroded Dobruja Highlands. With the intensification of the struggle for markets, the Balkan Peninsula with its 43 million population is also gaining interest as a place for selling goods.

Balkan Mountains (see Stara Planina). In the mountains there is a high altitude climate. On the north and in the mountains int. parts of the Baltic region are dominated by forests from Central Europe. The shores of the peninsula are strongly dissected. The northern border of the peninsula is considered to be a conventional line drawn along the Danube, Sava and Kupa rivers, and from the source of the latter to the Kvarner Strait.

Faith - and only the Orthodox faith - lifts this peninsula above the East and West. In ancient times, Greeks, Macedonians, Illyrians, Thracians and other ancient peoples lived on the peninsula. After the conquest of most of the peninsula by the Roman Empire, many peoples became Latinized, although some remained under the influence of Greek culture.

What countries are located on the Balkan Peninsula?

As a result of the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the First World War, the political structure and organization of the Balkan region changed significantly. Jovan Kvizic, the compiler of this “ethnographic map” of the Balkan region, published in 1918 by the American Geographical Society of New York, taught geography at the University of Belgrade.

The Balkan Peninsula and its adjacent islands are washed by the Mediterranean Sea. The climate on the Balkan Peninsula is favorable. The people who inhabited this territory had to conquer difficult mountains, because they occupy 4/5 of the Balkan Peninsula. Find Mount Olympus on the map (p. 113). Describe its location. Occupations of the ancient Greeks The population of the Balkan Peninsula was engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding, fishing, and hunting.

Look at the map and name the areas and islands near the Balkan Peninsula that are rich in the named minerals. Fresco Ancient Greek ship The sea played a huge role in the life of the ancient Greeks. The shores of the Balkan Peninsula are indented with a great variety of bays and coves in which one could hide from bad weather. An ancient, highly detailed map of the Balkans with an additional map of Constantinople (modern Istanbul) and the Central Balkans in the area of ​​Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria).

The southeast of Europe, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Balkans is a kind of corner for soulful neighborly gatherings in a friendly way. In a general cultural sense, the Balkans are all of the above without taking into account Turkey and Italy: the first is usually attributed to Asia, the second to Southern Europe.

Macedonia and Serbia are landlocked, but relaxing on the mountain lakes of these countries and at their balneological resorts can be an excellent addition to excursion tours in the Balkans. In the south of this country the climate is reminiscent of the Mediterranean - mild and warm.

Balkan Peninsula, its nature

South Europe, jutting into the Mediterranean Sea. Hall. the shores are indented, rocky, eastern. - low. The relief is predominantly mountainous (Rhodope Mountains, Dinaric Highlands, Rida Mountains - up to 2925 m). Plains in the north and in intermountain depressions, in places along the coasts. The peninsula has been inhabited since ancient times. See these articles. This book will be produced in accordance with your order using Print-on-Demand technology.

The coasts are heavily indented, with many adjacent islands, especially in the south (Greece) and east. In the west stretch the Dinaric Mountains, to the south passing into Pindus and the mountains of Greece. More significant flat areas (Lower Danube and Thracian lowlands, Bulgarian plateau) - in the east. parts. The rivers (except the Danube) are small. Europe south to the Aegean Sea and further to Asia. The interests of England, Italy, France, and before the war, Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary are connected with these directions of world communications.

When planning to get acquainted with new countries, take a close look at the Balkan Peninsula. The majority of countries on the Balkan Peninsula practice visa-free entry.