Balkan

The Balkans, or Balkan Peninsula, is a geographic and cultural region in Southeast Europe. It includes much of the Balkan Peninsula and surrounding areas, with countries commonly associated: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia. Definitions vary; parts of Turkey and other nearby areas are sometimes included. The northern boundary is often marked by the Danube basin.

The term derives from the Turkish balkan, meaning “mountain chain.” It entered European usage in the 19th century to describe the region’s mountainous terrain; the word has spawned the term Balkanization.

The landscape is highly mountainous, including the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina), the Dinaric Alps, and the Rhodope. Major rivers include the Danube, Morava, Sava, Vardar, and Maritsa. Climates range from alpine and continental to Mediterranean, supporting diverse ecosystems.

The region has ancient roots in classical civilizations, followed by Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman rule. It experienced national revolutions in the 19th and early 20th centuries and played a central role in the wars of the Balkans. In the late 20th century, Yugoslavia dissolved amid conflicts in the 1990s. Today, several Balkan states are in or pursuing EU integration; membership includes Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria, while others are candidates or potential candidates. Kosovo's status is disputed.

The Balkans are ethnically and religiously diverse. Major religions include Orthodox Christianity, Islam, and Catholicism. Languages belong to several families, notably the South Slavic group (Slovene, Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian, Macedonian), Albanian, Greek, Turkish, and Romani.