The Balkan Peninsula, or Balkans, is located in the southeastern part of Europe. It is washed by seven seas, the coastline is highly dissected. The northern border of the peninsula is considered to be the line from the Danube, Kupa, Sava rivers to the Kvarner Bay. There are countries here that are partially located on the peninsula. And there are those that are completely on its territory. But they are all somewhat similar, although each has its own flavor.
Balkan countries
- Albania - located in the west, completely located on the peninsula.
- Bulgaria - located in the east, completely located on the peninsula.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in the center, completely located on the peninsula.
- Greece - located on the peninsula and nearby islands;
- Macedonia - located in the center, completely located on the peninsula.
- Montenegro - located in the west, completely located on the peninsula.
- Serbia - located in the center, partly located on the peninsula, partly in the Pannonian lowland.
- Croatia - located in the west, partly located on the peninsula.
- Slovenia is located in the north, completely located on the peninsula.
- Romania - located in the east, completely located on the peninsula.
- Turkey is partly located on the peninsula.
- Italy - occupies only a small - northern - part of the peninsula.
Geography of the area
As mentioned above, the coastline is very indented, there are bays. There are many small islands near the peninsula; Greece occupies a large part of them. The most dissected are the shores of the Aegean and Adriatic seas. For the most part, mountainous terrain prevails here.
A bit of history
The Balkan Peninsula was the first region in Europe to introduce agriculture. In ancient times, Macedonians, Greeks, Thracians and others lived on its territory. The Roman Empire managed to conquer most of the lands and bring their customs and traditions to them, but some of the nationalities did not abandon Greek culture. In the sixth century, the first Slavic peoples came here.
During the Middle Ages, the Balkan Peninsula was often attacked by different states, since it was an important region and a transport artery. By the end of the Middle Ages, most of the territory was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Conquest by the Ottoman Turks of the Balkan Peninsula
Beginning in 1320, the Turks began to regularly try to conquer certain territories, in 1357 they managed to completely subjugate the Gallipoli Island - it was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. The conquest of the Balkan Peninsula by the Turks continued for many decades. In 1365 Thrace was captured, in 1396 the Ottoman Empire managed to conquer the entire Vidin kingdom and lands up to the Balkan mountains. In 1371, the Turks switched to Serbian lands, in 1389, after a long confrontation, the Serbs had to surrender.
Gradually, the border of the Ottoman Empire moved to Hungary. The Hungarian king Sigismund decided that he would not surrender and invited other European monarchs to gather to fight against the invaders. The Pope, the French troops and many more powerful people of this world agreed with such a proposal. It was decided to declare a crusade against the Turkish invaders, but this did not bring much success, the Turks absolutely defeated all the crusaders.
The power of the Turks has weakened. It seemed that the Balkan Peninsula was returning to normal life. The power of Tamerlane frightened the Ottoman Empire. The Serbian prince decided to regain control over the occupied territories, and he succeeded. Belgrade became the capital of Serbia, but in the middle of the fifteenth century Ottoman Empire decided to return the position. Already at the beginning of the twentieth century. the countries of the Balkan Peninsula decided to completely get rid of the influence of the Turks. In 1912, the War of Independence began, which ended successfully for the Balkans, but the First World War soon began. In the 90s of the last century, Yugoslavia split into a number of states that exist to this day (one of them - Kosovo - partially recognized).
Color beckons
All states of the Balkan Peninsula are diverse. They have come a long way of development. They were conquered, many battles took place here, they suffered from invasions. For many centuries these countries were not free, but now, once here, one cannot fail to notice the spirit of freedom. Beautiful landscapes, miraculously preserved attractions and an excellent climate - all this attracts many tourists to these places, where everyone manages to find something special: someone goes to the beach, and someone to the mountains, but everyone remains fascinated by these countries.
List Balkan countries... Tourism: capitals, cities and resorts. Maps of foreign states of the Balkan region.
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Southeast of Europe, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Balkans is a kind of corner for sincere neighborly gatherings. In the mountainous expanses of the Balkan Peninsula, everything, of course, is European ... but still completely native: taverns, potatoes and bell peppers, Orthodox churches, cross stitching on linen napkins, related languages and fortified in Soviet time and to this day unflagging friendship. Balkan nepotism is special: the brotherhood of Slavic peoples, bound by the socialist past, rallied in the face of an external formidable "enemy" in the entourage of native landscapes - the same valleys and picturesque mountains, birches bending in the wind and fat herds wandering through the meadows with an indispensable shepherd, equipped with a pipe, rags and bast shoes. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that we are drawn to the Balkans again and again - both abroad, it seems, and native spaces at the same time, plus to this - a real kinship of souls.
Let's turn to dry facts for a second. Geographically, Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro and Macedonia, as well as most of Serbia, half of Croatia, a third of Slovenia and quite a bit of Romania, Turkey and even Italy (province of Trieste) are completely located on the Balkan Peninsula. In the general cultural sense, the Balkans are all of the above without taking into account Turkey and Italy: the first is usually referred to Asia, the second to Southern Europe... As for the coasts and the various waves washing them, the Balkans can boast of truly biblical diversity: it is only a convinced skeptic who will say that there are only two seas. In fact, not only the Mediterranean and Black, but also the Adriatic, Ionian, Marble and Aegean were noted here - a total of six! - choose for any water transparency, sand grain and pebble hardness.
Balkan happiness
From a tourist point of view, the Balkans is an ideally balanced region in terms of types of recreation. Here, perhaps, there is nothing with the prefix "super-", but there is enough available to satisfy vacationers with a variety of needs. In short, rest in the Balkans is quite nice beaches surrounded by almost native nature (sand or pebbles plus coniferous forests, deciduous groves and low mountains on the horizon), ample opportunities for treatment on thermal springs, not outstanding, but quite interesting "excursion" (which are only macabre castles!) - and all this at divine prices, often without a language barrier, with Slavic hospitality and all kinds of "avek plezirs". In addition, the Balkan countries are a real center for recreational childhood: there are a lot of children's and youth camps and a whole bunch of schools for teaching foreign languages. So if you are pondering where to take an anxious grandmother with a restless grandson to the mutual benefit of both, do not hesitate: better than Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro not to be found!
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. Northern border runs from the Gulf of Trieste to the Sava River and further along it and the Danube (to the mouth). On the Balkan Peninsula, the states are partially or completely located: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia.
Coastline strongly 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 Chalkidiki. The shores are mostly high, steep, with alternating rocky cliffs and bays with sand and pebble beaches, on the Black Sea coast - flat, with a few capes, sandy beaches are widespread almost everywhere.
Relief... The surface is predominantly mountainous. A combination of numerous ridges, massifs, uplands, plateaus and intermontane depressions is characteristic. The Stara Planina Mountains are located in the northeast. To the south of them, separated by longitudinal hollows, are the Rhodope mountains, the Rila mountain range (up to 2925 m high, Musala mountain - the highest point of the Balkan Peninsula) and the Pirin mountain range (up to 2914 m). In the western part, parallel to the coast Adriatic sea, there is the Dinaric Highlands, to the south turning into the Pindus Mountains (height up to 2637 m, Mount Zmolikas) and the mountains of the Peloponnese (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 the Lower Danube lowland), in the east (Lower Thracian lowland), in intermontane depressions (Upper Thracian lowland, Thessalian plain, etc.), in places along the coasts.
Geological structure and minerals... The Balkan Peninsula is located within the Alpine-Himalayan mobile belt. The Serbian-Macedonian Late Precambrian-Paleozoic crystalline massif, which separates two branches of alpids, stretches along its axis. To the west of the massif along the coast of the Adriatic Sea, the Dinaric fold-cover system (Dinarids) extends, which continues in Albania and Greece with the arcuate curved system of Hellenids. The Helinid arc is underlain by the crustal subduction (underthrust) zone of the Ionian and Levantine basins. It is associated with the high seismicity of the Balkan Peninsula and the volcanism of the Aegean Sea depression. To the east of the Serbian-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 ° С, in July 25-27 ° С. In the central and northern regions, the climate is moderately continental. Average temperatures in July are about 20 ° С, in January from 0 to -3 ° С. In the mountains - high-altitude climatic zonation; snow cover persists for several months. The western slopes of the Dinaric Highlands are the most humid - up to 2000 mm of precipitation per year (in the area of the Kotor Bay - up to 5000 mm); in the eastern and southern parts (with the exception of 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 basin), as well as the bordering Danube and Sava rivers. Most of the rivers are mountainous in nature, their maximum runoff occurs in the period from March to June, low water - from August to September. Large lakes- Shkoder (Skadar), Ohridskoe, Prespa - located in tectonic depressions. There are many karst lakes, in the Rila mountains there are lakes of glacial origin.
Soil, vegetable and animal world ... In the mountainous and foothill regions of the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, mountain-forest brown and mountain-forest humus-carbonate, as well as brown forest soils are developed. On the Middle Danube and Lower Danube lowlands - chernozems and soils transitioning from brown forest to brown, on the Upper Thracian and Lower Thracian lowlands - black merged resinous soils. The southern part of the peninsula is dominated by subtropical brown, mountain brown typical and calcareous soils; on the Adriatic coast red-colored terra-ross soils are widespread. In the north and in central regions forests of oak, beech, hornbeam, spruce, fir and pine prevail. 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; cereals (wheat, corn) and cotton are cultivated on the plains.
The fauna is quite rich and diverse, especially a lot of birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects. Mammals include bear, wolf, fox, jackal, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, etc., and rodents are numerous.
Lit .: Karri-Lindal K. Europe. M., 1981; Ananiev 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).
Serbia, and also small parts, and. The Balkan Peninsula is surrounded by a Mediterranean basin. In the west is the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, in the south - the Aegean Sea, in the southeast - the Sea of Marmara, and in the east - the Black Sea. The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles share the peninsula from. Of all the Balkan countries, only three have no access to the sea - these are Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo.
Relief
The Balkan Peninsula has an extremely varied topography, although most of its area is occupied by mountains. Most of them are young, and are included in the Alpo-Himalayan mountain system... Therefore, the Balkan Peninsula is one of the most seismic zones in Europe together with the island. The Balkan Mountains are medium in height. The most high point peninsula - the peak of Musala. It rises 2,925 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 highly dissected. The only shores of Scandinavia can be compared with those in the Balkans. The coast of Croatia and Greece is especially dissected. The most southern part The Balkans are occupied by the Peloponnese peninsulas. In order to reduce trade routes between the Aegean and Ionian Seas, the Corinth Canal, which is about 5.8 kilometers long, has been dug.
Climate
The Balkan Peninsula has a varied climate and falls into two too 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 read more than 29 ° C. The southern parts of the peninsula are soft and pleasant, sometimes hot. In the Greek capital Athens, the average daily January temperature is around 13 ° C, while in July and August it is around 34 ° C. There are also significant differences in the ratio of precipitation. For example, the western coast of the peninsula is considered one of the most sedimentary places in Europe, when precipitation is rather scarce in the east and south. In winter, a large Northern part the peninsula receives heavy rainfall from snow when southern coasts It rarely rains in the Aegean and Adriatic Seas, and when snow cover forms, 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 Danube, Sava, Morava and others. The most large lakes- This is Ohrid and Prespa (both are located between Albania and Macedonia), Lake Skutari between Montenegro and Albania, and others. V high parts Balkans can be seen beautiful glacial lakes. The most impressive are the Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria, which represent a great 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 mountain ranges and plains in this part of the world. Vegetation in the southernmost part of the peninsula and on the coast Mediterranean Sea it is predominantly evergreen, but in the greater northern part and far from sea coast plants lose their leaves during the winter months. The beautiful and fresh mountains, especially those in Bulgaria, attract winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. In winter, there is a thick and long-lasting snow cover in the high parts, and the 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 greenest part of the Mediterranean. Greece, however, is considered a tourist paradise with its exceptionally beautiful whites. sandy beaches and crystal clear bays. Black sea coast 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, it is also found a large number of rice. 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 endangered species and many rare bird species like the pink pelican. On the territory of the Balkans, many migratory birds nest, 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 venomous.
Cities
Five cities on the Balkan Peninsula have a population of more than a million inhabitants - this is Istanbul (the most Big city in Turkey), Athens (capital of Greece), Bucharest (capital of Romania), Sofia (capital of Bulgaria) and Belgrade (capital of Serbia). The largest with a population of about 11 million inhabitants is Istanbul, but it is partially located on the 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 approximately 3.1 million inhabitants. In addition to those listed, others big cities on the peninsula are Thessaloniki, Skopje, Tirana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Ljubljana, Plovdiv, Constanta and others.
Population
The population of the Balkan Peninsula is over 70.5 million inhabitants. In relation to ethnic composition The Balkans are among the most diverse places on the continent. It is inhabited by peoples with different ethnic origins, speaking dozens of different languages. The Slavic language family includes Bulgarian, Serbian, Croatian and Macedonian. The Romance language family includes Romanian. The Greek and Albanian languages are independent linguistic groups and do not have akin to themselves, but Turkish language, which is widespread in the southeastern part of the peninsula, belongs to the Turkic language family. In this part of the continent, there are settlers from other parts of the world, mainly from and. In recent years, there has been a great interest in migrants from developed Western countries like Great Britain. They come here because of good climate, beautiful nature, good food and low prices real estate. In addition to ethnic and linguistic relations, 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, and Islam is the official religion in Turkey. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of Christians slightly exceeds the number of 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 arose from large internal differences in the peninsula. Despite this, relations between countries in the region have slowly improved 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 in Europe. Despite this, the local economy is experiencing significant growth, trying to catch up with the rest of the continent. The richer countries on the peninsula are Slovenia, Greece and Croatia, and 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 efforts of the economy were concentrated on the development of agriculture, today most would probably be more developed than countries in Western Europe... It is a known fact that the Balkan Peninsula is one of the most fertile corners of Europe and has the potential to produce food products that could satisfy most of the demand on the continent if only enough funds were invested. The most fertile is Dobrudja, 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 underway in the Balkans. Several countries are already members of the European Union, while others are still negotiating or expected to join the community soon.
One of the striking features of this region is that it is incredibly contrasting. Many residents of Russia, which occupies a huge territory, find it difficult to understand how so many states managed to fit on one peninsula at once. And it's even more difficult to understand how they, so different, manage to get along with each other. After all, what countries do not lie on the Balkan Peninsula: Christian and Muslim, with beach and ski resorts, very different and at the same time very similar.
Albania
The republic is located in the western part. Among the countries that are located on the Balkan Peninsula, this is one of the smallest in terms of population. It is home to less than about 2.8 million people. The capital is Tirana. One of the less popular places among tourists, however, in recent years, the service has rapidly developed here.
Bulgaria
The state, located in the eastern part of the peninsula, occupies 22% of its area, has a population of more than 7 million people. The capital is Sofia. For many years, this country was open for Russians visa-free entry... Now, like for most other states, you can enter here from Russia with a Schengen visa. The country is popular as a beach resort.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
A tiny country in the western part of the peninsula with a population of approximately 3.5 million. The capital is Sarajevo. Great option for sightseeing rest in temperate climates.
Greece
One of the most popular tourist destinations in this region. This country is also one of the most densely populated among the Balkans - more than 10 million people. The capital is Athens.
Italy
One of the fashionable capitals of the world is also included in the list of countries located on the Balkan Peninsula. The population is over 60 million people. The capital is Rome. Not only shopping lovers, but also fans of beach or ski holidays strive here from all over the world.
Macedonia
The republic has a population of just over 2 million people. The capital is Skolye. This state has no outlet to the sea. But it boasts mighty mountains, beautiful lakes and ancient cities with amazing architecture.
Romania
According to the works of Bram Stoker and oral folk art, this country is the birthplace of Count Dracula. It is also a great option for a budget European vacation. This state is quite crowded in comparison with its neighbors on the peninsula. The population is slightly less than 20 million people. The capital is Bucharest.
Serbia
A small state with a population of just over 7 million people and the capital in the city of Belgrade. Located in the central part of the peninsula. There is a truly rich program for a tourist with any request - mountains, lakes, ancient architecture. Unless there is no sea.
Slovenia
Another tiny country with a population of just over 2 million people and the capital with a touching name is Ljubljana. It is located in the pre-Alpine part of the peninsula. Ski vacation here it is well developed and is much cheaper than in other countries with access to the Alps.
Turkey
Probably this is the most popular place rest of Russian tourists. The population of the country is about 80 million people. The bulk of the state's territory falls on the Anatolian Peninsula and Armenian highlands, and the Balkan Peninsula got the smaller one. However, this country can also be considered Balkan.
Croatia
