Balkan region. What countries are located on the Balkan Peninsula

When planning to get acquainted with new countries, take a close look at the map of the Balkan Peninsula. These lands can offer travelers unexpected but pleasant surprises; here history, art, and the fusion of a wide variety of cultures create amazing routes for family holidays, active pastime and even for exotic travel.

Unique and bustling city centers, historical places from different eras, museums replete with various artifacts, original architecture, lively embankments and pedestrian streets full of restaurants and cafes...

And the Balkan Peninsula and its map are famous for their unique natural landscapes, which create ample opportunities for active recreation, including on mountain lakes, in winter - skiing from the mountains, in summer - historical tourism, introducing the ruins of ancient civilizations. Add the fact that the Balkan countries themselves are quite compact, but at the same time have a very developed transport infrastructure, and the prices for holidays here are quite low, which makes them undoubtedly very interesting for the budget traveler. In addition, a significant part of the population in the Balkans are Slavic peoples, close to us in spirit, religion, and character...

Map of the countries of the Balkan Peninsula

The countries on the map of the Balkan Peninsula, whose territory is partially or completely within the Balkans, include: Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, Turkey.

The European Union includes Greece, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, so to visit these countries you need a Schengen visa. Other countries listed above offer visa-free regime entry into your territory.

Balkan Peninsula visa map

The majority of countries on the Balkan Peninsula practice visa-free entry. For example, the Republic of Macedonia has once again unilaterally extended the possibility of free entry for our compatriots. The visa-free regime, which has been in effect continuously in this country since March 15, 2012, has now been extended once again for citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine - until March 15, 2020.

You can also visit Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina without a visa. Until recently, Croatia also had a visa-free regime, but after joining the European Union, it introduced Schengen visas (see the post “Visa to Croatia”). Montenegro today - too visa-free country(see "Montenegro summer").

You can stay continuously in the territory of visa-free Balkan countries for 30-90 days within a six-month period.

Holiday season in the Balkans

The best time for a holiday in the Balkans is May-September, and for those who love skiing - January-February.

Macedonia and Serbia are landlocked, but holidays mountain lakes these countries, on their balneological resorts could be a great addition to excursion tours across the Balkans.

In the north and northwest, the Balkan Peninsula, which is part of Southern Europe, borders countries such as Austria, Hungary and Italy.

Climate and weather

The north of the Balkan Peninsula and its central regions (Serbia, Slovenia, partly Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) have a temperate continental climate, characterized by cold, snowy winters and hot, dry summers. Here in July average temperature is about 22 -25C; in January, the air temperature ranges from −1C in the plains and −5C in the Balkan Mountains.

Balkans video

The climate in the south and west (Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia) is typical subtropical Mediterranean, characterized by hot summers and cool winters. In July the average air temperature is 26C, and in January + 10C.

The climate in the northeast (part of Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria) is characterized by warm summers and cool winters. In July, the average air temperature here is 22C, and in January + 5C.

Macedonia is famous for its hot and dry weather in summer and wet and cold winter, which is typical of a continental climate. In the south of this country the climate is reminiscent of the Mediterranean - mild and warm. In July, the warmest month of summer, the average air temperature is +22C. In January you can expect mild frosts with temperatures of -3C.

505,000 km²

Nature

Shores

Minerals

Balkan Peninsula. origin of name

The modern name of the Balkan Peninsula comes from the name of the mountains of the same name, which in turn go back to the tour. Balkan “large, high mountain range covered with forests”, chag. Balkan « mountain range" In antiquity, the Balkan Mountains were called in ancient Greek. Αἶμος , lat. Haemus.

Historical reference

In the 19th century the struggle of the Balkan peoples to establish independence flared up; c - as a result of the Balkan Wars, Turkey’s borders on the peninsula moved to modern borders. The First World War began in the Balkans, the immediate casus belli of which was the assassination of the Austrian heir Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo.

In the 1990s, the region was rocked by conflicts in the republics of the former Yugoslavia, which ended with the breakup of the country into Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Macedonia and, partially recognized, Kosovo.

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Notes

Literature

  • // Military Encyclopedia: [in 18 volumes] / ed. V. F. Novitsky [and others]. - St. Petersburg.
  • ; [M.]: Type. t-va I.V. Sytin, 1911-1915. Murzaev E. M. Folk dictionary
  • ; [M.]: Type. geographical terms . 1st ed. - M., Mysl, 1984. Turkic

geographical names

Polar regions

Oceans
An excerpt characterizing the Balkan Peninsula
Paulucci, who did not know German, began asking him in French. Wolzogen came to the aid of his principal, who spoke little French, and began to translate his words, barely keeping up with Pfuel, who quickly proved that everything, everything, not only what happened, but everything that could happen, was all foreseen in his plan, and that if there were now difficulties, then the whole fault was only in the fact that everything was not executed exactly. He laughed ironically incessantly, argued, and finally contemptuously abandoned proving, as a mathematician abandons verifying in various ways the correctness of a problem. Wolzogen replaced him, continuing to express his thoughts in French and occasionally saying to Pfuel: “Nicht wahr, Exellenz?” [Isn't that true, Your Excellency? (German)] Pfuhl, like a hot man in battle hitting his own, shouted angrily at Wolzogen:
- Nun ja, was soll denn da noch expliziert werden? [Well, yes, what else is there to interpret? (German)] - Paulucci and Michaud attacked Wolzogen in French in two voices. Armfeld addressed Pfuel in German. Tol explained it in Russian to Prince Volkonsky. Prince Andrei silently listened and observed.
Of all these persons, the embittered, decisive and stupidly self-confident Pfuel most excited the participation of Prince Andrei. He alone, of all the people present here, obviously did not want anything for himself, did not harbor enmity towards anyone, but wanted only one thing - to put into action the plan drawn up according to the theory he had developed over years of work. He was funny, unpleasant in his irony, but at the same time he inspired involuntary respect with his boundless devotion to the idea. In addition, in all the speeches of all the speakers, with the exception of Pfuel, there was one common feature that was not present at the military council in 1805 - it was now, although hidden, a panicky fear of the genius of Napoleon, a fear that was expressed in everyone objection. They assumed everything was possible for Napoleon, waited for him from all sides, and with his terrible name they destroyed each other’s assumptions. Only Pfuel, it seemed, considered him, Napoleon, to be the same barbarian as all the opponents of his theory. But, in addition to a feeling of respect, Pfuhl instilled in Prince Andrei a feeling of pity. From the tone with which the courtiers treated him, from what Paulucci allowed himself to say to the emperor, but most importantly from the somewhat desperate expression of Pfuel himself, it was clear that others knew and he himself felt that his fall was close. And, despite his self-confidence and German grumpy irony, he was pitiful with his smoothed hair at the temples and tassels sticking out at the back of his head. Apparently, although he hid it under the guise of irritation and contempt, he was in despair because now the only opportunity to test it through vast experience and prove to the whole world the correctness of his theory eluded him.
The debate continued for a long time, and the longer it continued, the more the disputes flared up, reaching the point of shouting and personalities, and the less it was possible to draw any general conclusion from everything that was said. Prince Andrei, listening to this multilingual conversation and these assumptions, plans and refutations and shouts, was only surprised at what they all said. Those thoughts that had long and often occurred to him during his military activities, that there is and cannot be any military science and therefore there cannot be any so-called military genius, now received for him the complete evidence of the truth. “What kind of theory and science could there be in a matter in which the conditions and circumstances are unknown and cannot be determined, in which the strength of the war figures can be even less determined? No one could and cannot know what the position of our and the enemy’s army will be in a day, and no one can know what the strength of this or that detachment will be. Sometimes, when there is no coward in front who will shout: “We are cut off!” - and he runs, and there is a cheerful one, brave man in front, who will shout: “Hurray! - a detachment of five thousand is worth thirty thousand, as at Shepgraben, and sometimes fifty thousand flee before eight, as at Austerlitz. What kind of science can there be in such a matter, in which, as in any practical matter, nothing can be determined and everything depends on countless conditions, the meaning of which is determined in one minute, about which no one knows when it will come. Armfeld says that our army is cut off, and Paulucci says that we have placed the French army between two fires; Michaud says that the disadvantage of the Dris camp is that the river is behind, and Pfuhl says that this is its strength. Toll proposes one plan, Armfeld proposes another; and everyone is good, and everyone is bad, and the benefits of any situation can only be obvious at the moment when the event occurs. And why does everyone say: a military genius? Is the person who manages to order the delivery of crackers in time and go to the right, to the left, a genius? It is only because military men are invested with splendor and power, and the masses of scoundrels flatter the authorities, giving it unusual qualities of genius, that they are called geniuses. On the contrary, the best generals I have known are stupid or absent-minded people. The best Bagration, - Napoleon himself admitted this. And Bonaparte himself! I remember his smug and limited face on the Field of Austerlitz. Not only does a good commander not need genius or any special qualities, but, on the contrary, he needs the absence of the best highest, human qualities - love, poetry, tenderness, philosophical inquisitive doubt. He must be limited, firmly convinced that what he is doing is very important (otherwise he will lack patience), and only then will he be a brave commander. God forbid, if he is a person, he will love someone, feel sorry for him, think about what is fair and what is not. It is clear that from time immemorial the theory of geniuses was falsified for them, because they are the authorities. The credit for the success of military affairs depends not on them, but on the person in the ranks who shouts: lost, or shouts: hurray! And only in these ranks can you serve with confidence that you are useful!“
So Prince Andrei thought, listening to the talk, and woke up only when Paulucci called him and everyone was already leaving.
The next day, at the review, the sovereign asked Prince Andrei where he wanted to serve, and Prince Andrei lost himself forever in the court world, not asking to remain with the sovereign’s person, but asking permission to serve in the army.

Before the opening of the campaign, Rostov received a letter from his parents, in which, briefly informing him about Natasha’s illness and about the break with Prince Andrei (this break was explained to him by Natasha’s refusal), they again asked him to resign and come home. Nikolai, having received this letter, did not try to ask for leave or resignation, but wrote to his parents that he was very sorry about Natasha’s illness and breakup with her fiancé and that he would do everything possible to fulfill their wishes. He wrote to Sonya separately.
“Dear friend of my soul,” he wrote. “Nothing but honor could keep me from returning to the village.” But now, before the opening of the campaign, I would consider myself dishonest not only before all my comrades, but also before myself, if I preferred my happiness to my duty and love for the fatherland. But this is the last parting. Believe that immediately after the war, if I am alive and everyone loves you, I will drop everything and fly to you to press you forever to my fiery chest.”
Indeed, only the opening of the campaign delayed Rostov and prevented him from coming - as he promised - and marrying Sonya. Otradnensky autumn with hunting and winter with Christmastide and Sonya's love opened to him the prospect of quiet noble joys and tranquility, which he had not known before and which now beckoned him to themselves. “A nice wife, children, a good pack of hounds, dashing ten to twelve packs of greyhounds, a household, neighbors, election service! - he thought. But now there was a campaign, and it was necessary to remain in the regiment. And since this was necessary, Nikolai Rostov, by his nature, was satisfied with the life that he led in the regiment, and managed to make this life pleasant for himself.
Arriving from vacation, joyfully greeted by his comrades, Nikolai was sent for repairs and brought excellent horses from Little Russia, which delighted him and earned him praise from his superiors. In his absence, he was promoted to captain, and when the regiment was put under martial law with an increased complement, he again received his former squadron.
The campaign began, the regiment was moved to Poland, double pay was given, new officers, new people, horses arrived; and, most importantly, that excitedly cheerful mood that accompanies the beginning of war spread; and Rostov, aware of his advantageous position in the regiment, completely devoted himself to the pleasures and interests of military service, although he knew that sooner or later he would have to leave them.
The troops retreated from Vilna for various complex state, political and tactical reasons. Each step of retreat was accompanied by a complex interplay of interests, conclusions and passions in the main headquarters. For the hussars of the Pavlograd regiment, this entire retreat campaign, in the best part of summer, with sufficient food, was the simplest and most fun thing. They could become despondent, worry and intrigue in the main apartment, but in the deep army they did not ask themselves where and why they were going. If they regretted retreating, it was only because they had to leave a comfortable apartment, a pretty lady. If it occurred to someone that things were bad, then, as a good military man should, the one to whom it occurred to him tried to be cheerful and not think about the general course of affairs, but think about his immediate business. At first they cheerfully stood near Vilna, making acquaintances with Polish landowners and waiting and serving inspections of the sovereign and other senior commanders. Then the order came to retreat to the Sventsyans and destroy the provisions that could not be taken away. Sventsyany was remembered by the hussars only because it was a drunken camp, as the whole army called the Sventsyany camp, and because in Sventsyany there were many complaints against the troops because, taking advantage of the order to take away provisions, they also took horses among the provisions, and carriages and carpets from the Polish gentlemen. Rostov remembered Sventsyany because on the first day of entering this place he replaced the sergeant and could not cope with all the men of the squadron who had drunk too much, who, without his knowledge, took away five barrels of old beer. From Sventsyan they retreated further and further to Drissa, and again retreated from Drissa, already approaching the Russian borders.

The Balkan Peninsula is located in southern Europe. It is washed by the waters of the Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian, Black Sea and On the western shores there are many bays and bays, most of them rocky and steep. In the east, they are usually straight and low. The Balkan Peninsula includes medium and low mountains. Among them are Pindus, the Dinaric Highlands, the Rhodope Mountains, Stara Planina, the Serbian Highlands and others. The name of the peninsula in Europe is one.

On the outskirts are the Lower Danube and Middle Danube plains. The most important rivers are the Morava, Maritsa, Sava, and Danube. Among the reservoirs the main lakes are: Prespa, Ohrid, Skadar. The Balkan Peninsula in the north and east is different. The territories in the south and west are characterized by the Mediterranean

The peninsulas differ significantly in socio-political, climatic and other conditions. Southern territories occupies most of Greece. It borders Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Türkiye and Albania. B is characterized as subtropical Mediterranean, with hot and dry summers and wet, mild winters. In the mountains and northern regions weather more severe in winter period the temperature here is below zero.

The Balkan Peninsula in the south is occupied by Macedonia. It borders Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia. Macedonia has a predominantly Mediterranean climate, with rainy winters and dry, hot summers.

The northeastern territories of the peninsula are occupied by Bulgaria. Its northern part borders on Romania, its western part borders on Macedonia and Serbia, and its southern part borders on Turkey and Greece. The territory of Bulgaria includes the longest mountain range on the peninsula - Stara Planina. North of it and south of the Danube is the Danube Plain. This fairly vast plateau rises one hundred and fifty meters above sea level, and is dissected by many rivers that originate in Stara Planina and flow into the Danube. The Rhodope Mountains border the southeastern plain from the southwest. Most of the plain is located in the Maritsa River basin. These territories have always been famous for their fertility.

Climatically, Bulgaria is divided into three Mediterranean and continental. This determines this territory. For example, in Bulgaria there are more than three thousand plant species, various species of which have disappeared from other European territories.

The western part of the Balkan Peninsula is occupied by Albania. The northern and northwestern territories border with Montenegro and Serbia, the eastern ones with Macedonia, and the southern and southeastern ones with Greece. The main part of Albania is distinguished by its elevated and mountainous terrain with deep and very fertile valleys. The territory also contains several large lakes that stretch across border areas with Greece, Macedonia, Yugoslavia.

The climate in Albania is Mediterranean subtropical. Summers here are dry and hot, and winters are wet and cool.

List of Balkan countries. Tourism: capitals, cities and resorts. Maps of foreign countries in the Balkans region.

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The southeast of Europe, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Balkans is a kind of corner for intimate neighborly gatherings in a friendly way. In the mountainous expanses of the Balkan Peninsula, everything, of course, is European... but still completely native: taverns, potatoes and sweet peppers, Orthodox churches, cross stitch on linen napkins, related languages ​​and strengthened in Soviet time friendship that continues to this day. Balkan nepotism is special: the brotherhood of Slavic peoples, bound by the socialist past, united in the face of a formidable external “enemy” in the surroundings of their native landscapes - the same valleys and picturesque mountains, birch trees bending in the wind and fat herds wandering through the meadows with an indispensable shepherd, equipped with a pipe, rubble 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 our native expanses at the same time, plus a real kinship of souls.

Let's look at the hard facts for a second. In a geographical sense, the Balkan Peninsula consists entirely of Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Montenegro and Macedonia, as well as most of Serbia, half of Croatia, a third of Slovenia and just a little bit of Romania, Turkey and even Italy (province of Trieste). In general cultural meaning, 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. As for the coasts and the various waves washing them, the Balkans can boast of truly biblical diversity: only a convinced skeptic would say that there are only two seas here. In fact, not only the Mediterranean and Black Seas were noted here, but also the Adriatic, Ionian, Marmara and Aegean - six in total! - choose to suit any water transparency, sand graininess and pebble hardness.

Balkan happiness

From a tourist point of view, the Balkans are an ideally balanced region in terms of types of recreation. Here, perhaps, there is nothing with the prefix “super”, but what is available is quite enough to satisfy vacationers with a wide variety of needs. In short, a holiday in the Balkans means 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 an outstanding, but quite interesting “excursion” (what are the macabre castles alone worth!) - and all this at divine prices, often without a language barrier, with Slavic hospitality and all sorts of “avec plaisirs”. 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. So if you are wondering where to take an anxious grandmother with a restless grandson for the mutual benefit of both, don’t hesitate: better than Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro cannot be found!

 

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