Current Status of the Balkan Peninsula
- The Balkans, also commonly referred to as the Balkan Peninsula, includes at least 11 nations that are bordered by the Adriatic, Ionian, and Aegean Seas, as well as part of the Mediterannean Sea. The following countries are generally always considered to be part of the Balkan region:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Kosovo
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Some sources also consider parts of Greece and Turkey to be part of the Balkan Peninsula.
Controversial Issues faced by the Balkan Peninsula
- The primary reason for the discontinuity in how the Balkan Peninsula is defined is attributed to the fact that many of the countries that form this area today were originally part of the former country Yugoslavia.
- Experts typically either define the Balkan region based on geographical, political, social, and cultural factors, the most important of which are religion and language.
- Kosovo has been fighting to be called "Kosovo" as opposed to its former name, "Kosovo and Metohija" in the public eye. The country gained its independence from Yugoslavia in 1974. Many countries still fail to recognize Kosovo as its own country within the Balkan region, but the country's government is hopeful that a new embassy in Jerusalem, Israel will increase recognition as Kosovo and not as Kosovo and Metohija.
The Balkan Region: United
- Balkan countries and their communities participate in an annual event called the Terra Madre Balkans, during which people from this region come together to share their agricultural practices, food traditions, and more. This event is done in an effort to create more stability and development within the Balkan region.
- Countries that are part of the Western region of the Balkans publish a semi-annual report each year that discusses economic developments and policies. These reports are inclusive of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
Summary of Early Findings
Within our initial hour of research, we were able to compile information depicting the current state of the Balkan region, including what countries this area consists of and why. We also began to locate sources that discussed the currently political climate of the Balkan region and issues that some countries are facing, as well as what is being done to overcome these hardships. Based on these findings, we are confident that additional research into the Balkan Peninsula could prove useful in understanding how the Balkan region wants to be defined, how they are working together, and steps that the governments within this region are making to become more cohesive with one another.