Balkan Peninsula. Description. Balkan Peninsula holiday map

The Dinaric Highlands begin north of the Istrian peninsula, where it merges with the Southeastern Alps. Further, it extends from the northwest to the southeast, along the Adriatic coast to the northern border of Albania. Recent subsidence has caused the western marginal zone of the Dinaric Highlands to be fragmented and plunged below sea level. This led to the formation of a heavily indented Dalmatian coast, accompanied by hundreds of large and small islands. Islands, peninsulas and bays are stretched along the coast line, respectively, with the strike of mountain ranges ().

Most of the highlands are composed of Mesozoic limestones and Paleogene flysch. Limestones form ridges and vast plateaus, while loose flysch deposits fill the synclinal depressions between them. The predominance of limestone and heavy rainfall caused the development of karst processes in the western part of the highlands, which was also facilitated by the extermination of forest vegetation. In this area, the regularities of karst formation and the forms of karst relief were studied for the first time (the name of the phenomenon itself comes from the name of the Karst plateau in the north-west of the Balkan Peninsula). All forms of the so-called "bare", or Mediterranean, karst can be found in the Dinaric Highlands. Large areas have been turned into completely barren and impenetrable carr fields, where there is neither soil nor vegetation (). Underground forms of karst relief are diverse - wells up to several hundred meters deep, branched caves, reaching many kilometers in length. Of the caves, Postojna, east of Trieste, is especially famous.

The karst zone of the Dinaric Highlands is almost devoid of surface watercourses, but there are many karst rivers that disappear and reappear on the surface. The population in this part of the region is sparse and concentrated mainly in the fields, since there are springs and a cover of red-colored weathering crust is formed here.

Continuing south under the name Pindus, the mountains occupy almost all of Albania and the western part of northern Greece, the Peloponnese peninsula and the island of Crete. Almost everywhere they come directly to the coast, and only within Albania between the mountains and the sea is there a strip of coastal hilly plain up to several tens of kilometers wide. The ridges of Pindus are composed of limestone, and the valleys are flysch. The highest parts of the mountains are characterized by sharp forms and a wide distribution of karst. The slopes of the ridges are usually steep and devoid of vegetation. The highest peak of Pinda is Mount Zmolikas in Greece (2637 m). The entire Pindus system has experienced severe fragmentation, which is reflected in the features of the relief and the nature of the coastline. The coast is indented by large bays and small bays, and the transverse type of dissection prevails. The continuation of the mountain ranges of the western part of Pindus are the Ionian Islands, recently separated from the mainland, deeply dissected and surrounded by shallow water. The Gulf of Corinth, which is significant in area, separates the Peloponnese peninsula from the rest of the land, with which it is connected only by the Isthmus of Corinth, about 6 km wide. A canal dug at the narrowest point of the isthmus separated the Peloponnese from the Balkan Peninsula (). The Peloponnese itself is dissected by large gulfs-grabens and forms four lobed peninsulas in the south.

The inner part of the Balkan Peninsula is occupied by the ancient Thracian-Macedonian massif. In the Neogene, the massif was fragmented into mountain uplifts separated by depressions. Initially, these depressions were occupied by the sea, which subsequently broke up into a number of lakes. By the beginning of the Quaternary period, the lakes gradually dried up, and terrace steps appeared on the slopes of the basins, indicating a gradual decrease in their level. The bottoms of the basins are flat or slightly hilly and are at different heights. The population is concentrated in the basins. In the center of each basin, there is usually a city or a large village, the name of which is the basin (for example, the Skopje basin in Macedonia, Samokovskaya in Bulgaria). The most extensive basins on the Balkan Peninsula are located along the Maritsa River: Upper Thracian - in Bulgaria, Lower Thracian - on the border between Greece and Turkey. In the middle part of Greece there is a vast Thessalian basin - the center of ancient agricultural culture.

Between the basins, sections of mountain crystalline massifs rise. Later processes, especially glaciation, dissected the relief of some massifs and created a complex of high mountain forms. The highest massifs of this part of the Balkan Peninsula are Rila, Pirin () and the Rhodope Mountains () in Bulgaria, the isolated Olympus massif in Greece. The highest massif of the Balkan Peninsula is the Rila Mountains (up to 2925 m). The calm contours of the relief of the lower part of the mountains are replaced by sharp mountain-glacial forms on the peaks (). Snow lingers there most of the summer and gives rise to avalanches.

Relief. Thus, the relief of the entire Balkan Peninsula is generally characterized by dissection, which is the result of vertical movements of the end of the Neogene and the beginning of the Quaternary, which engulfed folded structures of various ages. The latest tectonics has led to the creation of a mountain-hollow relief, so characteristic of this region. Tectonic activity has not ended even now, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes in different areas. The last catastrophic manifestation was the 1963 earthquake, which destroyed a large part of the city of Skopje in Macedonia.

Useful fossils. The bowels of the Balkan Peninsula are especially rich in ores of various metals. In Serbia, near the city of Bor, young volcanic rocks contain significant reserves of copper ores; in the ancient crystalline massifs of Greece and Bulgaria, deposits of chromites, iron ores, manganese and lead-zinc ores are widespread. There are large reserves of chromium and copper ores in the mountains of Albania. Along the entire Adriatic coast and on the islands, bauxites occur in the strata of the Cretaceous deposits.

In the Paleogene deposits of the intramountain basins there are deposits of brown coal. There is oil in the sediments of foothill troughs in Albania and Bulgaria. Albania has the world's largest deposits of natural asphalt. Many rocks on the Balkan Peninsula are a valuable building material (marble, limestone, etc.).

climatic conditions. A typical Mediterranean climate is typical only for a relatively narrow strip of the western and southern coasts of the Balkan Peninsula. In the north and in its inner parts, the climate is temperate with a hint of continentality. These features are due to the fact that the Balkan Peninsula occupies the extreme eastern position within the European Mediterranean and is closely connected with the mainland. In the north, between the peninsula and the rest of Europe, there are no significant orographic boundaries, and the continental air of temperate latitudes freely penetrates the peninsula in all periods of the year. Coastal regions occupy a more southern position and are protected by mountain ranges from the penetration of continental air masses.

A large role in shaping the climate of the Balkan Peninsula belongs to the mountainous terrain. The difference in the climate of the basins and mountain ranges is manifested, first of all, in the annual amount of precipitation: the plains and basins usually receive no more than 500-700 mm, while on the slopes of the mountains, especially on the western ones, more than 1000 mm falls. The climate of the Bolgar Plateau is the most continental, where winter frosts can reach -25 °С; The maximum precipitation occurs in the first half of summer. This part of Bulgaria suffers quite often from droughts. In winter, there is a stable snow cover, and snow appears around the second half of November. The most severe frosts in this area are associated with breakthroughs of relatively cold continental air masses coming from the northeast. In the mountain basins of the peninsula, due to their more southerly position, the climate is warmer, but also with a distinct continental tinge. The average winter temperature is negative, although only slightly below 0 °C. Almost every winter, significant temperature inversions are observed, when it is relatively warm on the slopes of the mountains, and frosts reach -8 ... -10 °С in the hollows.

The climate of the mountain ranges of the northern and central parts of the Balkan Peninsula is more humid and cool. The winter temperature differs little from the temperature of the basins, but the summer in the mountains is much cooler and winter comes much earlier than in the plains. In November, when it is still raining in the Sofia basin, located at a high altitude above sea level, there is already snow in the Balkans or Rila and most of the passes are closed due to snow drifts.

On the Dalmatian coast and islands, summers are dry and hot with a predominance of cloudless weather; winters are mild and rainy, although in the northern part of the coast, the maximum precipitation occurs not in winter, but in autumn. The annual amount of precipitation on the coast is very high - there are the most humid regions of Europe. On the shores of the Bay of Kotor in Montenegro, more than 5000 mm of precipitation falls in some years. In closed fields and on mountain slopes protected from westerly winds, the amount of precipitation does not exceed 500-600 mm per year. The average winter temperature along the entire coast is positive, but in its northern part every winter there are strong and very sharp drops in temperature due to the breakthrough of relatively cold masses of continental air. These air masses come down from the Danubian plains in the place where the Dinaric highlands have the smallest width and a small height. The air does not have time to warm up and spreads to the coast in the form of a cold hurricane wind, causing the temperature to drop below 0 ° C, icing buildings, trees, and the surface of the earth. This phenomenon, very close in nature to the Black Sea northeast, is known as bora.

With the advancement to the south, the features of the Mediterranean climate appear more and more clearly. The average temperature of the winter and summer months rises, the maximum precipitation shifts to winter and their amount decreases. On the coast of the Aegean Sea, in Southeastern Greece, the Mediterranean climate acquires some features of continentality, which is expressed mainly in a decrease in precipitation. For example, in Athens, their average annual number is no more than 400 mm, the temperature of the hottest month is 27 ... 28 ° C, the coolest 7 ... 8 ° C, there are temperature drops below 0 ° C, sometimes snow falls (Fig. 39 ).

Rice. 39. Annual variation of temperatures, precipitation and relative humidity in Southern Greece

Relatively dry climate and on the islands of the Aegean Sea. It is probably warmest there compared to all other parts of the region.

Natural water. The water network of the Balkan Peninsula is not dense. There are almost no large navigable rivers; all rivers are characterized by sharp fluctuations in level and inconstancy of the regime. A significant part of the peninsula belongs to the middle Danube basin. The largest rivers are the Danube and its tributary Sava, which flow along the northern edge of the peninsula. Significant tributaries of the Danube are the Morava and Iskar rivers; Savy - the river Drina. The large rivers Maritsa, Strymon (Struma), Vardar, Alyakmon and Pinhos flow into the Aegean Sea. The watershed between the Danube basin and the Aegean Sea are the Stara Planina, the Rhodope Mountains and the Rila. In the Rila Mountains, there are especially many watercourses that give rise to large and small rivers; Iskar and Maritsa start from there. The basins of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas have short rivers, since the main watershed of the Balkan Peninsula runs along the Dinaric Mountains and is close to its western edge. On most of the rivers of the Balkan Peninsula, high water occurs in winter or autumn; then they are turbulent streams carrying masses of muddy water. In summer, many rivers become very shallow, small rivers in the southeast dry up. In some rivers, the ratio of levels in low water and high water is 1:100 and even 1:200. Usually the nature of the flow of rivers in the upper reaches is mountainous, in the lower reaches they go to the plains and are slow-flowing watercourses that do not have distinct valleys. In the past, during floods, these rivers overflowed and flooded large areas. This was the case, for example, on the northern plain of Bulgaria and on the coastal plain of Albania. In the lower reaches of the rivers, swampy areas formed, which were the center of the spread of malaria and were almost not populated. At present, a lot of work is being done to prevent river floods, drain wetlands and turn them into lands suitable for plowing.

Along with excessively humid areas on the Balkan Peninsula, there are many areas where agriculture systematically suffers from droughts. For the rational use of these areas, for example, the lowlands of the upper and lower Maritsa and most of the closed intermountain basins, artificial irrigation is necessary. A network of irrigation canals cuts through the Maritskaya lowland in Bulgaria, and irrigation systems are being created on the Bolgar Plateau, in the Sophia Basin and other areas.

Power stations have been built and are being built on many rivers of the Balkan Peninsula. A lot of work has been carried out at Iskar in Bulgaria. In the upper reaches of the river, reservoirs (yazovirs) were built, power plants were built, and an irrigation system was created for the Sophia basin.

The lakes of the Balkan Peninsula belong to different geological stages in the development of the territory. The largest of them are of tectonic or karst-tectonic origin: Shkoder in the north of Albania, Ohrid and Prespa on the border of Albania, Macedonia and Greece. On the Dinaric Highlands and in the mountains of Pindus, lakes are usually small in area, but deep (). In some karst lakes, the water disappears during the dry season.

Vegetation. The predominance of the mountainous relief, the variety of climatic conditions and the heterogeneity of the runoff create a great diversity of the soil and vegetation cover. The climatic conditions of most of the region are favorable for the growth of forests, but the natural forest vegetation there has been severely exterminated. Along with this, there are areas that are primordially treeless. The floristic composition of the vegetation of the Balkan Peninsula is richer than in other parts of the Mediterranean, since during the glaciation the heat-loving Neogene flora found shelter there. On the other hand, the Balkan Peninsula was the center of the ancient civilizations of Europe, the vegetation has changed significantly under the influence of man.

The vegetation and soil cover of the northern and central parts of the region is characterized by a combination of forest and steppe types. Forests and soils corresponding to them are widespread in mountainous regions, plains and intramountain basins are treeless, and steppe soils predominate within them.

The modern landscapes of the Bolgar Plateau, the Maritskaya Lowland and the inner basins do not give an idea of ​​the original vegetation cover, since these land and climatic resources are intensively used. On the Bolgar Plateau, among a flat, cultivated surface covered with chernozem-like soils, only individual trees have survived. The Maritsa lowland is even more developed. It is a mosaic of rice fields, cotton, tobacco, vineyards and orchards, lined with irrigation canals. Many fields are planted with sparse fruit trees, which contributes to better use of the fertile soils of the lowlands. In the natural vegetation cover of the Thracian lowlands and the Black Sea coast, elements of the Mediterranean flora appear. Some evergreen shrubs can be found there, as well as ivy that covers tree trunks.

The lower parts of the slopes of the mountain ranges of the Balkan Peninsula are most often covered with thickets of shrubs, in which both deciduous and some evergreen species (the so-called shilyak) are found (). They usually appear on the site of reduced forests. Up to a height of 1000-1200 m, deciduous forests of various types of oak with an admixture of beech, hornbeam and other broad-leaved species () rise into the mountains (). On some mountain ranges, they give way to tall coniferous forests of Balkan and Central European species of pine, spruce and fir. Such valuable and relatively little exterminated forests occupy the slopes of the Rila, Pirin and Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria (). At an altitude of about 1500-1800 m, the forests turn into subalpine shrubs of rhododendron, juniper and heather. The highest mountain ranges are covered with alpine meadows, which are used as pastures.

In mountainous regions, up to a great height, the impact of man on nature is affected. Wheat fields in some places rise to a height of 1100-1300 m, the upper border of orchards is a little lower, and the lowest parts of the slopes of the southern exposure are occupied by vineyards.

Areas with a Mediterranean climate also have a corresponding soil and vegetation cover. The soils of the coastal low strip of Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Greece under evergreen vegetation are red earth (on limestones) or brown. The upper boundary of the distribution of subtropical soils and vegetation rises as you move from north to south. In the northern part of the Adriatic coast, it does not rise above 300-400 m above sea level, in southern Greece it passes at an altitude of about 1000 m or more.

The vegetation of the western part of the peninsula, which receives a large amount of precipitation, is richer than the vegetation of the dry southeast. The natural and cultivated vegetation of the Ionian Islands is especially varied and luxuriant, while some of the islands of the Aegean are almost completely deserted and scorched by the sun.

In the western regions, maquis is common, which covers the coast and the lower parts of the slopes of the mountains, in the southeast the more xerophytic frigana prevails, higher in the mountains they are replaced by shilyak. In some places, small patches of Mediterranean forests of evergreen oaks, maritime pine and laurel have been preserved. On the coast and lower mountain slopes, natural vegetation has in most cases been supplanted by cultivated vegetation. A significant area is occupied by olive tree groves, which, moving south, rise higher and higher into the mountains, citrus orchards, which appear in the southern part of Croatia and are widespread in Albania and Greece (especially in the Peloponnese). In Serbia and Montenegro, large areas are occupied by various fruit trees: apple trees, pears, plums, apricots. There are many vineyards on the slopes of the mountains in areas with a warm Mediterranean climate. They rise especially high on the terraced slopes in southern Greece.

Above the belt of Mediterranean vegetation, deciduous forests of oak, maple, linden and other broad-leaved species are widespread. There are many evergreens in the undergrowth. Broad-leaved forests on the coastal mountain ranges have undergone significant destruction. In many places, forests have suffered from overgrazing (goats and sheep), cutting down for fuel. Especially a lot of forests are brought down on limestone plateaus in the area of ​​​​the so-called Dinaric Karst, as well as in the mountains of Pinda in Greece. Separate sections of these plateaus have been turned into a real desert, devoid of soil, covered with rubble and large blocks of limestone (). Arable lands are confined to fields where limestone destruction products accumulate in the form of the so-called terra rossa. Along with the fields, there are meadows used as pastures, and even rare forest vegetation - the remains of former broad-leaved forests.

Animal world. In the animal world of the Balkan Peninsula there are elements of both Central European and typical Mediterranean fauna. In some sparsely populated areas, the fauna is well preserved, but some large animals have disappeared without a trace for a long time. For example, it is known that in ancient times lions lived in the south of the peninsula.

Wild boar is found in the riverine and swampy thickets of some regions of the peninsula; deer and chamois are still preserved in mountain forests; on the islands of the Aegean Sea there is a wild goat - the progenitor of the domestic goat. In the most remote mountainous areas, you can sometimes see a brown bear. There are many rodents, among which the first place in number is occupied by hares.

Diverse bird fauna. Of the predators, there are vultures, falcons and serpent eagles. Passerines, woodpeckers are very widely represented, pheasant used to be found. Among the typical Mediterranean animals, reptiles, especially lizards, are numerous, there are vipers and a small boa constrictor. The endemic Greek tortoise is found in the south.

The rivers and lakes of the Danube and Adriatic Sea basins are rich in fish. The southern part of the peninsula, belonging to the Aegean Sea basin, is relatively poor in freshwater fauna.

see also photos of the nature of the Balkan Peninsula(with geographical and biological captions for photographs) from the section

Serbia, and , also small parts of , and . The Balkan Peninsula is surrounded by the Mediterranean basin. To the west is the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, to the south the Aegean Sea, to the southeast the Sea of ​​Marmara, and to the east the Black Sea. The Bosphorus and the Dardanelles separate 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 exceptionally varied relief, although most of its area is occupied by mountains. Most of them are young, and are part of 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 Mount 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 exceptionally strongly dissected. Only the coasts of Scandinavia can be compared with those in the Balkans. The coast of Croatia and Greece is 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 was dug, whose length is about 5.8 kilometers.

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 daily temperature barely exceeds 1°C, while in July and August the thermometers show more than 29°C. The southern parts of the peninsula are mild and pleasant, sometimes hot. In the Greek capital of Athens, the average daily temperature in January is around 13°C, while in July and August it is around 34°C. There are also significant differences in terms of precipitation. For example, the western coast of the peninsula is considered one of the most rainy places in Europe, when precipitation is rather scarce in the east and south. In winter, much of the northern part of the peninsula receives heavy precipitation from snow, when it rarely rains on the southern coasts of the Aegean and Adriatic Seas, and when a 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 the Danube, Sava, Morava and others. The largest lakes are Ohrid and Prespanskoe (both are located between Albania and Macedonia), Lake Scutari between Montenegro and Albania and others. Beautiful glacial lakes can be seen in the high parts of the Balkans. 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 definitely have the wildest and most lush nature in Europe. Dense and impenetrable deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests cover large parts of the mountains and plains in this part of the world. The vegetation in the southernmost part of the peninsula and along the Mediterranean coast is predominantly evergreen, but in the greater northern part and far from the sea coast, the plants lose their leaves during the winter months. Beautiful and fresh mountains, especially those in Bulgaria, attract winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. In winter, thick and long-term snow cover forms in the high 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 greenest 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 exceptionally 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, there is also a large amount of rice. There are different types of herbivores such as deer, wild boars, wild horses and others. The Balkans are home to many species of birds. Some nature reserves such as "Srebarna" in Bulgaria are home to many endangered species and many species of rare birds like the pink pelican. Many migratory birds such as storks, cranes, swallows and others nest in the Balkans. 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 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 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 relation to the ethnic composition of the Balkans 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 are independent language groups and have no relatives, while Turkish, which is spoken in the southeastern part of the peninsula, is part of the Turkic language family. In this part of the continent, immigrants from other parts of the world live, mainly from and. In recent years, there has been a great interest of immigrants from developed Western countries like Great Britain. They come here because of the good climate, beautiful nature, good food and low real estate prices. 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, while in Turkey the 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 in the peninsula. Despite this, relations between countries in the region have been slowly improving in recent years, and many economic ties have already been established 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, trying to catch up with the rest of the continent. The richer countries on the peninsula are Slovenia, Greece and Croatia, with the Turkish economy the largest. At the other extreme are countries like Albania and Macedonia, which still have a fairly low standard of living. Especially important for the economic development of the Balkans are the tourism industry and agriculture. 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 were concentrated on the development of agriculture, most today 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 corners of Europe and has the potential to produce foodstuffs that could meet most of the demand on the continent, provided enough funds were invested. The most fertile is considered Dobruja, often described as the “Barrier 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 members of the European Union, while others are still negotiating or expected to join the community soon.

If you are going 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, where history, art, and the fusion of a wide variety of cultures create amazing itineraries for family vacations, active pastimes, and even exotic travels.

Unique and noisy city centers, historical sites from different eras, museums full of various artifacts, original architecture, busy promenades 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 outdoor activities, 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 they have a very developed transport infrastructure, and the prices for holidays here are quite low, which makes them undoubtedly very interesting for a 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 you need a Schengen visa to visit these countries. Other countries listed above offer visa-free entry into their territory.

Balkan Peninsula visa map

For the most part, the countries of the Balkan Peninsula practice visa-free entry. For example, the Republic of Macedonia once again unilaterally extended the possibility of free entry for our compatriots. The visa-free regime, which has been virtually uninterrupted 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 visas. Until recently, Croatia also had a visa-free regime, but having joined the European Union, it introduced Schengen visas (see the post "Visa to Croatia"). Montenegro today is also a visa-free country (see "Montenegro summer").

You can stay continuously on the territory of the 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 do not have access to the sea, but rest on the mountain lakes of these countries, at their balneological resorts can be a great addition to sightseeing tours in the Balkans.

In the north and northwest, the Balkan Peninsula, which is part of Southern Europe, borders on such states 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. In July here the average temperature is about 22 -25C; in January the air temperature fluctuates between -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, which is 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, as well as wet and cold winters, which is typical for 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, slight frosts await you with a temperature of -3C.

The Balkan Peninsula is located in the southern part of Europe. It is washed by the waters of the Aegean, Adriatic, Ionian, Black and On the western shores there are many bays and bays, rocky and steep for the most part. 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 Rhodopes, Staraya Planina, the Serbian Highlands and others. The name of the peninsula in Europe is one.

On the outskirts is the Lower Danube and Middle Danube Plain. The most important rivers are Morava, Maritsa, Sava, 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. The southern territories are mostly occupied by Greece. It borders Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Albania. B is characterized as subtropical Mediterranean, with hot and dry summers and wet, mild winters. In the mountainous and northern regions, the weather conditions are more severe; in winter, the temperature here is below zero.

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

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

Climatically Bulgaria is divided into three Mediterranean and continental. This conditions this territory. For example, in Bulgaria there are more than three thousand species of plants, 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 on Montenegro and Serbia, the eastern territories border Macedonia, and the southern and southeastern territories border Greece. The main part of Albania is distinguished by an elevated and mountainous relief with deep and very fertile valleys. There are also several large lakes on the territory, which stretch along the border areas with Greece, Macedonia, Yugoslavia.

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

Peninsula in Southern Europe. The area is about 505 thousand km2. The greatest length from west to east is about 1260 km, from north to south 950 km. It is washed with the Z. Adriatic and Ionian seas, with the V. Black, Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles, the Aegean ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Balkan Peninsula- Balkan Peninsula. Rhodes island. View of the ancient acropolis. BALKAN PENINSULA, in the south of Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, most of Greece, part of Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Croatia). Area 505 thousand ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

In Yuzh. Europe. The name is from the oronym used in the past Balkan mountains or the Balkans (from the Turks, balkan a chain of steep mountains); Now the mountains are called Stara Planina, but the name of the peninsula has been preserved. Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. ... ... Geographic Encyclopedia

In the south of Europe. 505 thousand km². It juts out into the sea for 950 km. It is washed by the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Ionian, Marmara, Aegean and Black Seas. The northern border runs from the Trieste Hall. to the river Sava and further along the Danube to the mouth. The coast is strong ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

In the south of Europe. 505 thousand km2. Protrudes into the sea for 950 km. It is washed by the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Ionian, Marmara, Aegean and Black Seas. The northern border runs from the Gulf of Trieste to the river. Sava and further along the Danube to the mouth. The coast is strong ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

The southeastern tip of Europe, on which the European possessions of Turkey, the principality of Bulgaria, the kingdoms of Serbia and Greece, and the regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina occupied by Austria under the Berlin Treaty are located. See these articles. MAP OF THE BALKANS ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Balkan Peninsula- Balkan semi-island ... Russian spelling dictionary

Balkan Peninsula- in Yuzh. Europe. The name is from the oronym used in the past Balkan mountains or the Balkans (from the Turks, balkan a chain of steep mountains); Now the mountains are called Stara Planina, but the name of the peninsula has been preserved ... Toponymic Dictionary

Balkan theater of operations World War I ... Wikipedia

Books

• Slavic sword
• Slavic sword, F. Finzhgar. The novel by the Slovenian writer Franz Saleshka Finzhgar refers to that critical moment in the history of the Slavic tribes, when they crossed the Danube and poured into the Balkan Peninsula to ...