Origin of lake basins on the Balkan Peninsula. Balkan countries and their path to independence

Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Meteora (Greece)

In the southeast of Europe, on the vast Balkan Peninsula, there are many countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegro And Serbia fit there entirely, Croatia by half, and Slovenia by a third. On the same peninsula are small parts of the territories of such countries as Romania (9%) and Turkey (5%).

The mountains of the Balkan Peninsula are not very high. In the west, there is the vast Dinaric Highlands and the mountains of Pindus, in the south passing into the mountains of the Peloponnese peninsula. In the north, in the Rila massif, there is the highest point of the Balkan Peninsula - Mount Musala (2925 m), Stara Planina, or the Balkans, and the Rhodopes also extend there. There are few plains; they lie along the outskirts of the peninsula and in intermountain basins.

Once this mountainous peninsula was almost entirely covered with forests. But people cut them down to make room for fields, orchards and vineyards. And livestock, especially goats, destroyed the young growth of tree species. Now there are few forests left on the peninsula.

In ancient times, Greeks, Macedonians, Illyrians, Thracians and other ancient peoples lived on this territory. Slavs appeared here only in the VI century. By the end of the XVI century. almost the entire Balkan Peninsula became part of the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, some of the South Slavic peoples and Albanians converted to Islam. But most of the southern Slavs remained Christians, however, the Slovenes and Croats who lived on the territory Austro-Hungarian Empire, predominantly Catholics, while Serbs, Montenegrins, most Macedonians, Bulgarians, as well as Greeks and Romanians are Orthodox.

The medieval museum city of Dubrovnik in Croatia is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The struggle of the Balkan peoples for independence from the Turokosmans was dramatic. Suffice it to say that such people as the great English poet Lord Byron (who died during the Greek War of Independence) took part in it. After the end of this war and the collapse of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, part of the territories inhabited by the Slavs united into Yugoslavia. But at the end of the twentieth century. after bloody conflicts, it broke up into six republics.

In the north-west of the Balkan Peninsula, in Slovenia, there is the Karst (Dinaric Kras) plateau, after which amazing phenomena around the world are named: the formation of caves and underground rivers, stalactites and stalagmites in rocks.

Miscellaneous

Which countries are included in the Balkans, the countries of the Balkan Peninsula

Countries that are among some of the Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia

phrase in the Western Balkans is primarily a political category, and indicates in almost all countries of South-Eastern Europe that are not members of the European Union the Western Balkans will be for the former Yugoslavia without Slovenia, but with Albania
Sometimes..

this term includes Croatia, and sometimes does not, then there is no clear definition of this term.
public opinion in Croatia does not suit this approach of the European Union, because they are usually not considered as part of Croatia, in the Balkans, and fear that the EU is in the process of convergence and entry. Membership in each country will be considered individually, based on the progress in each country , i.e. Croatia will "wait" in any other country. appears and the fear that comes rounding from Croatian to the new Yugoslavia
Geomorphological.

Which countries are located on the Balkan Peninsula

", Western Balkans means the western part of the Balkan Mountains on the border between Bulgaria and Serbia, however, it has never been a fixed geographical term. Countries that are among some of the Balkans.. :
Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia

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Balkan countries

Balkan countries(Balkan countries), a state located on the Balkan Peninsula in the southwest.

Europe: Albania, mainland Greece, Bulgaria, Europe. part of Turkey, most of the former. Yugoslavia and the southeast. Romania. Despite the 500th anniversary of the Ottoman yoke, the people in these countries will have their own language and religion, although from time to time they persecuted the Turks.

In the 19th century. In Turkey, the influence of the region was weakened, and Russia and Austria entered into conflict in the Balkans. In 1912

Balkan Peninsula

for the opposite circle. The committee established a Balkan alliance which led to the Balkan wars. The victory of Serbia in these wars and the struggle of Austria against Pan-Slavism contributed to the outbreak of the First World War. In accordance with the Treaty of Versailles, they tried to create a democrat in the region. Governing body. However, they were not crowned with success, and during the World War, authoritarian regimes were created in most countries.

The Balkan Entente (Balkan Entente) (1934) provided for the unification of Bg. and securing their borders. After 1945 B.G. they are distinguished by their adherence to the Council or Zap. policy. In 1954, a second Balkan treaty was concluded between Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey, which provided for the army.

cooperation in case of aggression. But soon this alliance was interrupted by the Cyprus problem. In the nineties. The head of Yugoslavia became a source of tension in the Balkans. In 1991 Macedonia, Croatia and Slovenia declared their independence.

Croatia had to defend its statehood in the war with Serbia, in which both sides demonstrated a century. cruelty. The three-year armed conflict in Bosnia ended with the participation of the UN through the signing of the so-called Dayton Accords and the creation of the independent state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia and Montenegro remained part of Yugoslavia. In 1999, he mediated the ethnic conflict in Kosovo, which is an integral part of Serbia. Indeed, Serbia has effectively lost control of Kosovo.

Since 1996, economic measures have been taken, UN sanctions against Yugoslavia.

and to this day)

Balkans or Balkan Peninsula— It is a peninsula located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Balkan Peninsula is surrounded by the Adriatic, Black and Mediterranean Seas.

Most of the peninsula is hills and mountains, but they are fertile plains.

Winters in the north are sometimes very cold, while summers can be very hot and dry.

The Balkan Peninsula narrows to the south and breaks into shrouded caps and island chains.

Balkan countries

Here is Greece, land of dark rocks, blue sea, whitewashed houses, ancient ruins and medieval churches. Cities like Athens are full of reminders of the ancient Greek civilization that greatly influenced the development of the whole world. Every year tourists come from all over the world. Farmers in the Balkans grow corn, sunflowers, melons, grapes, fruits, olives and tobacco. Greece has been a member of the European Union since 1981.

Living nationality of the Balkan Peninsula: Slavs (Slovaks, Slovenes, Croats, Serbs), Gypsies, Hungarians (Hungarians), Romanians, Bulgarians, Turks, Albanians and Greeks.

Balkan countries

On the Balkan Peninsula, the states are partially or completely located:

Albania
Bulgaria
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Greece
Italy
Kosovo
Macedonia
Romania
Serbia
Slovenia
turkey
Croatia
Montenegro

Conflicts in Yugoslavia

In 1990-1991, the former Yugoslavia invaded five countries - Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia and Macedonia. New borders emerged in 1990 in a bloody war, and Albania and Romania also suffered political unrest.

Where is it and how to get there

address: Europe, Balkan Peninsula

Balkan Peninsula or Balkans on the map

GPS coordinates: 41.859106, 21.083043

The Balkan Peninsula is located in the southeastern part of Europe.

Countries of the Balkan Peninsula

From the southwest, south and east, it is found in the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Ionian Sea, Marmara, Aegean Sea and Black Sea.

The northern borders of the peninsula are considered a nominal line to the Danube, Sava and Kolpa rivers, and the latter - from the source to the Kvarner Bay (see Fig.

Map of the Balkan Peninsula

There are 12 countries in whole or in part on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula:

Albania 100%
Bulgaria 100%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 100%
Greece 100%
Kosovo 100%
Macedonia 100%
Montenegro 100%
Serbia 73%
Croatia 49%
Slovenia 27%
Romania 9%
Turkey 5%

All countries, with the exception of the Republic of Kosovo, are members of the United Nations.

The Republic of Kosovo has the status (in the UN) of partially recognized countries.

My friend:

Pattern: Peninsula

Balkan Peninsula(Slovene.Balkanski polotok, Croatian.Balkanski poluotok, Bosn.Balkansko poluostrvo, Template:Lang2, rum.Peninsula Balcanică, Template:Lang2, Alb.Gadishulli Ballkanik, Greek.Βαλκανική χερσόνησος, Tur.Balkanı.madası . Paeninsula Balcanica) is located in southeastern Europe. The area is about 505 thousand km².

Where is the Balkan Peninsula located? What countries are called the Balkans?

It is washed by the Mediterranean, Adriatic, Ionian, Marmara, Cretan, Aegean and Black Seas from the southwest, south and southeast. The coasts of the peninsula are strongly dissected. The relief is predominantly mountainous (Stara Planina, Rhodopes, Dinaric Highlands, Pindus).

The northern border of the peninsula is considered to be a conditional line drawn along the Danube, Sava and Kupa rivers, and from the source of the latter to the Kvarner Bay.

On the Balkan Peninsula, partially or completely located.

He knows a lot about train travel, because traveling around Italy by train is our everything))) This, by the way, is far from our best and most interesting video! Go to YouTube channel Aviamaniya and, so to speak, get acquainted with the assortment. And don't forget to subscribe and hit the bell!

Montenegro on the world map: what about the products?

In Montenegro, in many shops and supermarkets, you will hardly find goods from local manufacturers. Most of the range - imported names. There are many Serbian, Croatian and Italian products here. By the way, thanks to low prices compared to most European countries, here you can buy quality items inexpensively.

Aviamania plans to check the assortment and prices on store shelves and tell you what for what and where)

Montenegro on the world map: the smallest and largest country

The inhabitants of the country selflessly love her. This is not surprising, even V. Vysotsky in his poem regretted that he lives once. Many people dream of being born in Montenegro and enjoying its beauty. The Montenegrins themselves joke about the area of the country in a very funny way.

They say that there are so many mountains in Montenegro and they are so high that if they are “smoothed out”, then the area of the country will exceed the area of Russia.

A beautiful story, but you understand ....

Montenegro on the world map:

The name Montenegro or Black Mountain is fully justified. It is nature that is the hallmark of Montenegro and attracts tourists from all over the world. Those who come here leave a piece of their heart in a small hospitable country.

Aviamania wants to convey to the maximum through its videos everything that the amazing country of Montenegro will open for us!

See you on the pages of the site and the YouTube channel!

The northern border of the Balkan Peninsula is drawn along the course of the Sava and the Danube, and in the east - from the latitudinal segment of the Danube, approximately along 44 ° N. sh., to the Black Sea. In the west, the region is washed by the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. In the east, ero is limited by the Black Sea, the Bosporus, the Dardanelles and the Marmara and Aegean Seas. The region also includes numerous islands of the Ionian and Aegean Seas and the island of Crete.

Massive and wide in the north, the Balkan Peninsula narrows to the south, and the dissection of its coasts increases. The surface of the Balkan Peninsula is mountainous. The name itself comes from the Turkish word "balkan", which means "mountain". Plains, lowlands and basins occupy a relatively small area.

The modern outlines and relief of the land were formed as a result of the movements of the end of the Neogene and the beginning of the Anthropogen. The Aegean Sea was formed on the site of the fragmented and sinking Land, which connected the Balkans with Asia Minor. The islands of the Aegean Sea are the remnants of this land, while the Bosporus and Dardanelles arose as a result of the sinking and flooding of wide river valleys that existed in the Neogene. On the western and northeastern outskirts of the Balkan Peninsula, mountain systems of the Cenozoic age rise, its inner part is filled with a rigid median massif, which experienced splits in the Neogene.

In the north-east of the peninsula, in an arc, convex to the south, stretch the Balkan Mountains, or Stara Planina, as they are called in Bulgaria. In terms of folding age and structure, the Balkans are close to the Carpathians and obviously belong to that system of structures of the Alpine folded belt, which continues through Dobrudzha to the Crimean Peninsula.

The northern slope of the Balkans gradually passes into the foothills of the Bulgarian plateau, which, in turn, descends to the Lower Danube lowland. The Bulgarian plateau and the northern slope of the Stara Planina divide deep valleys, and the Iskar River cuts through the Balkans, forming the famous Iskar Gorge, through which the railway and the highway to Sofia pass. The highest, central part of the mountains is composed of crystalline rocks. Its maximum height is 2376 m (Mount Botev), the passes lie at altitudes significantly exceeding 1000 m. The Shipka Pass is dear to the memory of the Russian and Bulgarian peoples after the war of 1877-1878, when the Russian troops, together with the Bulgarian troops, liberated Bulgaria from Turkish rule.

At the southern foot of the Stara Planina lie the Trans-Balkan basins - Sofia, Karlovskaya, Kazanlakskaya and Slivenskaya. The most extensive Sophia basin has a height of 500 m, the rest are somewhat lower. The transition from mountains to basins is very pronounced in the relief. The bottom of the basins is flat, from each of their points the surrounding mountains are visible.

From the south, the Trans-Balkan basins are closed by a mountain range, called in Bulgaria Sredna Gora, and in Russian literature known as the Anti-Balkans. In terms of geological structure, the Anti-Balkans are close to the Balkans, but inferior to them in height. Steeply breaking off to the north, towards the basins, they descend more gently to the south.

Another mountain system of the Balkan Peninsula stretches along its western margin from north to south and passes to the coastal islands. It is more extensive than the Balkans and more complex in construction. These are the Dinaric Highlands and Pindus.

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 fragmentation of the western marginal zone of the Dinaric Highlands and its subsidence below sea level. This led to the formation of a heavily dissected Dalmatian coast, accompanied by hundreds of large and small islands. Islands, peninsulas and bays stretch along the coast line, corresponding to the strike of mountain ranges.

Most of the highlands are composed of Mesozoic limestones and Paleogene flysch. Limestones compose ridges and vast plateaus, and loose flysch deposits fill the synclinal depressions between them. The predominance of limestone and abundant rainfall caused the development of karst processes in the western part of the highlands. This 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 hundreds of meters deep, branched caves reaching many kilometers in length. Of the caves, Postojna is especially famous. , east of Trieste.

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, where springs come out and a cover of red-colored weathering crust is formed.

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 there is a strip of coastal hilly plain up to several tens of kilometers wide. The ridges of the Pindus are composed of limestone, and the valleys are of 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 Pindus is Mount Zmolikas in Greece (2637 m). The entire Pinda system has experienced severe fragmentation, which is reflected in the features of the relief and the nature of the coastline. The coast is cut 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 large Corinthian Gulf separates the Peloponnese peninsula, connected with the rest of the land only by the Isthmus of Corinth, about 6 km wide. A canal dug in 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 Macedonian-Thracian massif. In the Neogene, the massif was fragmented into mountain uplifts separated by depressions. Initially, these depressions were occupied by the sea, which later broke up into a number of lakes. By the beginning of the Anthropogen, the lakes gradually dried up, and terrace steps appeared on the slopes of the basins, indicating a gradual decrease in the level of the lakes. The bottoms of the basins are flat or slightly hilly and lie at different heights. The basins are densely populated. The center of each hollow is usually a city or a large village, the name of which is given to the hollow (for example, the Skop-le basin in Yugoslavia, Samokovskaya in Bulgaria). The most extensive basins on the Balkan Peninsula lie along the course of the Maritsa River: Upper Thracian - in Bulgaria, Lower Thracian - along the border between Greece and Turkey. In the middle part of Greece is the 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 the Rila, Pirin and Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria, the isolated massif Olympus in Greece. The highest massif of the Balkan Peninsula is the Rila Mountains. Their highest peak reaches 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 accumulates there most of the summer and gives rise to avalanches.

Thus, for the relief of the entire Balkan Peninsula, as a whole, dissection is characteristic, which is the result of vertical movements of the end of the Neogene and the beginning of the Anthropogen, which engulfed folded structures of various ages. Thanks to this young tectonics, a mountain-hollow relief was created, which is so characteristic of this region. Tectonic activity has not ended even now, as evidenced by frequent earthquakes in different areas.

The bowels of the Balkan Peninsula are especially rich in ores of various metals. In Serbia, near the city of Bor, in young volcanic rocks there are significant reserves of copper ores; in the ancient crystalline massifs of Yugoslavia, Greece and Bulgaria, deposits of chromites, iron ores, manganese and lead-zinc ores are widespread. Large reserves of chromium and copper ores are found 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 valuable building materials (marble, limestone, etc.).

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.

The mountain relief plays an important role in shaping the climate of the Balkan Peninsula. The difference in the climate of the basins and mountain ranges is manifested primarily 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 ° C; 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. Significant temperature inversions are observed almost every winter, when it is relatively warm on the slopes of the mountains, and frosts reach -8, - 10 ° C in the basins.

The climate of the mountain ranges of northern and. the central parts of the Balkan Peninsula are more humid and cool. The winter temperature differs little from the temperature of the basins, but summer is much cooler in the mountains 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, the Balkans or Rila already have a snow cover and most of the passes are closed due to snow drifts.

On the Dalmatian coast and islands, the summer is 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 falls 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 Yugoslavia, more than 5000 mm of precipitation falls in some years, but 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 on 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 mountains 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 earth's surface. This phenomenon, very close in nature to the Black Sea north-east, is known as pine forests.

The farther 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 are primarily expressed in a decrease in precipitation. For example, in Athens, the average annual number of them 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 it snows The relatively dry climate is also found in the Aegean islands, where it is probably the warmest compared to all other parts of the region.

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 basin of the middle Danube. The largest rivers are the Danube and its tributary the Sava, which flow along the northern edge of the peninsula. Significant tributaries of the Danube are the Morava and the Iskar; Savy - the river Drina. The large rivers Maritsa, Struma (Strimon), Vardar, Vistritsa and Peney flow into the Aegean Sea. The basins of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas have short rivers, since the main watershed of the Balkan Peninsula passes through the Dinaric Mountains and is close to its western edge.

The watershed between the Danube basin and the Aegean Sea is the Balkans, 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.

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.

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. So it was, 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 the present time, the socialist countries are doing a great deal of work to prevent river floods, drain swampy areas 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, irrigation systems are being created on the Bolgar plateau, in the Sophia basin and other areas.

Power plants 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 Iskar, reservoirs (yazovirs) were built, power stations were built, and an irrigation system was created for the Sophia basin.

The lakes of the Balkan Peninsula belong to different types. The largest of them are of tectonic or karst-tectonic origin: Shkoder and Ohrid on the border of Yugoslavia and Albania and on the border of Albania, Yugoslavia and Greece - Prespa. In the Dinaric Highlands and in the Pindus Mountains, the lakes are usually small in area, but deep. In some karst lakes, water disappears during the dry season.

Within the karst territories of the Dinaric Highlands, there are also vast areas that are completely drainless or devoid of surface water. The population of these regions suffers especially strongly from the lack of drinking water.

The predominance of the mountainous relief, the variety of climatic conditions and the difference in the distribution of 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 seat of the ancient cultures of Europe, the vegetation has been exposed to human influence for thousands of years and has changed significantly.

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 their corresponding soils are widespread in mountainous regions, while plains and intramountain basins are treeless, and steppe soils predominate within them.

The modern landscapes of the Bolgar Plateau, the Maritskaya Lowland and the internal basins do not give an idea of their original vegetation cover, since their land and climate 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. Its surface is a mosaic of rice fields, cotton, tobacco, vineyards and orchards, lined with irrigation canals. Many fields are planted with sparse fruit trees; this achieves a better use of the fertile soils of the lowlands.

In the natural vegetation cover of the lowlands of the Maritsa 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 mountains are most often covered with thickets of shrubs, in which both deciduous and some evergreen species are found. This is the so-called shilyak, especially characteristic of the Balkan Peninsula. It usually appears 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 cover the slopes of the Rila, Pirin and Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. At an altitude of about 1500-1800 m, the forests turn into subalpine shrub thickets 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. In many places, wheat fields rise to a height of 1100-1300 m, the upper limit of orchards lies 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 Yugoslavia, 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 its height is 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 cultural vegetation of the Ionian Islands is especially varied and luxuriant, while some islands of the Aegean Sea 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 have been preserved. (Quercus ilex, Q. coccifera etc.), seaside pine and laurel. On the coast and the lower parts of the mountain slopes, natural vegetation has in most cases been supplanted by cultivated vegetation. A significant area is occupied by olive groves, which, moving south, rise higher and higher into the mountains, citrus orchards, which appear in the southern part of the Yugoslav coast and are widespread in Albania and Greece (especially in the Peloponnese). In Yugoslavia, large areas are occupied by various fruit trees: apple trees, pears, plums, apricots. In all areas with a warm Mediterranean climate, there are many vineyards on the slopes of the mountains. Especially high on the terraced slopes they rise in southern Greece.

Above the belt of Mediterranean vegetation and soils lies a belt of deciduous forests, consisting of oak, maple, linden and other broad-leaved species. In the undergrowth of these forests there are many evergreen plants. Broad-leaved forests on the coastal mountain ranges have undergone significant destruction. Deforestation was a sad consequence of a difficult period in the history of the Balkan countries - the rule of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

In many places, forests have suffered from grazing (goats and sheep), cutting down for fuel. Especially a lot of forests are brought down on the limestone plateaus of Yugoslavia - in the area of the so-called Dinaric karst, as well as in the mountains of Pinda on the territory of Greece. In places, these plateaus have been turned into a real desert, devoid of soil, covered with rubble and large blocks of limestone. Areas suitable for cultivation are usually found in fields where the products of limestone destruction accumulate in the form of the so-called terra rossa. There you can see small patches of plowed and sown lands. Along with them, there are meadows used as pastures, and even rare forest vegetation - the remains of the former broad-leaved forests.

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 for a long time and completely without a trace. For example, it is known that lions lived in the south of the peninsula in historical times.

Wild boar is found in the riverine and swampy thickets of some areas 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 hares occupy the first place in terms of numbers.

Diverse bird fauna. Of the predators, there are vultures, falcons and snake eagles. There are a lot of different passerines, woodpeckers, a pheasant used to be found.

Among the typical Mediterranean animals, reptiles are numerous. There are especially a lot of lizards, there are a viper 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.

and others...

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.

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

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

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The south-east of Europe, washed by the waters of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Balkans - a sort of corner for soulful neighborly gatherings in their own way. In the mountainous expanses of the Balkan Peninsula, everything is, of course, European ... but still completely native: taverns, potatoes and sweet peppers, Orthodox churches, cross-stitch on linen napkins, related languages and friendship strengthened in Soviet times and still unflagging. Balkan nepotism is special: the brotherhood of the Slavic peoples, bound by the socialist past, rallied in the face of an external formidable “enemy” in the entourage of their native landscapes - the same valleys and picturesque mountains, birch trees swaying in the wind and fat herds roaming the meadows with an indispensable shepherd, equipped with a flute, rags and bast shoes. So there is nothing surprising in the fact that we are again and again drawn to the Balkans - both abroad, it seems, and native expanses at the same time, plus this is a real kinship of souls.

Let's get down to the 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 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 attributed to Asia, the second to Southern Europe. As for the coasts and the various waves washing them, the Balkans can boast of a truly biblical diversity: only a staunch skeptic will say that there are only two seas here. 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 size 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 to satisfy vacationers with a variety of requests. In short, holidays in the Balkans are quite nice beaches surrounded by almost native nature (sand or pebbles plus coniferous forests, deciduous groves and low mountains on the horizon), wide opportunities for treatment at thermal springs, not outstanding, but quite interesting "excursion" ( what are only Macabre castles worth!) - and all this at divine prices, often without a language barrier, with Slavic cordiality and all sorts of “avek plezirs”. 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 for teaching foreign languages. So if you are thinking about where to take an anxious grandmother with a restless grandson to the mutual benefit of both - do not hesitate: you will not find better than Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro!