Geographical Dictionary of the Balkans

Confused about the difference between Serbia and Yugoslavia? Trying to figure out which countries are part of the Balkans? This Geographical Dictionary of the Balkans should help you understand the differences (and similarities) between place names that are being tossed around by the media and others.

Links provide maps and additional geographic information. You may wish to use this map as a reference (however, open it in a new browser window).

Adriatic Sea

A portion of the Mediterranean Sea that lies between Italy and the Balkan Peninsula.

Albania

An independent country located south of Yugoslavia, west of Macedonia, and north of Greece. The capital city is Tirane and the population is 3.3 million.

Balkan Peninsula

The peninsula in Southern Europe located between the Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea on the west, the Black Sea and Aegean Sea on the east, and the Mediterranean Sea on the south.

Balkans

Also known as the Balkan States, they are the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. This includes all of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, and parts of Romania and European Turkey.

Belgrade

Capital of Yugoslavia, located on the Danube River. Population 1.5 million.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

An independent country located north and west of Yugoslavia and south and east of Croatia. It was the "cauldron of conflict" between the fall of old Yugoslavia in 1991 and the fragile Dayton Peace Agreement of 1995. Trying to rebuild, Bosnia has a capital city in Sarajevo and contains 3.4 million people.

Croatia

An independent country located along the coast of the Adriatic Sea and bordered by Bosnia in the south, Hungary in the east, and Slovenia in the north. Its capital city is Zagreb and has a population of 4.7 million.

Kosovo

A province in southern Yugoslavia. Its capital is Pristina and it contains a population of approximately 2 million people, of which approximately 90% are Albanian. The Kosovo Liberation Army is fighting for independence though NATO and the west would just like autonomy for the region. Kosovo enjoyed more autonomy prior to Serbian aggression that began in 1989. Though Kosovo attempted to proclaim independence in 1990, it is unlikely Kosovo can realistically ever become an independent country. Kovovo is very much intertwined with Serbia historically and is part of the Serbian ideal of "Greater Serbia."

Macedonia

An independent country surrounded by Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania. Its capital city is Skopje and it includes a population of 2 million. Greece does not have good relations with Macedonia due to their use of the historically Greek name of Macedonia for the name of the country. Thus, due to the demands of Greece, the official name of Macedonia is actually the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." Many Albanians from Kosovo have fled to Macedonia to avoid persecution; thus Macedonia's refugee problem is continually growing.

Montenegro

A province of Yugoslavia, located in the southwestern portion of the country. Loosely allied with Serbia as part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Composed primarily of Eastern Orthodox Christians.

Serbia

A province in the northern portion of Yugoslavia, occupying approximately 80% of the country and including a population of 9.8 million people. The capital city is Belgrade.

Serbia and Montenegro

The name the U.S. government uses when referring to Yugoslavia. The U.S. government does not recognize Yugoslavia as a legitimate country.

Slovenia

An independent country surrounded by Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. Slovenia avoided conflict in the early 1990s due to their homogenous Roman Catholic population. The capital city is Ljubljana and there are 2 million people in the country.

Vojvodina

A province of northern Serbia. Its capital is Novi Sad.

Yugoslavia

1) A former country in the Balkans that was founded in 1929 but disbanded in 1991.
2) Officially, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, created in 1992 by the union of Serbia and Montenegro. The country is not recognized by the U.S. government and is officially called "Serbia and Montenegro." The capital city of Yugoslavia (and Serbia) is Belgrade and the population is 11.2 million. The president of Yugoslavia is Slobodan Milosevic.

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