Map of the Balkans
Map of the Balkans.
The Balkans are one of the three "peninsulas" of Southern Europe, but this traditional name is sometimes disputed in the absence of an isthmus: geographers prefer the term "region". It is bordered by seas on three sides: the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea to the west, the Aegean Sea to the south and the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea to the east. To the north, it is generally defined by the courses of the Danube, Sava and Kupa. This region covers a total area of more than 550,000 km² and has a population of nearly 53 million.
The Balkans are one of the three "peninsulas" of Southern Europe, but this traditional name is sometimes disputed in the absence of an isthmus: geographers prefer the term "region". It is bordered by seas on three sides: the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea to the west, the Aegean Sea to the south and the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea to the east. To the north, it is generally defined by the courses of the Danube, Sava and Kupa. This region covers a total area of more than 550,000 km² and has a population of nearly 53 million.
