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Macedonia
The Republic of Macedonia is one of the Balkan’s land locked states that was formerly a part of what was known as Yugoslavia. It shares borders with Serbia and Kosovo to the north, Bulgaria on the east, Greece to the south and Albania to the west. The capital city of Macedonia is Skopje which holds nearly 25% of the overall 2.1 million people in this country. Despite its rather large population, the entire country is just under 10,000 square miles in total size. Most of those who live here are Macedonian in heritage, but there is also a significant portion of the population with Albanian roots. The Macedonian language that is primarily spoken in this country is very similar to the Bulgarian language and part of the Slavic language group.
In the centuries prior to the year 1 AD, the region today known as Macedonia was inhabited by a range of different tribal groups including Thracians, Illyrians and Molossians. As a result of the different peoples who have inhabited this country, it has developed a lengthy history that intertwines with many of the countries surrounding it today. However, Macedonia is not as mixed as many of its neighbors in terms of cultural variety. It has been heavily influenced by Greek culture and also, its neighbor Bulgaria. Since the country is a major thoroughfare for goods and people coming from Greece to Eastern, Western and Central Europe, it has significant clout from a geopolitical standpoint.
The geography of Macedonia is marked by a main valley of the Vardar River which is lined by the Osogovo and Sar Mountains. These scenic mountain ranges are a large part of the tourist draw to this land, but the more than 50 lakes here also play a large role in this, as well. Ecotourism is flourishing in Macedonia, due to its offerings of culturally rich museums, numerous theatrical performances each year and restaurants featuring authentic Macedonian cuisine as well as cutting edge culinary offerings. More than 700,000 visitors arrive in the country each year, visiting not only Skopje, but other cities of importance such as Kumanova, Tetovo, Bitola and Prilep. The famed Macedonian Opera, poetry readings at festivals and plenty of live music bring in visitors not just from the Balkan region, but from all across the world.
The fast growing tech infrastructure of Macedonia has made it an increasingly more attractive place for career seekers to move to and helped its population flourish in recent times. It is in partnership with several neighboring countries to become a major player in the world of e-commerce.
Albania
Located just 45 miles from Italy, Albania shares a border with Greece to the south, Macedonia to the east, Kosovo and Montenegro to the north and has both the Adriatic and Ionian Seas to its west. It is a parliamentary democracy that is currently awaiting membership in the European Union, but is already a member of NATO and the United Nations. Its capital city is Tirana, home to around 727,000 people, but the total population currently stands at 3.6 million people. Tirana is the center of Albania’s financial sphere and the free market here has encouraged a great deal of recent investments from foreign sources to develop energy and transportation services. The country is well known for its red flag which features an eagle with two heads that are pointing away from one another, referencing the nickname of this nation, The Land of the Mountain Eagle.
The history of this country stretches back before the 8th Century BC when it was first colonized by Illyrians along its coast. This civilization was part of what is now modern day Greece, but over time many other civilizations would find their way here, creating a unique tapestry of cultures that is now known simply as ethnic Albanian. The coastal regions are the most inhabited areas of this country simply due to the fact that much of the rest of its territory is taken up by rugged, nearly impenetrable mountains which served for a strong defense in its early days. The coastal areas have a more balmy Mediterranean climate, while the mountain areas are much cooler and drier. Korab is the highest mountain in Albania and is just over 9,000 feet tall. There are many lakes across the country, including the historically important Lake Shkoder, a massive 140 square mile body of water which Albania shares with Montenegro.
Despite so much of its land being heavily forested, Albania’s primary economic pursuit is agriculture which has flourished here for centuries. Other than agriculture, other industries focus on the harvesting of resources like copper, iron and bauxite. The Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza is Albania’s primary airport which services visitors, but there also motorways throughout the country as well as a network of railroads.
Most of the people in this country are ethnic Albanians who speak the Albanian language. The religions which flourish here are Islam, Orthodox Christianity and Roman Catholicism. A rich tradition of music, literature and art are found here, as well. The main cities of Albania, aside from the capital of Tirana, are Korce, Durres, Elbasan, Gjirokaster, Shkoder, Kukes and Vlore.
The Balkans
With a name derived from the Turkish phrase meaning “range of forested mountains”, the Balkans is a distinct region in Southeastern Europe which is also sometimes referred to as the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan Mountains stretch from central Bulgaria down to the eastern border of Serbia. While there are many nations that are part of the Balkans today, the region is defined as such due to geopolitical relations and intertwining cultures native to this part of the world. Its borders stretch from the Kolpa, Sava and Danube rivers in the north to the Mediterranean Sea in the south, with the Black Sea to the east and the Adriatic Sea to the west. Covering over 212,000 square miles and home to 55 million people, there are 8 separate nations here.
Albania shares a border with Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece, but it also touches the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Its capital is Tirana, which is home to nearly a third of its 3.6 million citizens. Unlike many countries in the Balkan region, most of the people in Albania are descended from the same ethnic heritage: Albanians. The close familial ties play in important role in cultural life here, enriching the traditions of the native peoples, creating very strong families and social identities. The climate here is primarily mild, being separated into the highlands and lowlands areas, each with distinct traits.
Bosnia and Herzegovina is a nearly land locked country in this region that shares borders with the nations of Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. The border that it shares with the Adriatic Sea is only 16 miles long. There are a variety of climate types here, from the hot summers and cold winters of the continental inlands to the more balmy Mediterranean weather of the southern end of the nation. The terrain here is equally varied from planes regions to steeply wooded hills. Sarajevo is the capital of this country of nearly 5 million people. The three primary ethnicities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats.
Bulgaria borders not only the Black Sea, but also the countries of Romania, Serbia, Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. There are 7.5 million people living here, the vast majority of them sharing Bulgarian ethnic roots. This is the third largest nation in the Balkans after Greece. Its capital is Sofia and it has some of the largest stretch of beach of any country in this region.
Croatia features not only mountains, but the Pannonian Plain and the Adriatic Sea along its edge. The neighboring countries of Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina all share borders with it. The capital city is Zagreb and the total population of this nation is nearly 4.5 million people. The majority of the people speak the Croatian language and descend from that heritage.
Greece is perhaps the most famous of all the Balkan nations, bordering Albania, Turkey, Macedonia and Bulgaria. It’s capital city is Athens and it plays home to 11.3 million people with its balmy climate and Mediterranean coastline. Several islands, including Crete, also belong to Greece.
Kosovo is an entirely landlocked country in the Balkans which shares a border with Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. Its capital city is Pristina and its total population is near 1.8 million people. Most of those who live in this nation are of Albanian descent and speak either the Albanian or Serbian language.
Macedonia is another landlocked nation that shares its border with Kosovo, Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria and Albania. Nearly a quarter of its 2.1 million people reside in the capital city of Skopje. The country features many tall mountains and over fifty different lakes.
Montenegro shares borders with Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Kosovo, but it also has a coast along the Adriatic Sea. The capital city is Podgorica and a variety of languages are spoken among its nearly 700,000 citizens.
Kosovo
The nation known as the Republic of Kosovo is connected with the borders of Serbia to the north and east, Macedonia to the south, Montenegro to the northwest and Albania to the west. The country is very small, covering a territory that totals just over 4,000 square miles, but has a booming population of 1.8 million people. Its capital, Pristina, is its largest city with over 600,000 citizens living there. Kosovo got its name from a phrase that, in the Serbian dialect, means ‘field of blackbirds’. Since it is the key link between not only the Adriatic and Black Seas, as well as northern and central Europe, Kosovo wields a considerable level of influence in its region, despite its small size.
The history of Kosovo as a territory begins long before the first year AD, when the Dardani people first arose here. Until the Roman empire arrived in 160 BC, they were the primary inhabitants, but later the Slavic peoples would move into the area and after this, a progression of empires including the Bulgarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire would bring this territory under their control. As a result, as with most of the Balkan region, Kosovo has a vast diversity of cultural influences that have helped it to develop its own quite distinct presence. Today, the majority of the people here are of Albanian descent, but there are those with Serbian heritage, as well. This is why the two official languages are Albanian and Serbian.
Warm summers and cold, snowy winters are typical of the continental climate in this country. Due to its positioning, most of the land in Kosovo is rugged mountain terrain with the tallest mountain being Deravica, which towers at more than 8,700 feet above sea level. The primary waterways of the country are the Ibar, South Morava, Sitnica White Drin and Erenik rivers, but there are a number of large lakes, too. Forests cover just under 40% of the territory, leaving slightly over half of it suitable for some form of agriculture.
There is an International Airport in the capital city of Pristina and the primary highway into Kosovo comes from Skopje, Macedonia, acting as the central motorway for incoming visitors. Other cities of size are Kosovska Mitrovica, Pec, Bakovica and Prizren. Thanks to a great deal of foreign investment over the past few years and such eco tourism friendly pursuits as ski resorts in the mountains, Kosovo is increasingly a more attractive place for visitors to vacation and do business, as well.
Greece
There is perhaps no country in the Balkans quite so well known across the world as Greece is. Its official name, as a country, is actually the Hellenic Republic and this is a nation that has played a very pivotal role in world history for well over two thousand years. The total size of Greece is just under 51,000 square miles and its capital is the renowned city of Athens, known for its stunning architecture. The official language is Greek and more than 11 million people call this nation their home. Greece has borders with three seas: the Ionian, the Mediterranean and the Aegean. Countries that border Greece are Turkey, in the east, and Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania to its north. Along with its extremely long coast line, which is the 11th longest of any country on Earth, Greece also has a range of islands that belong to the nation, including: Cyclades, Crete, Dodecanese and Ionian islands.
Greece is considered by most historians to be situated in the so-called ‘Cradle of Western Civilization’ and played a huge role in defining the same culture that is shared across Europe and North America today. Although what scholars consider to be the Hellenistic Period only began after the famed Greek city states and cultures such as the Minoans and Mycenaeans all blended together, this land has been inhabited for quite a long time. This is the part of the world where hugely important philosophical concepts such as democracy and drama were developed in exquisite detail because Greece has long been noted as a nation that places extremely high value on the arts and humanities. Poetry, art, sculpture, music, theater and many other forms of creative expression have come from this country and influenced civilizations around the globe. This is also the birth place of the Olympic games and sports still play a very important role here today. Much of the tourism industry in Greece is focused around its artistic offerings and the immense, well recorded history that it has to offer its guests. More than 16 million visitors from all across the globe come to visit this country each year, many of them primarily staying in Athens.
The geography of Greece is comprised nearly entirely by mountains which take up 80% of its entire territory. The Athens International Airport and plenty of well made roads have made Greece very easy to travel, even for the foreign visitor and a great deal of business takes place here each year.