The term “Balkans” can refer to a whole lot of different things depending on the context in which it is used, whether geographical, historical, or political, and it is for that reason that any proper definition of the region is extremely complicated. Many tourists visiting Southeastern Europe are baffled by the many countries constituting the region and the intricacy of their various relations. Our team of local experts compiled a detailed directory concerning the countries that comprise the Balkans.

How Did the Balkan Peninsula Get Its Name?

The name “Balkan Peninsula” was created in 1808 by the German geographer August Zeune because of the erroneous view that the Balkan Mountains stretched across Southeastern Europe from the Adriatic to the Black Sea. In fact, the Balkan Mountains only extend from the Serbian-Bulgarian border through Bulgaria to the Black Sea. The word “balkan” comes from an ancient Bulgarian loanword from Turkish, which means “mountain.” It may also emanate from the Persian words bālkāneh or bālākhāna, meaning “high, above.”

Borders of the Balkan Peninsula

The Balkan Peninsula is complex, and so are its borders—particularly in the north. Most geographers agree this northern border follows the Black Sea along the Danube River to Belgrade, in Serbia, then up the Sava River to Slovenia. That is where it becomes complicated. Some claim that the border follows the Kolpa River, a natural boundary between Slovenia and Croatia, which would geographically exclude Slovenia from the peninsula. Others set the border along the Soča River on the Italian border, as shown on the right.

The other borders are all less complex: an Adriatic coastline to the west; a Black Sea to the east; and to the south, Aegean and Ionian Seas. Seven of the borders fall completely on the peninsula, with about a seeming ten, eleven, or twelve taken from a more political and cultural standpoint. Confused yet? Read on to find out why.

Check Out the Complete List of Balkan Countries

NORTH MACEDONIA

Previously known simply as Macedonia, this small landlocked country in the Balkan Peninsula has now, after finally reaching agreement with neighboring Greece, officially changed its name to North Macedonia, effective from February 2019. The fact is, the dispute germinated when the country broke free from Yugoslavia in 1991. The very root of the issue: Macedonia is also the name of a region in Greece that sits next to North Macedonia. Greece feared that unless a resolution was reached, its neighbor to the north might stake a claim in their territory in years to come. Consequently, Greece obstructed North Macedonia from gaining entry into the European Union and NATO until it amended its name. Meanwhile, there is another annoying diplomatic row with Bulgaria, which claims that the Macedonian language is just a dialect of Bulgarian. It is never boring in the Balkans.

Area: 25,713 sq km
Capital: Skopje
Population: 2,077,132 (2019)
Currency: Denar

ALBANIA

Now, let’s turn to Albania, not one of the seven which belonged to Yugoslavia, but rather was ‘submitted’ to a cruel communist regime: Enver Hoxha, who rose to power after the Second World War. Under his rule, this country was put into isolation from the rest of the world, and today the after-effects are still to be seen. This extensive isolation reached Albania uniquely, often described as the “North Korea of Europe.” One of the most salient leftovers from Hoxha’s regime can be seen in the countless bunkers scattered around Albania. When it comes to natural attractions, the exquisite coastline of the Ionian and three magnificent Balkan lakes—Skadar, Ohrid, and Prespa—shared partially with Albania, are well worth a visit. It is also important to underline that Albanians are not Slavs, unlike most of the Balkan nations, and their language in most cases differs significantly from others in the region.

Area: 28,748 sq km
Capital: Tirana
Population: 2,845,955 (2020)
Currency: Lek

BULGARIA

Although part of the South Slavic linguistic family and speaking a language rather close to that of Macedonians, Bulgarians did not belong to former Yugoslavia. The Bulgarians are three ethnic groups combined: the Thracians, an ancient Indo-European culture native to the Balkans; the Slavs migrated from Central Northeastern Europe into the Balkans in the 6th century; and the Bulgars, semi-nomadic people coming from Central Asia, arrived in the 7th century. Cultural influence from Bulgaria upon the rest of the Slavic civilizations significantly shows in the invention of the Cyrillic alphabet when the Bulgarian Empire had not yet been swallowed up by the Byzantine and later the Ottoman Empires.

Fun fact: Bulgaria is home to the Balkans’ highest mountain, Musala, which stands at 2,925 meters.

Area: 110,993 sq km
Capital: Sofia
Population: 6,951,482 (2019)
Currency: Lev

GREECE

Although it lies in the extreme south of the Balkan Peninsula and lies wholly within the Balkans’ geographic boundaries, by convention, Greece is not included in the list of Balkan countries. Frequently referred to as the “cradle of Western civilization,” Greece shares predominantly a different historical and cultural background with the West. It entered the European Community in 1981 when most of the other Balkan countries were still socialist or communist.

Nowadays, Greece is one of the biggest international tourist destinations due to its ancient temples and many islands. Visitors come to enjoy the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean and Ionian Seas, rent private gulets for a week, or make luxury cruises around the Greek Islands. One of the most famous options we offer is the one-way cruise from Athens to Dubrovnik or vice versa. Area: 131,957 sq km
Capital: Athens
Population: 10,724,599 (2019)
Currency: Euro

TURKEY

As the Ottoman Empire’s successor, Turkey played the leading role throughout history and culture in the Balkans, where it first introduced Islam. Nowadays, Slavic Muslim populations can be found in Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern Serbia, southwestern Bulgaria, and North Macedonia. However, merely the part geographically included in the Balkan Peninsula is known as Eastern Thrace in Turkey, extending east from the Bosporus to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. This piece of land covers only 3% of Turkey’s whole territory but comprises 14% of its population. It also contains a fair share of Istanbul, with almost 9 million of them residing on the European side of the continent, which makes it the largest city in the Balkans.

Unless otherwise stated, all area and population figures below are for Eastern Thrace, not the whole of Turkey. Area: 23,764 sq km
Capital: Ankara
Population: 10,620,739 (2021)
Currency: Lira

ROMANIA

With a look at the map of the Balkan countries, one will notice that Romania lies north of the Danube River, hence not geographically part of the Balkan Peninsula. But since it is very much connected with the region historically and culturally, we feel that Romania should have an honorable mention on our list of the countries composing the Balkans.

Many tourists visit Romania together with Bulgaria, treating the twosome as a kind of “sister states.” Still, they are more dissimilar than one would imagine. Romanians are a Romance ethnicity and language, like Italians and Spaniards, whereas Bulgarians are Slavic. Both are predominantly Orthodox Christian, however, and both entered the European Union in 2007. Area: 238,397 sq km
Capital: Bucharest
Population: 19,317,984 (2020)
Currency: Leu

Are you excited to explore the Balkans? Let us come welcome you as local experts in such an interestingly diverse region. Our team is here for you to help create an unforgettable, tailor-made itinerary full of unique travel experiences. The truth is, private tailored trips to the Balkans are really our biggest specialty. We know all the hidden corners and can show you the best the region has to offer. You can visit our website at Zadventuro for more information and let us help you plan your dream adventure.