What are the Balkans?

The Balkans, also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical and historical region on the southeastern parts of Europe. The Balkan has a population of about 55 million people and a combined area of about 181,000 square miles.

How many people were involved in the First Balkan War?

Bulgaria was the strongest member nation of the Balkan League and mobilized over 450,000 soldiers in the First Balkan War. For their part, Serbia entered the war with over 230,000 soldiers. Greece and Montenegro had considerably less forces, with Greece mobilizing approximately 125,000 and Montenegro mobilizing 45,000.

When did the Second Balkan War start?

The Second Balkan War officially began on June 29th in 1913 following a period in which Bulgaria readied its armies. The main opponents that the Bulgarians faced in the conflict were Serbia and Greece, which were both former allies to Bulgaria in the First Balkan War.

What is the Balkan powder keg?

In fact, the term ‘ Balkan Powder Keg ’ was used to describe the crisis in the Balkans before World War I. In general, the term is a metaphor and compares the nationalistic tensions present in the Balkans before World War I to that of a keg (or barrel) of gunpowder, which is essentially a bomb.

Historians state the Balkans comprise Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

What was the result of the Balkan Wars?

The Balkan Wars were two wars that took place in the Balkans in 1912 and 1913. Four Balkan states defeated the Ottoman Empire in the first war; one of the four, Bulgaria, was defeated in the second war. The Ottoman Empire lost nearly all of its holdings in Europe.

What is the Balkan Peninsula?

The term Balkan Peninsula was a synonym for Rumelia in the 19th century, the provinces of the Ottoman Empire in Southeast Europe. It had a geopolitical rather than a geographical definition, which was further promoted during the creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the early 20th century.

What is “Balkanization?

The peculiar nature identified with “Balkanization”—that is, fragmentation of ethnic groups—derives in part from the compartmentalization brought about by the mountainous relief.