BALKAN STATE

Government: Multi-Party Republic

Territory (Land area): 527, 494 sq. km

Population: 44, 852, 000Religion: Roman Catholic,

Islam, OrthodoxLanguage: Albanian,

Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Greek, Macedonian

Currency: Dinnar, Leck, Marka, Cev, Kunno, Euro, Tolar

PROFILE

AlbaniaTeritory: 28, 748 sq. kmPopulation: 3, 582, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: Atheist Language: AlbanianCurrency: Leck

BosniaTeritory: 51, 197 sq. kmPopulation: 3, 989, 000Gov’t: Semi-Presidential SystemReligion: Islam/Muslim, Serbian OrthodoxLanguage: Bosnian/Serbian/CroatianCurrency: Marka

BulgariaTeritory: 110, 912 sq. kmPopulation: 7, 538, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: OrthodoxLanguage: BulgarianCurrency: Cev

CroatiaTeritory: 56, 538 sq. kmPopulation: 4, 422, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: Roman CatholicLanguage: CroatianCurrency: Kunno

GreeceTeritory: 131, 957 sq. kmPopulation: 10, 666, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: OrthodoxLanguage: GreekCurrency: Euro

MacedoniaTeritory: 25, 713 sq. kmPopulation: 2, 063, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: OrthodoxLanguage: Macedonian/AlbanianCurrency: Dinar

Montenegro/SerbiaTeritory: 102, 173 sq. kmPopulation: 10, 656, 000Gov’t: Federal RepublicReligion: OrthodoxLanguage: Serbian/AlbanianCurrency: Dinar

SloveniaTeritory: 20, 256 sq. kmPopulation: 1, 936, 000Gov’t: Multi-Party RepublicReligion: Roman CatholicLanguage: SerbianCurrency: Tolar

The name "Balkan" was used in the West for the mountain range in Bulgaria was in a letter sent to Pope Innocent VIII by Buonaccorsi Callimaco.

English traveler John Morritt introduced this

term into the English literature last 18th century.

The concept of the "Balkans" was created by the German geographer August Zeune in 1808.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN

As time passed, the term gradually acquired political connotations far from its initial geographic meaning, arising from political changes from the late 19th century to the creation of post – WWI.

Due to the pejorative connotation of the term "Balkans" in the 1990s, and continuing until now. Today, the term "Southeast Europe" is often used.

Currently all of the states are republics. Most of the republics are parliamentary, excluding Bosnia which is semi-presidential.

All the states have open market economies, most are in the upper-middle income range ($4,000 – $12,000 p.c.). Greece, Slovenia and Croatia have high income economies (over $12,000 p.c.)

POLITICS AND ECONOMY

The Gross Domestic Product per capita is highest in Greece ($298.7B), Romania ($179B), Croatia ($63.8B),Bulgaria, Slovenia, Serbia, ($45–$53B), Bosnia, Albania and Macedonia ($10-$18B).

The Unemployment Rate is lowest in Romania, Greece, Croatia(below 10%), Bulgaria, Albania (10 – 15%), Slovenia(15 – 20%), Serbia, Bosnia (20 – 30%), and Macedonia (over 40%).