Southeast Europe


Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe is a geographical sub-region of Europe, consisting primarily of the region of the Balkans, as well as adjacent regions and archipelagos. There are overlapping and conflicting definitions of the region, due to political, economic, historical, cultural, and geographical considerations.
Sovereign states and territories that may be included in the region are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and the European part of Turkey. Sometimes, Cyprus, Hungary, Moldova, and Slovenia are also included due to cultural or historical factors and affiliation.
The largest cities of the region are Istanbul, Athens, Bucharest, Sofia, and Belgrade.

Definition

The first known use of the term "Southeast Europe" was by Austrian researcher Johann Georg von Hahn as a broader term than the traditional Balkans, a concept based on the boundaries of the Balkan Peninsula. Countries described in 2004 by Istituto Geografico De Agostini as being entirely within the Balkan region, are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
However from the 1990s onwards, in part due to the negative historical and political connotations of the term Balkans, the term Southeast Europe is becoming increasingly popular.

''Standing Committee on Geographical Names''

The German Ständiger Ausschuss für geographische Namen, which develops and recommends rules for the uniform use of geographical names, proposes two sets of boundaries. The first follows international borders of current countries. The second subdivides and includes some countries based on cultural criteria. The following countries are included in their classification "Southeastern Europe":
  • Albania
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Greece
  • Montenegro
  • Moldova
  • North Macedonia
  • Romania
  • Serbia
In this classification, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia are included in Central Europe, while Turkey is classified outside of main Europe.

''CIA World Factbook''

In the CIA World Factbook, the description of each country includes information about "Location" under the heading "Geography", where the country is classified into a region. The following countries are included in their classification "Southeast Europe":
  • Albania
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Kosovo
  • Montenegro
  • North Macedonia
  • Romania
  • Serbia
  • Turkey
In this classification, Moldova is included in Eastern Europe and Greece is included in Southern Europe. Hungary and Slovenia are included in Central Europe.

Notable groupings of states

  • The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe included Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia as member partners.
  • The South-East European Cooperation Process includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey as member partners.
  • The Southeast European Cooperative Initiative includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey as member partners.
  • The Southeast European Law Enforcement Center includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Turkey as member states.
  • The EU-co-funded South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme includes the whole territory of Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and parts of Italy and Ukraine as part of the "programme area".
  • The Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe includes Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Slovenia as member states.
  • Studies of the World Bank treat Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia as the eight South Eastern European countries.
  • A 2006 publication of the World Health Organization and Council of Europe Development Bank listed Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Romania and Serbia and Montenegro as 'south-eastern European countries'.
  • The World Bank does not include the EU countries in its reports, and lists only Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
  • UNHCR's Regional Office in South Eastern Europe currently lists Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro as part of 'South Eastern Europe'.