Problems with Geography

Topics covered in this Section:

• Introduction
• Balkan Peninsula
• European Turkey
• Eastern Europe
• Center of Continent

Introduction

Traditionally, scholars have had difficulty deciding what to call the geographic region where Romania sits. Some label the region "Eastern Europe" or even "Central Europe." Some even get long-winded and call it "Central and Eastern Europe." Still others refer to it as the "Balkan Peninsula."

Balkan Peninsula

The term, Balkan Peninsula, is a recent invention. It was coined in 1808 by the German geographer, Johann Zeune. Before that, the Balkans didn't exist as a region on the map. And even today, scholars have trouble agreeing on its obscure definition.

It arose from a long-standing misconception that the Balkan mountain range stretched unbroken from the Black Sea to the Adriatic. Instead, we now know that the Balkan Mountains form the backbone of present-day Bulgaria, which lies south of the Danube, and that it tapers out in eastern Serbia.

Many scholars tell us that the Danube represents the northern border of the Balkan Peninsula. But that would exclude Romania, a country that figures in most Western studies of the Balkans. Even though Romanians often protest being linked to their strife-torn, neighbors to the southwest (such as Bosnia or Kosovo), many of their own historians place their country on the northern edge of the Balkan Peninsula.

The same applies to other Balkan countries as well. For example, during the interwar period (between World War I and II), many historians referred to Hungary as belonging to the Balkan Peninsula -- a designation that has fallen out of favor since 1945. Sometimes Poland, far to the north, is included. And occasionally, East Germany is lumped into the mix. Many Croats resent being included and have long insisted that their identity is Central European in nature (though few western historians would agree). Greece is definitely part of the Balkan Peninsula, but they see themselves as a Mediterranean, not a Balkan, culture.

So where is the Balkan Peninsula? As it turns out, there is no clear consensus among scholars.

European Turkey

Many 19th century historians referred to the region as "European Turkey" or "Turkey in Europe," because the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) controlled much of the region at that time.

During that same time, however, the Austrian emperor and the Russian csar controlled large chunks of the region. So to label it as the part of Europe belonging to just one of the three powerful empires is quite inaccurate.

Eastern Europe

However, I'll refer to it as Eastern Europe in these web pages because that's the name by which it is best known today.

Anyone who studies the history of Eastern Europe knows how difficult it is to describe its history. From time immemorial, the region has served as the crossroads between Western Europe and Eastern Asia and between there and Northern Africa.

Center of Continent

Look at any atlas. Romania lies halfway between the Equator and the North Pole and equidistant from the westernmost part of Europe (the Atlantic Coast) and the most easterly region of the continent (the Ural Mountains). Romania's geographic location alone makes it worthwhile to know something about the country.

Go Elsewhere

At this point, you have a couple of options:

• Return to the History Department to choose another timeframe.
• Return to the Introduction Section to choose another topic.
• Rewind to the previous topic in the Introduction Section, Search for Romanian Adam & Eve
• Advance to the next topic in the Introduction Section, Difficulties with Regional History
• Fast forward to the next timeframe, the Pre-History Section.

Enjoy your stay and have a great day!