Cultural Geography

Monday, November 20th

 Warm Up
Mindset Monday
A drowning man catches at a razor blade. Polish
Proverb.

1. What do you think the authors message is in this

proverb? What is an English equivalent?
2. Write the proverb in your own words.
 Western Balkans
Balkan Peninsula
Mountainous region that extends into
the eastern Mediterranean Sea
9 countries are on the Peninsula and
are called the Balkans, along with
Greece and Turkey.
The mountain separated the area and
aided the growth of separate cultures.
 Western Balkans
Balkan Peninsula
Balkanization - There are over two
dozen separate nationalities in 9
different countries, which has caused
conflict and the break up of small,
hostile countries.
 Western Balkans
Dinaric Alps
Run from the border of Italy along the
Western edge of the peninsula through
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania.
The mountains divide the drainage
between the Adriatic and Great
Hungarian Plains.
 Western Balkans
Southern Slav people groups live there,
including the Slovenes, Croats and Serbs.
Each is divided by religion, culture and
language.
 Western Balkans
Slovenes and Croats were part of the
Austrian Empire and are more Western
with a Roman alphabet and Catholic
religion.
The Serbs are more Eastern with a
Cyrillic alphabet and Orthodox
religion.
 Western Balkans
The two groups were united against the
Ottoman Turks in the South who had
conquered their land.
During the Soviet Union many of these
countries were one communist state
called Yugoslavia.
 Yugoslavia
In June of 1991, Slovenia and Croatia
declared their independence from
Yugoslavia.
In September of 1991, both Macedonia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina also
declared their independence.
 Yugoslavia
The Serbs led an effort of ethnic
cleansing in which thousands of Muslims
in Bosnia and Herzegovina were killed.
 Yugoslavia
In 1999, Serbia withdrew from Kosovo,
which became independent in 2008.
https://youtu.be/zM7WTdtzGvo
 Western Balkans
Slovenia
Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
Albania
Slovenia
 Slovenia
Julian Alps
Located in the northwest corner of the
country.
From here, the Sava River flows
southeast across the country and enters
the Danube.
Koper only commercial port on
Slovenias coastline.
 Slovenia
Karst Region
Famous for sinkholes and limestone
caves.
Postojna has the largest caverns in
Europe.
Karst refers to any limestone landscape.
 Slovenia
Capital: Ljubljana
Population: 2,000,000
Government: democratic republic with a
president and prime minister.
In 1991, Slovenia is the first country to
demand independence from Yugoslavia.
 Slovenia
Slovenia is one of the best free-mark
economies in Eastern Europe.
It has the highest GDP per capita in
Eastern Europe.
Croatia
 Croatia
Croatia and Serbia has a long-standing
rivalry, although their languages are
similar enough to be called Serbo-
Croatian.
Croatia declared independence from
Yugoslavia when Serbia did, but the war
was much worse for Croatia.
 Croatia
During the fight for independence,
Croatia had 10,000 people die until the
United Nations negotiated a cease-fire.
Theyve been working on their
democracy to make it stronger.
 Croatia
Forests cover more than a third of the
country.
The country is divided into two sections:
Dalmatia
Panonian Plains
 Croatia
Dalmatia
Known for its beaches and resorts, as
well as many islands.
It has a warm, Mediterranean climate.
It draws a lot of tourists.
 Croatia
Panonian Plains
Part of the Great Hungarian Plain.
Zagreb, the capital, is also the largest
city.
Its located on the Sava River
The most fertile part of Croatia is along
the border with Serbia.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Muslims were in control of the
Balkans for 500 years and may Slavs
converted to Islam.
Ethnicities include Serbs and Croats, and
those who follow Islam are called
Bosniaks.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia declared independence in 1991,
but the Serbian minority refused to join
the new country.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia
The northern and central part of the
country.
Forested and has the Dinaric Alps.
The hilly northern portion is hilly and
has pasturelands.
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Herzegovina
The southern portion of the country,
including the capital Sarajavo.
Sarajavo hosted the 1984 Winter
Olympics, which is famous for its ski
resorts.
 Montenegro
After Yugoslavia broke up in 1991, Serbia and
Montenegro united and maintained the name
Yugoslavia.
In 2003, they split and took the name Serbia
and Montenegro.
They were much poorer and had an
authoritarian government under Slobodan
Milosevic.
 Montenegro
Black Mountain
Settled by Slavs in the 7th Century.
In the 13th Century, the area was
controlled by the Serbian Empire.
Mostly forested mountains with some
pastureland along the coast.
Sheep are a major product.
 Albania
Mountainous and faces the Adriatic Sea.
The Dinaric Alps are called the North
Albanian Alps here.
In Pindus Mountains extend to the
South into Greece.
Albania
 Albania
Albanias coast has warm, dry summers.
The major port is Durrs.
The Straight of Otranto connects the
country to the Adriatic Sea.
 Albania
The Albanian people arent slavs, but
speak their own Indo-European language.
There are two groups that speak different
dialects:
Gegs in the North
Tosks in the South
 Albania
The influence of the Ottoman Empire
has meant that the population is 70%
Muslim, which is the only Muslim
majority in any European country.
In 1992, Albania had missionaries of all
kinds come into the country.
Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism and
Protestantism are all growing.
 Albania
Capital: Tiran
Population: 3,560,000