The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains, which run through the centre of Bulgaria into eastern Serbia. The region has a combined area of 550,000 km2 (212,000 sq mi) and a population of 55 million people.

The changes in the Balkans, also known as South Eastern Europe (SEE), are remarkable. The countries n the region - Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey - are the direct route between Western Europe and Asia.