About the Balkans

The term "the Balkans"refers to the countries that comprise southeastern Europe. In general terms the countries included are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

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About Bosnia and Herzegovina

The country’s full name is Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it is often shortened to Bosnia. Bosnia is a small country, about the size of West Virginia, with a population of about 3.5 million people. It’s  absolutely gorgeous - filled with beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests. Bosnia is in southeastern Europe – just to the right of Italy on a map. It’s a country with a rich history dating back thousands of years. Many different cultures, ethnic groups, and religious traditions coexist in Bosnia. with the three largest being the Bosniaks (who are traditionally Muslim), the Bosnian Serbs (who are traditionally Orthodox Christian), and the Bosnian Croats (who are traditionally Roman Catholic).

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Bosnian War

Throughout the early 1990s, the former country of Yugoslavia began to split into several new countries, more or less along older national and ethnic boundaries. Bosnia and Herzegovina voted in a referendum to become an independent country  in early 1992, sparking a brutal war that lasted into early 1996.  

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Bosnia and Herzegovina Today

This is a country and people of contrasts. The countryside is beautiful, but scars from the war are still present. There is forward movement toward becoming a stable, healthy country, yet many cannot let go of the past. The people are generous, hospitable and loving, yet many are still ruled by their fear, grief, and even hatred. The children are so loving and beautiful, but many wounds from the war deeply affect this new generation..