Hrvatska kao zapadni Balkan - Geografska stvarnost ili nametnuti identitet?

Abstract

The article discusses the appearance and historical development of the geographical term "Balkan Peninsula". Special attention is drawn to the impact of the historical term of Balkan Peninsula on the contemporary definition of the geographical and geopolitical position of the Republic of Croatia today. Very different points of view on what the Balkan peninsula is geographically, are currently causing considerable disagreement in the contemporary regionalization of south-eastern Europe as well as problems regarding the regional affiliation of Croatia in international affairs. The term "Western Balkans" frequently used today as the definition of the geographical position of the Republic of Croatia, is in total discrepancy with the criteria of geographic regionalization and with the geographical definition of what a peninsula is.