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Balkan is a peninsula, in black sea and mediteranean sea, geografically speaking. If you just want to draw a line to see the limits , more or less is in the picture below. From culture perspective, Romania is all the way Balkan country, not only parts of it.

Remarkable_Cake_4735@reddit

Transylvanian here and I agree.

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floare_salbatica@reddit

I agree with you. I'm from the region of Moldova and I always considered ourselves Eastern European, I was surprised when I first heard some Romanians calling us Balkans. In my mind Balkans= former Yugoslavia. It's true that we have a lot in common with the Balkans, but so de we with Eastern Europe ( the larger sense of it, not only Russia, Belarus and Ukraine). Sadly most people think of bad stereotypes when they say "Balkan" ( I refer to Balkan people in the first place), like poverty, corruption, drinking a lot etc. So they think Romania must be part of it. 😅

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nurgleondeez@reddit

Even in Moldova we have more in common with serbians,macedonians and bulgarians than we have with russians,poles,belorussians or ukrainians in terms of culture and gastronomy.I live in Botosani and my life is more similar to a serb or bulgarian than it is to a ukranian or russian.

That kind of thing isn't accidental.

Our traditional clothes are more functional,like the balkans have,instead of the over the top kitsch that the eastern europeans wear

Our dances and music are closer to serbo-croatian ones

Our churches,even though it was under Moscow's rule untill Cuza,are more similar in design to the bulgarian ones in the interior than they are to the russian ones.Best examples of this you can see if you go to Moldova or western Ukraine,you can spot a romanian church easily

Our cooking is more flavourful and uses condiments that are specific to the balkan peninsula(like lovage,thyme,paprika,black pepper,etc).Just go to a balkan restaurant,get a cevapi and a serving of ajvar and tell me it doesn't taste like your romanian summer time barbeques

Even manele,the one music genre that everybody swears they ever listen to but it's somehow the most popular on YouTube constantly,sounds exactly like the balkan music from Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavian republics.

Geographically we are not balkans,but culturally it is beyond idiotic to deny that we are more balkan than we are eastern european

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floare_salbatica@reddit

Funnyly enough, most of the things you mentioned don't matter to me at all. I guess we have totally different definitions of what culture means. 😅

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nurgleondeez@reddit

Actually curious,what is culture for you,if clothes,art, architecture and cuisine are not part of it in your opinion?

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floare_salbatica@reddit

Do you expect me to give you a serious answer when you have such a reductive view of Eastern European countries and make such shallow analogies? One thing is sure: mici and manele are not culture from my pov. When I think about similar cultures, I think about roots, traditions, literature, music ( and no, not manele, we all know it's not our traditional music), education system etc. We have a lot in common with both Eastern Europe and the Balkans due to our geographical position. You being from Moldova doesn't make you an authority on this matter.

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nurgleondeez@reddit

I obviously wasn't talking about manele when I was talking about art,but leave it to snobs who think they are better than anyone else to twist words and meaning :)

And yes,mici are a part of our cuisine,and food is an essential part of culture.If you think culture is just books, theater and classical music you have a very warped understanding of what culture is.

nurgleondeez@reddit

And that's exactly my point.You guys,because of historical borders and influence,have less in common with eastern europe and more in common with central europe

Russia and other eastern europeans(everything east of Poland basically) had less influence on Romanian principalities than the ottomans,hapsburgs or the balkans.We are a melting pot,but even in the romanian Moldova we have more in common with the balkans than we do with eastern europe.

All our history we were involved in balkan events,from the Nicopole crusade to the Balkan Wars .But all of a sudden after Stalin took over us we are supposed to be eastern europeans just because the russians decided so?

If you want to see what Romania with true eastern european influence looks like take a peek at Rep.Moldova.Despite speaking the same language we have little in common with them culturally wise, maybe Chișinău being the only exception.And I say this as someone who has a moldovan parent and spent half my life on the eastern bank of the Prut.

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floare_salbatica@reddit

What are you talking about? We have A LOT in common with people from Moldova! We're basically the same people, they just have a stronger accent and some Russian words in the mix. You must be tripping to deny this!

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OkRepresentative4603@reddit

I am sorry but you really can't say Moldova and Bukovina "has less in common with eastern europe and more in common with central europe" and you certainly can't say that this part of Romania has less influence from eastern european countries than the Ottoman and Habsburg Empire and the Balkans because you'll just deny some historical important facts, which are the fact that Principality of Moldova was a buffer state between the South AND the east. We LITERALLY lived next to the Polish and Lithuanian Empires, Bukovina was part of Kievan Rus before the mongols arrived, there has been an intercultural mix between Moldova and Ukraine for centuries just because of that.

You can't deny that both the Balkan and eastern european culture had an EQUAL impact on the culture from this region. Idk but my opinion stands differently than yours which is fine, and that is that I believe Bukovinians have more in common with Ukrainians, Slovak and Polish people than they do with Macedonians and Bulgarians simply because Bukovina and Moldova are closer geographically to these countries and there has been a lot of cultural exchange between them.

The time Bukovina was under the Habsburg empire influenced the local architecture and the local population, but all the Hungarians and Saxons left anyway after ww2 so what difference does it make anyway lol

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

I'm fall in love in Bukovina (both parts UA and RO). Such mix of: Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Austria, Jews, Balkans, Turkey, Carpatian "koloryt" of Hutsuls and Armenia)

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mao_dze_dun@reddit

You do realize Greece claiming not being part of the Balkans makes as much sense as somebody claiming Scotland is not part of Britain, right? My proof? A map. Any map.

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IdealJaded9298@reddit

I can’t understand why Greeks,Croats and Slovenians are even on this sub if you’re not Balkan then why are you still here? And it’s not like you’re interested in the Balkans because I’ve seen your comments and they come off as passive-aggressive especially towards Turks which haven’t done anything to you, so on that note I wonder why this sub gets bombarded with questions about Greece and Greeks, you and your Greek friends go do that on askgreece and leave us alone

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BankBackground2496@reddit

I grew up in Constanta with Vlachs, Tatars, Turks and Greeks, Geographically Balkans are up to Danube.

randomthoughts66@reddit

The speed limits are also for noise reduction and pedestrian protection as many villages lack proper sidewalks and crosswalks and people just walk on the edge of the street and jaywalk.

Edges of the country just shouldn't be connected by regional roads that go through these villages, but rather highways or other types of express roads that go past the villages. This has been a major infrastructure drawback that makes Romania unappealing for production as transport takes longer and ends up being more expensive. Some years back, trucks would prefer to take longer routes than go through Romania which took way too longer despite the shorter distance.

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Dear-Ad1582@reddit

Dude, have you been on A10? Them holes are rather concerning...

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Savings_Pin749@reddit

Not concerning, but life threatening

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Gstreamz@reddit

His point still stands that Romania isn’t THAT big. If Romania were a modern, properly developed country it wouldn’t take 11 hours to drive <900km.

There may not be potholes but not having major roadways and by far the slowest trains I’ve ever ridden on are still definitely under the umbrella of “shitty infrastructure”

And let’s not get started on the non-transport related infrastructure like the buildings and the plumbing 😂

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Wooden_Practice_727@reddit

Ehh, you could've said that 10-15 years ago. At this moment and especially after 2026 & 2027, the infrastructure will be just fine.

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californiaschinken@reddit

Bucharest to vama veche can take 9-10 hour in summer. It s the lack of infrastructure and roads.

Dude, Europe is a continent that contains countries outside of European Union.

The Roman Empire wasn't a continent btw.

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SnooPoems4127@reddit

gif

That was perfect explanation actually

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power2go3@reddit

Culturally sure, but geographically Transilvania sticks out like a pimple to the central european map.

Would you consider Romanian Banat to be “Transylvanian”?

Just curious, my (Serb) family came from Arad (Vinga), like 150 years ago.

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Dear-Ad1582@reddit

Banat always wanted to be special :)

It depends on the granularity of division you apply .

If you go by higher level we have 3 great provinces : Muntenia, Moldova and Transilvania plus little one Dobrogea...

But if you dive into he headache issue , oh boy :

Everything are on the east of Italy, Germany and Ausrtia - are Eastern Europe (balkans too).

Poland is Eastern Europe, and Lithuania - not?

I never said that. Poland is absolutely, 100% Central Europe

Which center of Europe? Who put it there?

What? It's a known geographical fact that the center of Europe is in Lithuania.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

There's no Central Europe in classic interpretation. There's west, east, north and south Europe.

Whats the reason and mentality to shift definition? Everyone knows Romania is eastern europe, but only some romanians sure that no) And most funny started to discuss about basic things)

This is a same like Romania is linking their roots to Roman Empire. Another internal myth, it sounds to non-romanians like vikings are from african tribe mamamumba )

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HARTIEXX_XXIGIENICA@reddit

Romania is eastern europe

Southeastern 🥰

This is a same like Romania is linking their roots to Roman Empire.

Because it's true. Romanians are descended from Daco-Romans. The population mixed with south slavic people over the decades, but that does not change what it started as.

Another internal myth, it sounds to non-romanians like vikings are from african tribe mamamumba )

Don't wanna sound like a sissy, but that's kind of insulting for both romanians and africans.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

OMG guys, one colony on the frontier Alba Julia as i know, and you put this to your official history???))) I think Chaushesku spirit is still alive bacause those are very funny to watch outside)

Hungarians also btw have some complexes, Attila, Hun empire, which dissapeared 550 years before proto magyars crossed the Carpathian mountains)

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HARTIEXX_XXIGIENICA@reddit

and you put this to your official history???)))

It is part of our official history tf? During the Roman period, the dacians were heavily romanized and iver the years they became daco-romans.

I think Chaushesku spirit is still alive

Literally nothing to do with Ceaușescu. The daco-roman identity was promoted way before this guy was even born.

Maybe some fact-checking, timeline and time gapping analysis, migrations of the tribes will help to establish real identity.

Fact-check for yourself and you'll find out that romanians are descendands of daco-romans. Just because you think it's not possible doesn't make your belief factually valid in any way.

Btw, the Roman ancestry is in no way recent, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist at all.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

Fastchecking told me in 271 year romans emperors finally left this territory, but locals continue the latin protolanguage. Then - Hun empire come, then - migration to the south balcans, then slavic migrations in, then - slavic migration out, then - migration from south balkans in, then - migrations or roms from India in.

With the development of agriculture in the 13th–14th centuries, a nomadic lifestyle was replaced by a settled one, and this mix eventually became fully blended.

If you follow the chain and timeline of this historical events?

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HARTIEXX_XXIGIENICA@reddit

I get that you're not a native english speaker, which is fine, I ain't either, but I really can't make up what you're trying to say

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

Roman Empire and Romania is the same link like Tunis and Norway (Vikings). You can make the same link between each other ) Vikings has a colony in Tunis.

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HARTIEXX_XXIGIENICA@reddit

I'm curious who do you think are the ancestors of romanians if not the daco-romans?

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

ahahaha i think its irony. Who are Daco-Romans, another invention of romanian historocians?
Dacia was province on the border where roman empire founded a colony, like germans in Sibiu. So why you are not ancestors of Germans?? Bulgarians owned ENTIRE modern romanian territory 700 years later after Roman Emperors which was ON a SMALL that piece of your land. So why you are not ancestors of Bulgarians?

The timeline: Roman Empire (small piece), then huns, then proto-Slavic, Bulgarians, then roms (gypsies), then ottomans. Okay, lets create the idea, where we come from.

And they decide: okay, we already have bulgaria, we have slavic around us, we will be not unique, we will distance from roms, becuase they are from India, and... you know... 1900 years ago 150 roman emperors made a border colony in our territory, lets become themselves. Lets quickly rename Dacians to Daco-Romans and put by ears this episode as our historical paradigm.

Youre are not alone. In 1800 Moscow Tsardom renamed themselves to Russia, to claim a link themselves with Rus and distance from tatars and mongols, because it was more prestigious to be europeans. No one cares that Rus dissapeared in 1241 and Moscow mongolian ulus arrived in 15th centure.

But, they create a link with 300 hundred gaps from completely another land, but you guys overperformed them: 1700 years )

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HARTIEXX_XXIGIENICA@reddit

we will distance from roms

You genuinely believe romanians have roma ancestry?

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

Personally me? No. I love Romania and have been 50 times there (in Alba Julia too). And i love it. And i know the most popular stereotype outside romania and i heard it many times, but i never thought same - i like to visit country meet the people and feel the vibe.

Romanians are great people all of them (my personal experience and i don't care what other said). Honestly I was wondered such big country, with such variety of cultures sometimes follows the myphs and making selfidentification genealory in such strange way.

I was in Croatia, at Split, for example, it was non-border big emperor city, but they never claimed they are roman ancestry - they said, yes they was here, and goes away, while having 10000 more reasons to claim this. But romanians...

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I think you were homeschooled

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

This is more accurate. Checked. But Turkey are not all yellow, only Balkan part, and Baltics are Eastern Europe. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are Asia.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

The same map like mine, but the Baltics are to north Europe, idk how much are correct

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IonutRO@reddit

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Pineloko@reddit

nobody outside of romania has ever thought of you as central europe, look at a map

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

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fbass@reddit

What a stupid map.. what are Russia and Turkey there?

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

Wikipedia)) So Balkans are not eastern europe?

ask everyone in the world,

Romania is Balkan. Hungary also. The Balkan border is Vienna 10th district. :)

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

It depends on economical situation.

Macedonianboss@reddit

The whole Balkans isn't Eastern Europe but southern. Draw a line from the center of the balkans to the urals and then to portugal/ireland and the urals are a bit further than the western border of europe. Speak for Serbia, not for the entire balkans.

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

Yea, historically the only two countries in the balkans that never fought against one another probably. Some intellectuals here started actually proposing, which I start to actually agree, that because of the globalization and being part of the European Union, the old split of the Europe is becoming less and less present, and most of europeans and now switching towards a western hemisphere identity.

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MlsgONE@reddit

But we did? Serbian jandarmerie troops took over hundreds of villages post-ww1 during the trianon land changing, we had to call the FRENCH army to help us drive them out beyond the newly drawn border.

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Baly999@reddit

Also after Kosovo, the serbs were vassals of the Ottomans and were frequently called upon by the turks to fight in their wars as vanguard. In 1396 we fought against them at Nicopolis and Mircea fought them at Rovine in 1395 for example.

Bro he gave Kosovo away without a single blink lol other stuff is just a charade for his demented voters

Yeah, we in Serbia are trying to call ourselves West Balkans, like you know it's West it's cool 😂 at the same time Greece is in EU for like 40 yrs already and not trying to call themselves west.

Regarding us not going to war, let's face it we all know why it never happened, NOBODY WANTS BANAT😂

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PutnikTZ@reddit

I'm living in Austria and even here Serbia is considered "Westbalkan".

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

Probably not, one serb guy was telling me back in the past how serbs got a part of Banat and we lost it. Some stuff about the american president or something, and he was so happy about it.

I didn't want to stop his happiness by telling him I don't remember us caring about Banat that much in the history. Also it would make no sense for us to have territory just across the capital of a neighbouring country.

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Smart_Pomegranate825@reddit

I mean we did got part of Banat based on people who settled there and generally settled in part of what was before Austro-Hungary. Not only Banat but whole Vojvodina. We have huge connections to Timisoara, some of our historically famous people lived there, we have connections to the churches etc, but anyone being proud about that piece of land is just crazy. And I am saying that as a person who lives In Banat, it's just a shitty piece of land on both sides. Kudos to everyone who really love it, they are quite special folks 😁

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In the wise words of Žižek, Romania is Mittel-Europa

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Puiucs@reddit

it's both. parts are in the balkans, part of it is in central europe.

Names-Are-Confusing@reddit

You’re the one projecting that nasty cities can only be found in the Balkans. Re-read your last comment lol, it implies having cities in the Balkans is somewhat bad or undesirable.

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WorriedGap6983@reddit

i never said that, i mentioned that cities in a worse state than other balkan cities are painted as “more european” whatever that means when in reality Balkan cities are beautiful and places like cluj or bucarest have no standing on pretending to be something they are not

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Internal-Click-9371@reddit

where are you from buddy?

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

haha, when did Istanbul stoped being part of the balkans? Balkans end at the bosporus straight, or what where is Istanbul? In Asia Minor?

Except for that, yes, because of the ottomans ruled in 2/3 of the country, we are for sure part of the balkans culturally.

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freakybird99@reddit

Culturally, istanbul really lost its balkan identity. Its more middle eastern than balkan culturally. Some anatolian cities like İzmir and Bursa are culturally way more balkan than İstanbul. Geographically its still balkan though.

My city, Bursa has significant balkan influence from balkan turk migrants coming here. I wouldnt call it balkan but i'd call it a city with a significant balkan influence. Im not gonna talk about izmir because im not as informed on the subject

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dies-IRS@reddit

This is not true. Most Istanbulites definitely do not follow a Middle Eastern way of living. I go to my neighborhood bakery for a croissant for breakfast, and then to the pub in the evening. I don’t think that is typical for the Middle East

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samvarr@reddit

It’s definitely not more middle eastern than Balkan culturally lol

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

I'm pretty sure there is no consensus regarding this, when I lived in Istanbul, some people there felt more european than even balkan. Actually asian side felt more european than the european one which looked like a ghetto in some parts.

Now when I look on their stories they travel and live in Europe. But maybe it was just my case because I studied in a private university.

Oh boy.. see what you did? :))))

Like Eminem said: "I am whatever you say I am/ If I wasn't then why would I say I am [...]" 🤣🤣

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Fearless_Shelter_242@reddit

Geography? Only the southern part

Culturally? All of the country

Koravski@reddit

It's fine, we all make mistakes, but I see you still don't understand what I'm saying, so let me try again:

The real objective fact is that SLOVENIANS are culturally, geographically and definitely historically BALKAN. I'm not even gonna humour your genetic fairytale. So in the future try reading and actually living in Slovenia so that you don't make a fool out of yourself... again.

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SmartFlyNR1@reddit

Nope, Slovenians are NOT Balkan and our culture is not Balkan! That's a fact! You need to accept it. Kid grow up and learns stuffs.
You're trying to talk about Slovenia to us Slovenians LOL 🤣🤣🤣

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Esdoorn-Acer@reddit

No it is not. Slovenian culture is not Balkan. Alps are not Balkan. Slovenian history has nothing to do with Balkan, the only connection is 69 years of Yugoslavia. Slovenian genetics is closer to Austrians and Hungarians then Bosnians, Serbs etc.

I really don’t understand what are you trying to prove here?

I am Slovenian and tired of being mocked and lectured by a Serbian who has no knowledge of Slovenia and Slovenians whatsoever. It is rather insulting and disrespectful.

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Koravski@reddit

Ja, du bist wahrlich ein slowenischer Arier.🫡

Cmon man, and now im serbian? Try reading actual history and not columns from "Demokracija" or "Nove24TV".

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Esdoorn-Acer@reddit

I don’t speak German. Do you speak Turkish?

You aren’t Slovenian either. Spreading misinformation about our culture and history? Referring to Alps as Balkan? Mocking our genetics? Get a grip.

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Koravski@reddit

Oh dear me, how can i talk ill of our genetics.

Thank you for sending me on the right path.

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SmartFlyNR1@reddit

Dude, you need help.

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Esdoorn-Acer@reddit

Read what you wrote. And it’s not your genetics.

What’s even the point of this trolling? Are you bored?

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SmartFlyNR1@reddit

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

hmmm. neither. Eastern)

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Substratas@reddit (OP)

Estonia & Albania in the same region is wild.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

like an Greece and Portugal. Europe is relatively hotisontal part of the Earth. Thats not my map. Just was funny about central europe, so people miss the school. Because Cental Europe definition is rather political contexted term.

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low-sikeliot-9062@reddit

The differences between north and south are MUCH bigger than between west and east

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

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Temporary-Ice751@reddit

2/3 of Romania is on Balkan. North part of Romania isn't Balkan.

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WolfGroundbreaking36@reddit

Im about 30 and I remember when Greece wasn't considered part of the Balkans.

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Any_Interest2789@reddit

I use the 45th parallel as a rule of thumb, works for my headcannon, south of it balkan, north of it not balkan, easy to remember, exactly half way between the north pole and the equator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circles_of_latitude_between_the_40th_parallel_north_and_the_45th_parallel_north#/maplink/4

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echonia@reddit

This map basically is wrong as part of Turkish Thrace is also part of Balkans and parts of Romania also. Google maps prioritises the countries apparently per Balkan surface.

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External_Let230@reddit

Central in the streets, Balkan in the sheets

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Substratas@reddit (OP)

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Efficient-Job-2858@reddit

Why do ppl say Austria-Hungary and not the Habsburg Empire?😆 The latter spans over 6 centuries while the former is its 50 year finale. Also weird from a Hungarian perspective as we spent more time being under Habsburg rule than being allied with them.

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Extension-Service587@reddit

Would you have prefer to be under Ottoman boot?

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Dear-Ad1582@reddit

That's a good point ! It is weird to consider , but somehow those 50 tried to erase the previous 600.. Insisting on duality ... and Hungarian kingdom and such.

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CallmeChapybara@reddit

The latter spans the full 640 years while the former was the last 50 years leading up to its demise.

Oh, nice, I didn't knew this difference. Cheers for the info

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timisorean_02@reddit

Well, sad to hear that.

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

probably because it's more recent.

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PomegranateOk2600@reddit

So hungary and slovakia would also fit here

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Responsible-Door-634@reddit

It looks the same to me too.

I'm talking in a geographic sense.

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Dear-Ad1582@reddit

you came to Balkan sub to talk about sense or geography?

Romania is Balkan. Strictly geographically speaking - only Northern Dobrudja. The rest is Eastern Europe. But that is only geographically. Culturally it is 90% Balkan - excluding some Hungarians, who culturally are more Central-European.

Esdoorn-Acer@reddit

Lol

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Punpun86@reddit

Someone made an imaginary circle of which countries he thinks the whole territory belong in Balkan. Romania definitely belong in Balkan but it's the southern part and so is Turkey European part.

AttemptFirst6345@reddit

Regardless of geography I would include Romania as a Balkan culture.

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AdversaryNugget2856@reddit

Vojvodina is not balkan

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StevenAdamsInDallas@reddit

1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = Central + Balkans + Eastern. We are truly multicultural without the engineers and scholars.

Romanian tiger roars!

I'd consider it Balkan. I believe it's also a Turkish word and Romania was under Ottoman rule for 4 centuries so therefore I see it as Balkan.

Culturally I think it is more align with the Balkans than anywhere else.

Central Europe I always viewed as Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Czechia, Germany, Poland and Luxembourg.

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