Yugoslavia

views updated

Yugoslavia

Area: 39,518 sq mi (102,350 sq km) / World Rank: 108
Location: Northern and Western Hemispheres, in southeastern Europe, south of Hungary, west of Romania and Bulgaria, north of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania, and east of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Coordinates: 44°00′N, 21°00′E
Borders: 1,396 mi (2,246 km) / Albania, 178 mi (287 km); Bosnia and Herzegovina, 327 mi (527 km); Bulgaria, 198 mi (318 km); Croatia, 166 mi (266 km); Hungary, 94 mi (151 km); Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 137 mi (221 km); Romania, 296 mi (476 km).
Coastline: 124 mi (199 km)
Territorial Seas: Not available
Highest Point: Mt. Daravica, 8,714 ft (2,656 m)
Lowest Point: Sea level
Longest Distances: 306 mi (492 km) N-W / 235 mi (378 km) E-W
Longest River: Danube River, 1,729 mi (2,783 km)
Largest Lake: Lake Scutari, 150 sq mi (400 sq km).
Natural Hazards: Earthquakes
Population: 10,677,290 (July 2001 est.) / World Rank: 69
Capital City: Belgrade, in north central Yugoslavia.
Largest City: Belgrade, 1,168,454 (2001 census)

OVERVIEW

Yugoslavia, in southern Europe, covers the middle of the Balkan Peninsula and extends westward to meet the Adriatic Sea. The southern half of Yugoslavia is rugged and mountainous, but in the north is the Danube River basin and the southern extent of the Pannonian Plain.

When Yugoslavia was originally formed in 1918 (known at that time as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes), it was much larger than it is currently. Starting in 1991, many of the republics that had made up Yugoslavia broke away and became independent countries. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, and Croatia were all part of Yugoslavia. Modern Yugoslavia consists of the two remaining republics: Serbia, making up the eastern 86 percent of the country; and coastal Montenegro, which occupies the southwestern 14 percent. Within Serbia there are two nominally autonomous provinces: Kosovo (4,203 sq mi / 10,887 sq km) in the south; and Vojvodina (8,303 sq mi / 21,506 sq km) in the north. Kosovo was the scene of much bloodshed and ethnic conflict in the late 1990s, prompting intervention by the NATO military alliance and the deployment of NATO and Russian peacekeepers.

Located on the Eurasian Tectonic Plate, Yugoslavia is seismically active. Two parallel thrust fault lines extend from northwest to southeast Montenegro. Serbia has thrust fault lines on either side of the Velika Morava and Južna Morava river basins. There is also a tectonic contact line along the eastern border with Romania. These structural seams in the earth's crust periodically shift, causing earth tremors and occasional destructive earthquakes. In 1979, a major earthquake severely damaged towns and villages in the southern highlands and also caused great devastation along the coast.

MOUNTAINS AND HILLS

Mountains

About half of Serbia is covered by mountains. Serbia is ringed by the Dinaric Alps on the west, the Sar Mountains and the North Albanian Alps (or Prokletije) on the south, and the Balkan Mountains and (just across the border in Romania) the Transylvanian Alps on the east. There are many peaks exceeding 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above sea level, including 13 mountains that are over 7,870 ft (2,400 m).

Nearly all of Montenegro is mountainous. The name Montenegro (Black Mountain) is believed to come from the thick "black" forests that once covered the area. The high Dinaric Alps of Montenegro rise steeply from the Adriatic coastline, separating a narrow ribbon of coastal plain only 1 to 6 mi (2 to 10 km) wide from the interior.

The four highest peaks in Yugoslavia are all in Serbia: Daravica, 8,714 ft (2,656 m); Crni Vrh, 8,481 ft (2,585 m); Gusan, 8,330 ft (2,539 m); and Bogdaš, 8,311 ft (2,533 m). Bobotov Kuk, 8,275 ft (2,522 m), the next highest mountain, lies in Montenegro.

Canyons

Tara Canyon follows the Tara River along Montenegro's northwestern border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. At 4,265 ft (1,300 m), Tara Canyon is Europe's deepest canyon. There are also canyons in the Piva and Morača river basins of Montenegro that are about 3,940 ft (1,200 m) deep.

INLAND WATERWAYS

Lakes

Lake Scutari (Skadar), only 4 mi (7 km) from the Adriatic coast in Montenegro, is the one of 40 lakes in Montenegro and is by far the largest lake in Yugoslavia (as well as in the entire Balkan region). Covering approximately 150 sq mi (400 sq km), about two-thirds of the lake lies within Yugoslavia's borders, with the rest in Albania. Although its surface area is large, its average depth is only 16 ft (5 m).

High mountains rise to the southwest of the lake, while to the northeast is a wide swamp. Although Scutari is adjacent to the Adriatic Sea, there are about 30 spots, known as oke (singular: oko) where its bed is under sea level and groundwater springs forth from the bottom of the lake. The Morača River is the largest stream flowing into Lake Scutari.

Rivers

Most of Yugoslavia's rivers flow eastward towards the Black Sea basin. Yugoslavia's most important river is the Danube, which forms part of the border with Croatia, then flows across northern Serbia and then along the border with Romania. The Danube River is the second longest river in Europe, rising in Germany and flowing southeast into the Black Sea. The total length of the Danube River is 1,729 mi (2,783 km), of which 365 mi (588 km) flows through Yugoslavia. As the only major European river to flow west to east, the Danube has long been an important commercial and military transportation route, and is a vital link between Yugoslavia and the rest of Europe.

Along Yugoslavia's northeastern border with Romania the Danube flows through the Iron Gate. This is a gorge with rapids where the Danube cuts through the Transylvanian Alps. In 1972, the joint Yugoslav-Romanian Iron Gate Dam, with its two hydroelectric plants, was completed at the gorge. With the help of this dam and other engineering feats the Danube is navigable throughout Yugoslavia.

The Danube's main tributaries in Yugoslavia are the Tisa, Sava, and Morava rivers. The Tisa River is 600 mi (966 km) long, of which 103 mi (168 km) flows through Yugoslavia. It enters the country from Hungary and flows south across the Pannonian Plain to the Danube.

The Sava River is 587 mi (945 km) long, entering the country from Bosnia and Herzegovina and flowing east for 128 mi (206 km) before meeting the Danube at Belgrade (Beograd). The Drina is a major tributary of the Sava, and makes up part of Yugoslavia's border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Zapadna Morava (191 mi / 308 km), flowing eastward, and the Južna Morava (183 mi / 295 km), flowing towards the north, merge to form the Velika Morava (115 mi/185 km) near the center of the country. The Morava Rivers and their tributary the Ibar drain the mountainous areas of central and southern Serbia and flow northward to join the Danube east of Belgrade.

THE COAST, ISLANDS, AND THE OCEAN

With the independence of Croatia, Yugoslavia lost most of its coastline. Only 124 mi (199 km) of Adriatic coastline remains. The coast is indented with numerous bays and coves. The largest, and most impressive is the Gulf of Kotor, which is the world's southernmost fjord. The Dinaric Alps rise very close to the water in most places. Only 32 mi (52 km) of coast can be considered beach. Velika plaza (Long Beach) at Ulcinj has the longest continuous stretch of sandy beach, at 8 mi (13 km).

Since the coastline is so rugged, access to the sea from inland is difficult. The port of Bar and the Gulf of Kotor are the main access points. At about 125 mi (200 km), the Adriatic Sea is at its widest between Yugoslavia and southern Italy. This portion of the Adriatic is also the deepest, reaching some 4,360 ft (1,330 m) at a point about 75 mi (120 km) southwest of the Gulf of Kotor.

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION

Temperature

Yugoslavia's climate varies greatly from one part of the country to another, due to the many mountain ranges. The climate of Serbia is on the whole continental, with cold, dry winters and warm, humid summers. The Pannonian Plains have cold winters with hot and dry summers. In Vojvodina, July temperatures average 70°F (21°C), and temperatures in January average about 32°F (0°C).

The Adriatic coast has a more Mediterranean climate, but the Dinaric Mountains prevent the Mediterranean weather from penetrating inland Montenegro. The average seaside July temperatures are between 74.1°F (23.4°C) and 78.1°F (25.6°C). Summers are usually long and dry, winters short and mild. Intense summer heat penetrates the Bojana River valley, over the Lake Scutari basin, and upstream along the Morača River. Podgorica, on the Moracča, is the warmest city in Yugoslavia, with July temperatures averaging 79.5°F (26.4°C). The absolute maximum can sometimes reach 104°F (40°C). The average January temperatures are around 41°F (5°C), with the absolute minimum of 14°F (-10°C).

Rainfall

Annual precipitation in Serbia ranges from 22 to 75 inches (56 to 190 cm), depending on elevation and exposure. Heavy rains in spring and autumn frequently cause floods. Snow is rare along the Montenegrin coast and in the Lake Scutari basin, but just inland, in the region of high limestone mountains, the climate is typically subalpine, with cold, snowy winters and mild summers. Snow can be found well into summer, and sometimes even year round, on the highest mountain peaks.

Grasslands

Occupying northern Serbia is the Pannonian Plain and the low-lying plains of Vojvodina, where the Danube River is joined by two of its major tributaries, the Sava and Tisa rivers. The region is mostly flat, with some low hills, and contains fertile soils used for farmland and grazing. The Pannonian Plain is in an ancient dry seabed. It is filled with rich alluvial deposits, forming fertile farmland and rolling hills. Kosovo, at the southern end of the country, covers a montane basin with high plains.

Forests and Jungles

The government estimated the total forested area at 6,249,000 acres (2,529,000 hectares), of which 4,902,000 acres (1,984,000 hectares) were in Serbia and 1,347,000 acres (545,000 hectares) were in Montenegro. Yugoslavia's

Autonomous Republics – Yugoslavia
1998 POPULATION ESTIMATES
Name	Population	Area (sq mi)	Area (sq km)	Capital
Kosovo I Metohija (Kosovo-Metohija)	2,222,000	4,203	10,887	Pristina
Montenegro (Crna Gora)	647,000	5,333	13,812	Podgorica
Serbia	5,780,000	21,609	55,968	Belgrade
Vojvodina	1,968,000	8,303	21,506	Novi Sad
SOURCE : Federal Statistical Office, Yugoslavia.

nine national parks cover 618,700 acres (250,400 hectares), of which 64 percent is in Serbia. The forests in Serbia are composed of about 170 broadleaf and 35 coniferous species of trees and shrubs.

HUMAN POPULATION

Yugoslavia's official population was 10,633,000 in 2000, of whom 9,979,000 lived in Serbia and 654,000 resided in Montenegro. Of the total inhabiting Serbia, 2,291,000 lived in Kosovo and 1,946,000 resided in Vojvodina. Serbia's largest cities are Belgrade, Niš, Kragujevac, and Èaèak. Montenegro's largest city is Podgorica, and Vojvodina's largest city is Novi Sad. Priština (33,305) is the largest city in Kosovo.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The fertile plains of Vojvodina supply grain and sugar beets, while the hilly central areas of Serbia specialize in dairy, fruit, and livestock. Yugoslavia has deposits of oil, gas, coal, antimony, copper, lead, zinc, nickel, gold, pyrite, and chrome. Iron and copper deposits are located in central Serbia; coal, lead, and zinc reserves are found in Kosovo; and oil reserves are located in Vojvodina.

GEO-FACT

At Krivosije, above the Bay of Kotor, the average annual rainfall is 207 in (532 cm), making it the rainiest place in Europe. However, since the porous limestone of the region offers negligible water retention, the amount of groundwater available for potable usage in the vicinity is limited.

Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia