Freshman World Geography Chapter 14
World Geography – Chapter 14 Notes: Turmoil in the Balkans
The Balkan Conflict: Key Figures and Terms
Slobodan Milosevic—The President of Serbia (and later Yugoslavia) during the 1990s. He was a nationalist leader who was a central figure in the Balkan wars following the breakup of Yugoslavia. He was later charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
South Slavs—A subgroup of Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit the Balkan Peninsula. This group includes Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bosniaks, Montenegrins, and Macedonians.
Ethnic Cleansing—The systematic and forced removal or extermination of an ethnic, racial, or religious group from a specific geographic area. This policy was tragically utilized during the Bosnian War to create "ethnically pure" regions.
KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army)—An ethnic-Albanian separatist militia that sought the separation of Kosovo from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Serbia during the late 1990s.
Vojislav Kostunica—A constitutional lawyer who became the President of Yugoslavia in 2000 after the popular uprising that toppled Slobodan Milosevic. He was seen as a more moderate, democratic leader who helped transition the country away from the war era.
Cyanide—A highly toxic chemical compound. In a geographic context, it is often discussed regarding industrial accidents, such as the 2000 Baia Mare cyanide spill in Romania, which devastated fish populations and drinking water in the Tisza and Danube rivers.
European Environmental Agency (EEA)—An agency of the European Union tasked with providing sound, independent information on the environment. It helps policymakers and the public understand environmental trends and challenges across Europe.
Particulates (Particulate Matter)—Microscopic solid or liquid matter suspended in the Earth's atmosphere (such as dust, soot, or smoke). These are a major source of air pollution and can cause serious respiratory health issues.
Smog—A type of intense air pollution, originally named for the combination of "smoke" and "fog." It occurs when pollutants (like nitrogen oxides) react with sunlight, often common in densely populated European industrial hubs.
Ozone (O3)—A gas composed of three oxygen atoms.
Good Ozone: Located in the stratosphere, it protects the Earth from harmful UV radiation.
Bad Ozone: Located at ground level (troposphere), it is a pollutant that is a key component of smog and harmful to human health.
Reviewing Places and Terms
11. Relationship between ozone and smog? Ground-level ozone is a primary component of smog. It is created when nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds (pollutants from cars and factories) react with sunlight.
12. Effect of cyanide on European rivers? It caused massive environmental disasters, most notably the Baia Mare spill, which killed 1,200 tons of fish and contaminated the drinking water of millions of people along the Tisza and Danube rivers.
13. Difference between Milosevic and Kostunica? Milosevic was a hardline nationalist leader associated with war and ethnic cleansing. Kostunica was a constitutional lawyer and moderate who defeated Milosevic in a democratic election to become president, signaling a move toward reform.
14. What do Milosevic and Kostunica have in common? Both served as President of Yugoslavia and were Serbian leaders during a period of intense political transition in the Balkans.
15. Terms in a report by the European Environmental Agency? Cyanide, particulates, smog, and ozone.
16. Who were the South Slavs? Slavic peoples who migrated to the Balkan Peninsula in the 500s and 600s, eventually forming nations such as Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
17. Leader associated with ethnic cleansing? Slobodan Milosevic.
18. Groups targeted by ethnic cleansing? In the 1990s, the primary targets were Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo.
19. Milosevic and the KLA: Allies or enemies? They were bitter enemies. The KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) fought to gain independence for Kosovo, while Milosevic used the military to suppress the KLA and maintain Serbian control.
Main Ideas
Kosovo conflict history: The conflict is rooted in centuries of tension. Serbs view Kosovo as a sacred cradle of their culture (site of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo), while the majority-population ethnic Albanians sought independence or union with Albania.
Bosnia’s diversity: Bosnia was a "microcosm" of the Balkans, containing Serbs (Orthodox), Croats (Catholic), and Bosniaks (Muslim). When Yugoslavia broke up, these groups fought for control of the same territory.
Discovery in Kosovo: After Serbian forces withdrew in 1999, international investigators discovered evidence of mass graves and widespread atrocities committed against the civilian Albanian population.
Future Balkan conflict: Sources include unresolved ethnic tensions, disputed borders, economic instability, and the struggle for minority rights in newly formed nations.
Effects of acid rain: It kills forests (by damaging leaves and soil), poisons lakes/streams (killing fish), and dissolves the surfaces of historical stone buildings and statues.
Pollution under Communism: Eastern Europe became heavily polluted. Communist leaders prioritized rapid industrialization and heavy manufacturing over environmental safety or public health.
Why pollution is hard to resolve: It is transboundary (smoke and water flow across borders), and the cost of cleaning up old factories is extremely high, often threatening jobs and economic growth.
EU forerunners: The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC).
Economic alliance vs. War: Leaders believed that if countries were economically interdependent (trading together and sharing resources), they would be less likely to go to war because doing so would destroy their own economies.
EU admission problems: Formerly Communist countries often have lower GDPs, outdated infrastructure, and higher levels of corruption, which can strain the EU's budget and create migration tensions.
Critical Thinking
1. A. Physical Damage: Both. Conflict caused physical destruction through bombing (e.g., Sarajevo/Kosovo), while pollution caused biological damage to forests and water. B. Linked? Yes; war often causes pollution (destroyed chemical plants leaking into rivers) and destroys the infrastructure needed for environmental protection.
2. A. EU as a new region: It has created a supranational region where borders are open, a single currency (the euro) is used, and laws are standardized, making it function almost like one giant country. B. Natural processes: Wind carries particulates and smog across borders, and river currents carry chemical pollutants downstream through multiple nations.
3. Factors leading to Milosevic's exit: Economic collapse caused by international sanctions, the loss of wars in Croatia and Bosnia, and the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia led the people to demand a change in leadership.
4. Importance of International Cooperation: It is vital. Since pollution and crime do not stop at borders, countries must work together. For example, the cleaning of the Danube River requires every country it touches to agree on pollution standards, or the cleanup will fail.