Peculiarities of the modern
relief of the Balkan Peninsula on
the territory of Bulgaria
2nd lecture of the course “Topography of the Balkan Peninsula”
1. Relief of the Balkan Peninsula
The Balkan Peninsula has an extremely diverse relief, but in general the mountainous
one prevails. Its average altitude is 540 m. Along the line of the valleys of the Vardar and
Morava rivers, the relief is divided into two parts, the western one having a higher
altitude (more mountainous), the eastern one being lower and dominated by lowlands
and hilly plains. The differences in the relief are determined by the internal earth forces,
which have formed different types of morphostructures, and the external earth forces,
which have given different shapes to the earth's surface. The types of relief of the
peninsula are: lowland, plain-hilly, mountainous and valley.
2. Mountainous terrain
The modern appearance of the mountain relief was formed in general during the
Neogene-Quaternary period (approx. 23 million years ago). The mountains are divided
into three groups: low (600-1000 m.a.s.l.), medium (1001-2000 m.a.s.l.) and high (over
2000 m.a.s.l.).
A) Dinaric-Pindian mountain range:
It is part of the Alpine-Himalayan mountain system and consists of a series of mountains
extending to the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The Dinaric Mountains (Dinarides) are located
in the northwest, consisting of two ranges: the Outer - coastal, towards the Adriatic Sea
and the Inner - eastern, Dinarides. The highest peak is Ezerski Vrh in the Prokletije
Mountains in northern Albania. In their northwestern parts, the Dinaric Mountains are
made up mainly of limestone and have developed karst landforms.
1
, To the south lies the Pindus mountain range, which encompasses the mountains of
Albania (excluding Northern Albania) and the western parts of Greece. It is made of
limestone, sandstone, and schist, and has developed karst processes.
B) Carpathian-Balkan system:
It covers the East Serbian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains and the Central Highlands.
The Stara Planina Range extends from the Iron Gates rift to the Black Sea. It includes
mountains in Eastern Serbia, and in Bulgaria - the mountains of the Fore-Balkans, the
Main Stara Planina Range and the Srednogorje, as the mountains of this area have a
folded structure, in places complicated by faults and igneous intrusions.
C) Macedonian-Thracian Massif:
Located between the Dinarides, the Stara Planina region and the White Sea, it is built of
old Paleozoic and Dipaleozoic rocks. The relief is elevated and denuded, and is divided
into three parts by the valleys of the Vardar and Struma rivers:
– western part (Pelagonia Massif): includes the mountains Shar, Korab, Yakupitsa, Baba,
Nidje, Kaimakchalan, Vermion, Flamburon and Olympus (the second highest on the
Balkan Peninsula).
– middle part (Dardanski massif, Serbian-Macedonian massif): located between the
Vardar and Struma rivers, includes the mountains of Osogovo, Skopska Crna Gora,
Vlahina, Maleshevska Planina, Ograzhden, Plachkovica, Serta, Belasitsa, Krusha and the
mountains of the Chalkidiki Peninsula.
– eastern part (Rila-Rhodope massif): located between the Struma and Maritsa rivers. It
includes Rila (the highest mountain on the Balkan Peninsula, with peak Musala), Pirin,
Slavyanka, Sturgech, Sengelska Planina, Sharliya, Cherna Gora, Zmiynitsa, Bozdag,
Chaldag, Kushnitsa, Bogdanska Planina, Rhodope.
3. Flat and hilly terrain
It has a limited distribution on the Balkan Peninsula, more characteristic of its eastern
part.
A) Danube Plain - located north of the Stara Planina system and south of the Danube
River, it is made up of old folded rocks, on which younger rocks are located in horizontal
2
relief of the Balkan Peninsula on
the territory of Bulgaria
2nd lecture of the course “Topography of the Balkan Peninsula”
1. Relief of the Balkan Peninsula
The Balkan Peninsula has an extremely diverse relief, but in general the mountainous
one prevails. Its average altitude is 540 m. Along the line of the valleys of the Vardar and
Morava rivers, the relief is divided into two parts, the western one having a higher
altitude (more mountainous), the eastern one being lower and dominated by lowlands
and hilly plains. The differences in the relief are determined by the internal earth forces,
which have formed different types of morphostructures, and the external earth forces,
which have given different shapes to the earth's surface. The types of relief of the
peninsula are: lowland, plain-hilly, mountainous and valley.
2. Mountainous terrain
The modern appearance of the mountain relief was formed in general during the
Neogene-Quaternary period (approx. 23 million years ago). The mountains are divided
into three groups: low (600-1000 m.a.s.l.), medium (1001-2000 m.a.s.l.) and high (over
2000 m.a.s.l.).
A) Dinaric-Pindian mountain range:
It is part of the Alpine-Himalayan mountain system and consists of a series of mountains
extending to the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The Dinaric Mountains (Dinarides) are located
in the northwest, consisting of two ranges: the Outer - coastal, towards the Adriatic Sea
and the Inner - eastern, Dinarides. The highest peak is Ezerski Vrh in the Prokletije
Mountains in northern Albania. In their northwestern parts, the Dinaric Mountains are
made up mainly of limestone and have developed karst landforms.
1
, To the south lies the Pindus mountain range, which encompasses the mountains of
Albania (excluding Northern Albania) and the western parts of Greece. It is made of
limestone, sandstone, and schist, and has developed karst processes.
B) Carpathian-Balkan system:
It covers the East Serbian Mountains, the Balkan Mountains and the Central Highlands.
The Stara Planina Range extends from the Iron Gates rift to the Black Sea. It includes
mountains in Eastern Serbia, and in Bulgaria - the mountains of the Fore-Balkans, the
Main Stara Planina Range and the Srednogorje, as the mountains of this area have a
folded structure, in places complicated by faults and igneous intrusions.
C) Macedonian-Thracian Massif:
Located between the Dinarides, the Stara Planina region and the White Sea, it is built of
old Paleozoic and Dipaleozoic rocks. The relief is elevated and denuded, and is divided
into three parts by the valleys of the Vardar and Struma rivers:
– western part (Pelagonia Massif): includes the mountains Shar, Korab, Yakupitsa, Baba,
Nidje, Kaimakchalan, Vermion, Flamburon and Olympus (the second highest on the
Balkan Peninsula).
– middle part (Dardanski massif, Serbian-Macedonian massif): located between the
Vardar and Struma rivers, includes the mountains of Osogovo, Skopska Crna Gora,
Vlahina, Maleshevska Planina, Ograzhden, Plachkovica, Serta, Belasitsa, Krusha and the
mountains of the Chalkidiki Peninsula.
– eastern part (Rila-Rhodope massif): located between the Struma and Maritsa rivers. It
includes Rila (the highest mountain on the Balkan Peninsula, with peak Musala), Pirin,
Slavyanka, Sturgech, Sengelska Planina, Sharliya, Cherna Gora, Zmiynitsa, Bozdag,
Chaldag, Kushnitsa, Bogdanska Planina, Rhodope.
3. Flat and hilly terrain
It has a limited distribution on the Balkan Peninsula, more characteristic of its eastern
part.
A) Danube Plain - located north of the Stara Planina system and south of the Danube
River, it is made up of old folded rocks, on which younger rocks are located in horizontal
2
