Are People from the Balkans White? Identity in the Balkans Explained

Culture and identity

Are people from the Balkans white?

By US census standards, most people with roots in the Balkans are classified as White. But people in the region rarely describe themselves by race at all. They describe themselves by nationality, language, religion and the town their family comes from.

The question comes up often from American travelers planning a first trip. Here is how identity actually works across Southeast Europe, and why it matters when you travel.

The short answer, from a US perspective

Perspective

Visitors in the Peristyle of Diocletian’s Palace, Split, Croatia

Under US federal standards, the White category covers people with origins in the original peoples of Europe. Most Americans with family roots in Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria or North Macedonia therefore tick that box on a census form.

That answer is accurate, but it is only part of the picture. The Balkans are also home to Roma, Turkish, Jewish and other communities whose histories belong to the same story, and a single color-based label says very little about any of them.

How people in the Balkans describe themselves

Context

Folk dancers in traditional embroidered costume performing a circle dance

Ask someone in Sarajevo, Skopje or Tirana who they are and they will usually name a nationality, a region or a language, not a race. Identity here is shaped by ethnicity, language, religion and history, often layered together.

The largest groups include:

South Slavs: Bosniaks, Bulgarians, Croats, Macedonians, Montenegrins, Serbs and Slovenes. Several of these peoples speak closely related languages; in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs share much of the same everyday speech under different names. Further reading: South Slavs
Albanians: speakers of a distinct branch of the Indo-European language family, living in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and beyond. Historians often link them to ancient peoples of the western Balkans such as the Illyrians, although the question is still debated. Further reading: Albanians
Greeks: heirs to one of Europe’s oldest written languages and cultures.
Romanians and Aromanians (Vlachs): speakers of Romance languages, with Aromanian communities scattered across the southern Balkans.

Alongside them live Roma, Turks, Hungarians, Jewish communities with Sephardic roots in cities such as Sarajevo and Thessaloniki, and many others. The Roma, Europe’s largest ethnic minority, have faced discrimination across the region for centuries, which is a reminder that questions of identity here are not abstract.

Religion often matters as much as language. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosniaks are mostly Muslim, Croats mostly Catholic and Serbs mostly Orthodox. In Sarajevo’s old town, a mosque, a Catholic cathedral, an Orthodox church and a synagogue stand within a short walk of one another.

Practical notes for travelers

Practical

Ask people about their town or region rather than their ethnicity. It is a warmer opening and often leads to the best stories.
Avoid guessing someone’s background from their name or appearance, and avoid calling everyone “Yugoslav.” Yugoslavia broke up in the early 1990s, and people feel very differently about it.
Some people in Slovenia and Croatia describe their countries as Central European or Mediterranean rather than Balkan. Follow the lead of the person you are talking to.
Recent history, especially the wars of the 1990s, is personal for many families. Listen first, and let your hosts decide how much they want to share.

Key takeaways

Summary

By US census standards, most people of Balkan origin are classified as White.
Locally, identity is defined by nationality, ethnicity, language and religion, not race.
The region is home to many communities, including Roma, Turks and Jewish communities, whose histories are part of the Balkan story.
Curiosity and respect open more doors than labels.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ

Are people from the Balkans European?

Yes. The Balkan Peninsula is part of Southeast Europe, and its peoples have lived in the region for many centuries.

Is Greece part of the Balkans?

Geographically, mainland Greece lies on the Balkan Peninsula, although many Greeks describe their country simply as Southern European or Mediterranean.

What languages are spoken in the Balkans?

Slavic languages such as Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Serbian and Slovenian, plus Albanian, Greek, Romanian, Turkish and Romani, among others.

Is it rude to ask someone in the Balkans about their ethnicity?

It is not forbidden, but it can feel personal, especially in places affected by the wars of the 1990s. Asking where someone is from, or about local traditions, is usually a better start.

To experience this diversity in person, see our multi-country Balkan journeys.

Prepared by Balkland’s regional travel team.