Eastern Europe

Albania Bulgaria Czech Republic Hungary Poland Romania

Slovakia

Albania

Map of Albania

Albania

• Capital: Tirana• Population: 3.6 Million• GDP per capita: $5,316• Life expectancy: 73 (male); 78 (female)• Currency: Lek

Albania

• Albanians are descended from ancient tribes called Illyrians.

• To indicate agreement, Albanians shake their heads slowly from left to right.

• Hosts open gifts from visitors, even birthday presents, only after the guests have gone.

Climate/Land• Just smaller than Maryland.• The terrain is mostly

mountainous, with narrow coastal lowlands along the Adriatic and Ionian seas.

• Summers along the Adriatic are hot and dry, while winters are mild and wet.

• A continental climate prevails inland, with more marked seasonal temperature extremes.

Religion

• 70% of the population is Muslim

• 20%Orthodox Christian • 10% Catholic.

Health Care• The government provides

free health care at clinics and hospitals, and private clinics are available to those who can afford them.

• Most medicines are either imported or donated.

• Facilities are poorly equipped and rely on international aid

HousesPlacing water tanks on the tops of buildings serves two purposes. First, it allows for the sun to naturally heat the water. Second, it provides for additional water pressure as the water travels downward through pipes into houses.

Bulgaria

Map of Bulgaria

Bulgaria

• Capital: Sofia• Population: 7.2 million• GDP per capita: $9,032• Life expectancy: 69 (male); 76 (female)• Currency: Lev

Bulgaria

• “Yes” is indicated by shaking the head from side to side, and “no” is expressed with one or two nods.

Land/Climate• Slightly larger than Tennessee,.

Much of the terrain is mountainous.

• Plains dominate the northern and central regions.

• To the east lies the Black Sea.• The Danube River constitutes

the northern border, which separates Bulgaria from Romania.

• The climate is similar to that of the Midwest region of the United States.

Religion

• 83% Bulgarian Orthodox Church

• 12% Islam • 1.7 % Roman Catholic

Economy

• Exports agricultural products (grains, tobacco, wine, dairy foods) and some machinery.

• Traditionally, it also exported energy but had to reduce its output after closing four Soviet-era nuclear reactors .

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Czech Republic

Map of Czech Republic

Czech Republic

• Capital: Prague• Population: 10.2 million• GDP per capita: $20,538• Life expectancy: 73 (male); 79 (female)• Currency: Czech koruna

Czech Republic

• To show respect, one addresses adults by their professional titles (engineer, professor) and last names.

• Because of a shortage of affordable housing, young couples tend to live with their parents after marriage.

• Mothers or fathers may receive several months of paid maternity leave.

Land• Just smaller than South

Carolina. • Three regions • Bohemia comprises roughly

the western two-thirds of the country.

• Moravia occupies nearly one-third of the eastern portion.

• Silesia is a relatively small area in the northeast near the Polish border. It is dominated by coal fields and steel mills.

Religion

• 39% Catholic Church.• 2% The Czech Brethren

(a Lutheran/Calvinist). • 40% of Czechs consider

themselves atheists.

Economy• 5% of the labor force is

employed in agriculture, it is important to the domestic economy

• Self-sufficient in food.• Major industries include

metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass, and armaments.

• Tourism is increasingly important.

Hungary

Map of Hungary

Hungary

• Capital: Budapest• Population: 10 million• GDP per capita: $17,887• Life expectancy: 69 (male); 77 (female)• Currency: Forint

Hungary

• At Easter, it is customary in some places for boys to “sprinkle” girls with water or cologne as a sign that the girl is a flower that should not wilt.

• A famous Hungarian specialty is goulash, a stew of meat, vegetables, and spices.

• Guests remove their shoes upon entering a home. • Nearly 80 percent of all Hungarian women work

outside the home.

Land

• It is slightly smaller than Indiana. Most of the east is flat, but the northwest has rolling hills and low mountains.

• Almost 51 percent of the land is suitable for cultivation, allowing Hungary to be nearly self-sufficient in food.

Budapest

• The capital, Budapest, is actually the union of two cities (Buda and Pest) lying on opposite sides of the Danube River. They united in 1872 as Budapest, once nicknamed “Paris of the East.”

Religion

• 52% Roman Catholic.• 16% Calvinists• 3% Lutherans

Poland

Map of Poland

Poland

• Capital: Warsaw• Population: 38.5 million• GDP per capita: $13,847• Life expectancy: 71 (male); 79 (female)• Currency: Zloty• 90% Roman Catholic

Poland

• Poland's 1791 constitution was patterned after the U.S. Constitution and gave freedom to the serfs.

• Lech Walesa, leader of the Solidarity labor union, received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.

• At social and business gatherings, Poles greet each guest personally, women first. Blinking both eyes can signify romantic interest.

Land• The name Polska (Poland)

means “land of fields.” • The northern and central

landscape is dominated by the North European Plain.

• Poland's location and flat terrain have made it vulnerable to territory-seeking armies throughout history, and its borders have changed several times.

Birenau

Poland

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Romania

Map of Romania

Romania

• Capital: Bucharest• Population: 22.2million • GDP per capita: $9,060• Adult literacy rate: 98% (male); 96% (female)• Life expectancy: 68 (male); 76 (female)• Currency: New leu

Romania

• Romanian is a Latin-based language in the same family as Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese.

• Family members mourning the death of a loved one may wear black from six weeks to a year.

• Food is expensive, costing almost half of a family's monthly income.

Land• Romania is about the size of

Oregon. • The Carpathian Mountains, the

country's dominant geographical feature, form half of a crown in the north and central regions, nearly surrounding the Transylvanian plateau.

• The South Carpathians (also known as the Transylvanian Alps) extend west from the center of the country.

Religion

• 87%Romanian Orthodox• 7.5% Protestant• 5% Roman Catholic

Arm Wrestling in Jail

Slovakia

Map of Slovakia

Slovakia

• Capital: Bratislava• Population: 5.4 million• GDP per capita: $15,871• Life expectancy: 70 (male); 78 (female)• Currency: Euro

Slovakia

• To wish luck, instead of crossing fingers, Slovaks fold the thumb in and close the fingers on it.

• Soccer, ice hockey, skiing, and tennis are the most popular sports.

• Mushroom hunting and gardening at summer cottages are popular activities for families.

FoodMost traditional Slovakian dishes include potatoes, flour, sheep or cow cheese, cabbage, garlic, and onions. The dish in this picture is called bryndzové halušky and is composed of small potato dough dumplings, sheep cheese, and scrambled bacon. Slovaks enjoy eating dishes such as this on cold winter nights.

MountainsThe Low Tatras mountain range, featured here, were proclaimed a national park in 1978. This naturally beautiful area offers thousands of miles of hiking trails in the summer and cross-country skiing trails during the winter.

Religion• 69% Roman Catholic• 6.9 Evangelical Lutheran• 4.1 Greek Catholic • 2% Calvinist Reformed• 0.9 Eastern Orthodox

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