" Balkans - The origin of the word Balkan is obscure; it may be related to Persian bālk 'mud', and the Turkish suffix an 'swampy forest'[7] or Persian balā-khāna 'big high house'.[8] Related words are also found in Turkic languages.[9] It was used mainly during the time of the Ottoman Empire. In modern Turkish balkan means 'chain of wooded mountains'.Plovdiv and Sofia in Bulgaria
- Zadar, Croatia
- Athens, Argos and Chalcis in Greece
- Mangalia and Constanta in Romania
- Istanbul in Turkey."
