The countries of Eastern Europe are a natural-territorial massif located between the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea. The main part of the population of Eastern Europe is made up of Slavs and Greeks, and in the western part of the mainland Roman and Germanic peoples predominate.
Eastern European countries
Eastern Europe is a historical and geographical region that includes the following countries (according to the United Nations classification):
- Poland.
- Czech Republic
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Romania.
- Bulgaria
- Belarus.
- Russia.
- Ukraine.
- Moldova.
The history of the formation and development of Eastern European states is a long and difficult path. The formation of the region began in the prehistoric era. In the first millennium AD, there was an active population of Eastern Europe. Later the first states were formed.
The peoples of Eastern Europe have a very complex ethnic composition. It is this fact that has caused ethnic conflicts to occur frequently in these countries. Today, the Slavic peoples occupy a predominant place in the region. About how statehood, population and culture of Eastern Europe were formed, further.
The first peoples in Eastern Europe (BC)
Cimmerians are considered to be the very first peoples of Eastern Europe. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus says that the Cimmerians lived in the first and second millennium BC. Cimmerians populated mainly the Azov Sea. Evidence of this are characteristic names (Cimmerian Bosporus, Cimmerian crossings, Cimmeria region). The graves of Cimmerians who died in clashes with the Scythians on the Dniester were also discovered.
In the VIII century BC, there were many Greek colonies in Eastern Europe. Such cities were founded: Khersones, Theodosius, Fanagoria and others. Basically, all cities were trading. In the Black Sea settlements, spiritual and material culture was quite well developed. To this day, archaeologists find evidence confirming this fact.
The next people who inhabited eastern Europe in the prehistoric period were the Scythians. We know about them from the works of Herodotus. They lived on the north coast of the Black Sea. In the VII-V century BC, Scythians spread to the Kuban, Don, appeared in Taman. Scythians were engaged in cattle breeding, agriculture, crafts. All these areas were developed in them. Waged trade with the Greek colonies.
In the II century BC, the Sarmatians made their way to the land of the Scythians, defeated the first and settled the territory of the Black Sea region and the Caspian region.
In the same period, Goths - Germanic tribes appeared in the Black Sea steppes. For a long time they oppressed the Scythians, but only in the 4th century AD did they manage to completely displace them from these territories. Their leader - Germanarich then occupied almost the whole of Eastern Europe.
The peoples of Eastern Europe in antiquity and the Middle Ages
The kingdom of the Goths did not last long. Huns, people from the Mongolian steppes, took their place. From the 4th-5th centuries, they fought their wars, but in the end their union fell apart, some remained in the Black Sea region, others went east.
Avars appeared in the 6th century; they, like the Huns, came from Asia. Their state was located where the Hungarian plain is now. Until the beginning of the 9th century, the Avar state existed. Avars often clashed with the Slavs, as the "Tale of Bygone Years" says, and attacked Byzantium and Western Europe. As a result, they were defeated by the Franks.
In the seventh century, the Khazar state was formed. The North Caucasus, Lower and Middle Volga, Crimea, Azov were in the power of the Khazars. Belenger, Semender, Itil, Tamatarha - the largest cities of the Khazar state. In economic activity, emphasis was placed on the use of trade routes that passed through the territory of the state. Engaged in the slave trade.
In the VII century, the state of Volga Bulgaria appeared. It was inhabited by Bulgars and Finno-Ugrians. In 1236, the Bulgars were attacked by the Mongol-Tatars, in the process of assimilation, these peoples began to disappear.
In the IX century, between the Dnieper and the Don appeared Pechenegs, they fought with the Khazars and Russia. Prince Igor went with the Pechenegs to Byzantium, but then between the nations there was a conflict, which grew into lengthy wars. In 1019 and 1036, Yaroslav the Wise struck the Pecheneg people, and they became vassals of Russia.
In the XI century, the Polovtsy came from Kazakhstan. They raided trade caravans. By the middle of the next century, their possessions extended from the Dnieper to the Volga. Both Russia and Byzantium were reckoned with them. Vladimir Monomakh inflicted a crushing defeat on them, after which they retreated to the Volga, beyond the Urals and Transcaucasia.
Slavic peoples
The first mention of the Slavs appears around the first millennium AD. A more accurate description of these peoples falls in the middle of the same millennium. They are called Slovenes at this time. Byzantine authors speak of Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula and in the Subunavia.
Depending on the territory of residence, the Slavs were divided into western, eastern and southern. So, the southern Slavs settled in southeastern Europe, the western Slavs in Central and Eastern Europe, the eastern ones directly in Eastern Europe.
It was in Eastern Europe that the Slavs assimilated with the Finno-Ugric tribes. The Slavs of Eastern Europe were the largest group. The East were initially divided into tribes: glade, Drevlyane, northerners, Dregovichi, Polotsk, Krivichi, Radimichi, Vyatichi, Ilmen Slovenian, Buzhan.
Today, the East Slavic peoples include Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians. To the Western Slavs - Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and others. To the southern Slavs belong the Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats, Macedonians and so on.
The modern population of Eastern Europe
The ethnic composition of the population of eastern Europe is heterogeneous. What nationalities prevail there, and which are in the minority, we will consider further. 95% of ethnic Czechs live in the Czech Republic. In Poland - 97% are Poles, the rest are gypsies, Germans, Ukrainians, Belarusians.
A small but multinational country is Slovakia. Ten percent of the population are Hungarians, 2% are Gypsies, 0.8% are Czechs, 0.6% are Russians and Ukrainians, and 1.4% are representatives of other nationalities. The population of Hungary is 92 percent composed of Hungarians or, as they are also called Magyars. The rest are Germans, Jews, Romanians, Slovaks, and so on.
Romanians make up 89% of the population of Romania, followed by Hungarians - 6.5%. The peoples of Romania also include Ukrainians, Germans, Turks, Serbs and others. In the composition of the population of Bulgaria in the first place the Bulgarians - 85.4%, in the second position - the Turks 8.9%.
In Ukraine, 77% of the population are Ukrainians, 17% are Russians. The ethnic composition of the population is represented by large groups of Belarusians, Moldavians, Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, Hungarians. In Moldova, the main population is Moldovans, followed by Ukrainians.
The most multinational countries
The most multinational among the countries of Eastern Europe is Russia. More than one hundred and eighty nationalities live here. In the first place are Russians. In each region there is an indigenous population of Russia, for example, Chukchi, Koryak, Tungus, Daurs, Nanais, Eskimos, Aleuts and others.
More than one hundred and thirty nations live in Belarus. The majority (83%) are Belarusians, then Russians - 8.3%. Gypsies, Azerbaijanis, Tatars, Moldavians, Germans, Chinese, Uzbeks are also in the ethnic composition of the population of this country.
How did Eastern Europe develop?
Archaeological research in Eastern Europe gives a picture of the gradual development of this region. Archaeological finds indicate the presence of people from antiquity here. The tribes inhabiting this territory manually cultivated their lands. During excavations, scientists found ears of various cereals. They were engaged in cattle breeding and fishing.
Culture: Poland, Czech Republic
Each state has its own traditions and customs. The culture of the peoples of Eastern Europe is diverse. Polish roots go back to the culture of the ancient Slavs, but Western European traditions also played a great role in it. In the field of literature, Poland was glorified by Adam Mickiewicz, Stanislav Lemm. The majority of the population of Poland are Catholics, their culture and traditions are inextricably linked with the canons of religion.
The Czech Republic has always maintained its identity. In the first place in the field of culture is architecture. There are many palace squares, castles, fortresses, historical monuments. Literature in the Czech Republic received its development only in the nineteenth century. Czech poetry was "founded" by K.G. Maha.
Painting, sculpture and architecture in the Czech Republic has a long history. Mikolash Ales, Alphonse Mucha are the most famous representatives of this direction. There are many museums and galleries in the Czech Republic, among them unique ones - the Museum of Torture, the National Museum, the Jewish Museum. The richness of cultures, their similarities - all this matters when it comes to the friendship of neighboring states.
Culture of Slovakia and Hungary
In Slovakia, all celebrations are inextricably linked with nature. National holidays in Slovakia: the feast of the Three Kings, similar to Shrovetide - the removal of Marena, the feast of Lucia, the Maypole. Each region of Slovakia has its own folk customs. Wood carving, painting, weaving are the main activities in the countryside in this country.
Music and dancing are in first place in the culture of Hungary. It often hosts music and theater festivals. Another distinctive feature is the Hungarian baths. The architecture is dominated by Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles. The culture of Hungary is characterized by folk crafts in the form of embroidered products, wood and bone products, wall panels. In Hungary, cultural, historical and natural monuments of world significance are located everywhere. In terms of culture and language, Hungary influenced neighboring nations: Ukraine, Slovakia, Moldova.
Romanian and Bulgarian culture
Romanians are mostly Orthodox. This country is considered to be the birthplace of European gypsies, which left its mark on culture.
Bulgarians and Romanians are Orthodox Christians, so their cultural traditions are similar to other Eastern European peoples. The oldest occupation of the Bulgarian people is winemaking. The architecture of Bulgaria was influenced by Byzantium, especially in religious buildings.
Culture of Belarus, Russia and Moldova
The culture of Belarus and Russia was largely influenced by Orthodoxy. Sophia Cathedral, Borisoglebsky Monastery appeared. The arts and crafts are widely developed here. Jewelry, pottery and foundry are common in all parts of the state. In the XIII century, chronicles appeared here.
The culture of Moldova developed under the influence of the Roman and Ottoman empires. Affinity in origin with the peoples of Romania and the Russian Empire was of importance.
Russian culture occupies a huge stratum in Eastern European traditions. It is represented very widely in literature, and in art, and in architecture.
The relationship of culture and history
The culture of Eastern Europe is inextricably linked with the history of the peoples of Eastern Europe. This is a symbiosis of various foundations and traditions that at different times influenced cultural life and its development. Directions in the culture of Eastern Europe in many respects depended on the religion of the population. Here it was Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Languages of the peoples of Europe
The languages of the peoples of Europe belong to three main groups: Romance, Germanic, Slavic. The Slavic group includes thirteen modern languages, several minor languages and dialects. They are the main ones in Eastern Europe.
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian are included in the Eastern Slavic group. The main dialects of the Russian language: northern, central and southern.
In Ukrainian, there are Carpathian dialects, southwestern and southeastern. The influence on the language has had a long neighborhood of Hungary and Ukraine. The Belarusian language has a southwestern dialect and a Minsk dialect. The Western Slavic group includes Polish and Czechoslovak dialects.
Several subgroups are distinguished in the South Slavic group of languages. So, there is an eastern subgroup with Bulgarian and Macedonian. The Western subgroup includes the Serbo-Croatian language and Slovenian.
The official language in Moldova is Romanian. Moldavian and Romanian are essentially the same language of the neighboring countries. Therefore, it is considered state. The only difference is that the Romanian borrowed more from Western countries, and the Moldavian language from Russia.