Yugoslavia (21st Century Crisis)

The Federal Republics of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Савезне републике Југославије, Savezne republike Jugoslavije) is a country located in Central and Southeastern Europe that existed from its foundation in the aftermath of World War II, bordered by Italy to the west, Austria and Hungary to the north, Bulgaria and Romania to the east, and Albania and Greece to the south. The first such Yugoslav state was the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, also known as the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, until it was invaded by the Axis, and a puppet government for Nazi Germany was established.

Between 1945 to 1989, It was a socialist state and a federation governed by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia with Belgrade as its capital. In addition, it included two autonomous provinces within Serbia: Kosovo and Vojvodina.

Yugoslavia maintained a quasi-neutrality during the Cold War, and despite being a Soviet ally, allowed for friendly relations with the West, and also imported military equipment from the West as part of its foreign policy. It was a founding member of CERN, the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, OSCE, IFAD, WTO, Eutelsat and BTWC.

Beginning in 2000, Yugoslavia entered into a partnership with the European Union, allowing it to prosper and experience an economic boom. It is because of this that Yugoslavia is considered a regional power, and the paramount regional power in the Balkans.