Why is Slovenia often included in the Balkans?

Slovenia is frequently included in the Balkans primarily due to its long-standing historical ties with its neighbors to the southeast and its former incorporation into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes and the federal state of Yugoslavia.1

While Slovenia is often grouped with the region for these political and historical reasons, it is important to note that culturally and geographically, the country is distinct. Slovenes are considered an Alpine people who share more cultural commonalities with their neighbors in southern Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy than with the rest of the Balkan Peninsula. Furthermore, Slovenia's physical geography is dominated by the European Alps and the Dinaric Alps, and the country has increasingly integrated with western Europe, joining the European Union and NATO in 2004.23