Kosovo is a small territory in southeastern Europe, about the size of Connecticut. It is part of a region called the Balkans, which includes countries like Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece. The Balkans sit at a crossroads between Europe and Asia, which has made the region important but also fought over for centuries. On March 24, 1999, NATO began an air campaign over Kosovo and Serbia. The conflict had started because the Serbian government was forcing ethnic Albanians out of Kosovo. The NATO intervention lasted 78 days. After it ended, an international peacekeeping force moved in. The geography of Kosovo is mountainous. The Sharr Mountains run along its southern border, reaching heights over 8,000 feet. The country is landlocked, meaning it has no coastline. Two main rivers, the White Drin and the Sitnica, flow through fertile valleys where most people live. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, though not all countries recognize it as independent. The Balkans remain one of the most geographically and culturally diverse regions in Europe.