"This article aims to provide a general overview of the main social and economic facts and developments of a region that was cut off from the mainstream of European development for almost a decade and now finds itself on the way back, although at different speeds for each country. The region we look at here is also referred to as the western Balkans, encompassing non-EU former Yugoslavia and Albania. The countries are at various stages of the EU integration process: Croatia is an accession country, due to join the EU by 1 July 2013; the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are candidate countries; and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries. ?? Their different statuses also mean differences in data availability, which makes it necessary to compile data from different data sources. This limits data compatibility but, at the same time, provides the reader with a general overview and helps to put these countries ‘on the map'. "

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