What is the name of the sea situated between Italy and the Balkan Peninsula?

The Adriatic Sea is the sea situated between Italy and the Balkan Peninsula. It is a semi-enclosed arm of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching southeast from the Italian coast toward Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania.

The Adriatic connects with the Ionian Sea through the Strait of Otranto, which is about 72 kilometres wide at its narrowest defining boundary. Its western shore is formed by the Italian Peninsula, while its eastern coast is known for a highly indented shoreline and numerous islands, especially along Croatia.

The name Adriatic comes from the ancient settlement of Adria in present-day northern Italy. The sea is about 800 kilometres long and 200 kilometres wide, with an area of approximately 138,600 square kilometres. It is often confused with the Ionian Sea, but the Ionian lies south of the Adriatic, beyond the Strait of Otranto.