The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. Albania is a country in southeastern Europe. It is situated on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the southwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula and borders Montenegro to the north, Kosovo to the northeast, Macedonia (FYROM) to the east, and Greece to the south. To the west of Albania, across the sea, is the southeastern coast of Italy. Albania is a a primarily mountainous country with a Mediterranean climate-hot, dry summers and temperate winters-although it can be cold in the winter months in inland regions and at higher altitudes.