Dinaric Alps, a mountain system of the Balkan Peninsula. The Dinarics extend southward from near the Italian-Slovenian border about 400 miles (640 km) to northern Albania. Most of the range lies in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; parts also lie in Italy, Slovenia, Montenegro, and northern Albania. The Dinaric Alps form one of the most rugged barriers in Europe, isolating the Adriatic coast from the interior. Within the range are isolated basins that are fertile and densely populated. The North Albanian Alps are the highest range in the Dinarics, reaching 8,835 feet (2,693 m) at Jezerce peak.