The Balkan country annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908 was Bosnia & Herzegovina, sometimes known as the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. The exact date of the annexation was October 6th, 1908.
The area of Bosnia & Herzegovina was once owned by the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey), but the Empire slowly withdrew from continental Europe in the aftermath of the Crimean War. In 1908, the Ottomans still technically possessed Bosnia, even though they no longer physically occupied the territory.
Austria-Hungary saw a chance to strengthen its position against its old rival, the Russian Empire, which had been weakened on the international front in their defeat by the Japanese in 1905. Austria-Hungary also wished for access to the sea, provided by the annexation, uncaring that this deprived neighboring Serbia of similar access.
The Habsburgs of Austria-Hungary also wished to grab Balkan territory, protecting their interests in a geographically important area, before the Ottoman Empire regained strength and pushed back into the Balkans.
As ever with issues relating the the lead-up to the Great War, there were many nations involved, disputing innumerable complex issues relating to the Balkans and Easter Europe. For a fuller picture of the situation, visit britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/74741/Bosnian-crisis-of-1908, or historylearningsite.co.uk/bosnian_crisis. For the Serbian viewpoint, try da4serbia.weebly.com.
For other Blurtit users opinions on this subject, look at Serbia Resented Attempts By Austria-Hungary To Dominate And Control Areas Of The Balkans Near Serbia That Included Serbian And Other Slavic People. For Instance, In 1908, Austria-Hungary Annexed ______, A Country Next To Serbia. ------?
You can also brush up on the 1908 Balkan Crisis by watching this brief revision guide on You Tube:
