ABSTRACT
The identification of Mediterranean countries is often made following different criteria and often coincides substantially with the south of Europe. Geographically speaking, Portugal should, however, be excluded and Albania and other non-EC should be added (Menotti, 1991). Further, there are in-built limitations in the analysis of health problems when national boundaries are taken as reference. The inclusion of France is questionable, since a large part of its territory and population shares the characteristics of central Europe. This is true also for some areas of northern Italy, while the inner parts of Yugoslavia would be better associated with eastern Europe.
