Final answer:
The ethnic and religious divisions were the main cause of conflict in the Balkan Peninsula.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ethnic and religious divisions remained at the heart of conflict in the Balkan Peninsula. The region consisted of various ethnic groups, including Slovenes, Macedonians, Bosnians, Montenegrins, Croats, and Serbs, each with their own cultural identities. These divisions and conflicts led to the breakup of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, resulting in the formation of independent nations based on religious identification.