Statistical information Macedonia 1995

Macedonia in the World
top of pageBackground: International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. FYROM's large Albanian minority and the de facto independence of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.
top of pageLocation: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, EuropeAreaTotal: total area: 25,333 km²; land area: 24,856 km²; comparative area: slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries: total 748 km, Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none; landlocked
Climate: hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
ElevationNatural resources: chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulphur, timber
Land use: arable land:5%; permanent crops:5%; meadows and pastures:20%; forest and woodland:30%; other:40%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
top of pagePopulation: 2,159,503 (July 1995 est.); note:the Macedonian government census of July 1994 put the population at 1.94 million, but ethnic allocations were likely undercounted
Growth rate: 0.9% (1995 est.)
Nationality: noun:Macedonian(s); adjective:Macedonian
Ethnic groups: Macedonian 65%, Albanian 22%, Turkish 4%, Serb 2%, Gypsies 3%, other 4%
Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%
Religions: Eastern Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%
Demographic profileAge structure: 0-14 years:25% (female 257,876; male 277,314); 15-64 years:67% (female 711,810; male 733,903); 65 years and over:8% (female 97,475; male 81,125) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.9% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.82 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 6.7 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.14 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants; natural hazards:high seismic risks; international agreements:party to - Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population:74 years; male:71.87 years; female:76.3 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.02 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: NA%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; conventional short form: none; local long form: Republika Makedonija; local short form: Makedonija
Government type: emerging democracy
Capital: Skopje
Administrative divisions: 34 counties (opstinas, singular - opstina) Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Murgasevo, Negotino, Ohrid, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Resen, Skopje-Centar, Skopje-Cair, Skopje-Karpos, Skopje-Kisela Voda, Skopje-Gazi Baba, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Sveti Nikole, Tetovo, Titov Veles, Valandovo, Vinica
Dependent areasIndependence: 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: 8 September
Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state:President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991); election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - Kiro GLIGOROV was elected by the Assembly in 1991; reelected by popular vote in 1994; head of government:Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4 September 1992); cabinet:Council of Ministers; elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Sobranje
Legislative branch: unicameral; Assembly (Sobranje):elections last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held November 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) seats by party NA
Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, Judicial Court of the Republic
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: CCC, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, OSCE (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: the US recognized The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 8 February 1994
From the us: chief of mission:Victor D. COMRAS; liaison office:ul. 27 Mart No. 5, 9,100 Skopje; mailing address:USLO Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20,521-7,120 (pouch); telephone:[389] (91) 116-180; FAX:[389] (91) 117-103
Flag description: 16-point gold sun (Vergina, Sun) centered on a red field
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, although the poorest republic in the former Yugoslav federation, can meet basic food and energy needs through its own agricultural and coal resources. Its economic decline will continue unless ties are reforged or enlarged with its neighbors Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Bulgaria. The economy depends on outside sources for all of its oil and gas and most of its modern machinery and parts. An important supplement of GDP is the remittances from thousands of Macedonians working in Germany and other West European nations. Continued political turmoil, both internally and in the region as a whole, prevents any swift readjustments of trade patterns and economic programs. The country's industrial output and GDP are expected to decline further in 1995. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's geographical isolation, technological backwardness, and potential political instability place it far down the list of countries of interest to Western investors. Resolution of the dispute with Greece and an internal commitment to economic reform would encourage foreign investment over the long run. In the immediate future, the worst scenario for the economy would be the spread of fighting across its borders.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -15% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $900 (1994 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: meets the basic needs for food; principal crops are rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, and millet; also grown are cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus fruit, and vegetables; agricultural production is highly labor intensive
Industries: low levels of technology predominate, such as, oil refining by distillation only; produces basic liquid fuels, coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, and ferronickel; light industry produces basic textiles, wood products, and tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: -14% (1993)
Labor force: 591,773 (June 1994); by occupation:manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 30% (1993 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues:$N/A; expenditures:$N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $1.06 billion (1993)
Commodoties: manufactured goods 40%, machinery and transport equipment 14%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 23%, raw materials 7.6%, food (rice) and live animals 5.7%, beverages and tobacco 4.5%, chemicals 4.7% (1990)
Partners: principally Serbia and Montenegro and the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Greece, Albania
Imports: $1.2 billion (1993)
Commodoties: fuels and lubricants 19%, manufactured goods 18%, machinery and transport equipment 15%, food and live animals 14%, chemicals 11.4%, raw materials 10%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 8.0%, beverages and tobacco 3.5% (1990)
Partners: other former Yugoslav republics, Greece, Albania, Germany, Bulgaria
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $840 million (1992)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: denar per US$1 - 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 1,600,000 kW
Production: NA kWh; consumption per capita:NA kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 125,000 telephones; local:NA; intercity:NA; international:no satellite links
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expenditures: 7 billion denars, NA% of GNP (1993 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: total:16; with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:2; with paved runways under 914 m:11; with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m:1; with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m:2
HeliportsPipelines: none
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: none, lake transport only
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: dispute with Greece over name, symbols, and certain constitutional provisions
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: limited illicit opium cultivation; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin