Map of Macedonia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition which occurred under the provisional designation of 'the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.' In 1995 Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name Republic of Macedonia in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians angered by perceived political and economic inequities launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementating the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.


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Location: Southeastern Europe north of Greece

Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N 22 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 25,333 km²
Land: 24,856 km²
Water: 477 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries
Total: 766 km
Border countries: (5) Albania 151 km; , Bulgaria 148 km; , Greece 246 km; , Kosovo 159 km; , Serbia 62 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: warm dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
Extremes highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources: low-grade iron ore copper lead zinc chromite manganese nickel tungsten gold silver asbestos gypsum timber arable land

Land use
Arable land: 22.01%
Permanent crops: 1.79%
Other: 76.2% (2005)

Irrigated land: 550 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 6.4 km³ (2001)

Natural hazards: high seismic risks

Geography
Note: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe


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Population: 2,061,315 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 0.262% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Macedonian
Adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups: Macedonian 64.2% Albanian 25.2% Turkish 3.9% Roma (Gypsy) 2.7% Serb 1.8% other 2.2% (2002 census)

Languages: Macedonian 66.5% Albanian 25.1% Turkish 3.5% Roma 1.9% Serbian 1.2% other 1.8% (2002 census)

Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 64.7% Muslim 33.3% other Christian 0.37% other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 19.5% (male 207,954/female 193,428)
15-64 years: 69.3% (male 719,708/female 708,033)
65 years and over: 11.3% (male 101,036/female 131,156) (2008 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 34.8 years
Male: 33.8 years
Female: 35.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.262% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 12 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 8.81 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.57 migrant(s)/1000 population (2008 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.08 male/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male/female
Total population: 1 male/female (2008 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.27 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 9.45 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 9.08 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.45 years
Male: 71.95 years
Female: 77.13 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.58 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 3.5% of GDP (2002)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.1%
Male: 98.2%
Female: 94.1% (2002 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 12 years (2005)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
Conventional short form: Macedonia
Local long form: Republika Makedonija
Local short form: Makedonija
Note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
Former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Skopje
Geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions
Note: the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality

Dependent areas

Independence: 8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: Ilinden Uprising Day 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day

Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991 effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
Head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several small parties
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections
Election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 1 June 2008 (next to be held by July 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - For a Better Macedonia 48.80%, Sun-Coalition for Europe 23.65%, Democratic Union for Integration 12.77%, Democratic Party of Albanians 8.48%, Party for European Future 1.47%, other 4.83%; seats by party - For a Better Macedonia 63, Sun-Coalition for Europe 27, Democratic Union for Integration 18, Democratic Party of Albanians 11, Party for European Future 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Albanians or BDSh [BardYL MAHMUTI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; For a Better Macedonia coalition [Nikola GRUEVSKI] (includes VMRO-DPMNE SP Democratic Union Democratic Renewal of Macedonia Democratic Party of Turks Democratic Party of Serbs SR and smaller parties); Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Gjorgji TRENDAFILOV]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Jovan MANSIEVSKI]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Union or BDK [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Party of Free Democrats or PSD [Ljubco JORDANOVSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV (until May 2009)]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Sun-Coalition for Europe [Radmila SKERINSKA] (includes SDSM NSDP LDP Liberal Party and smaller parties); Union of Romas or SR [Shaban SALIU]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

International organization participation: BIS CE CEI EAPC EBRD FAO IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM (observer) IPU ISO ITU ITUC MIGA OIF OPCW OSCE PCA PFP SECI UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNIFIL UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI
In the us chancery: 2,129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-2,131
In the us consulates general: New York, Southfield (Michigan); note - consulate general in Chicago is due to open in 2008
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Philip T. REEKER
From the us embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7,120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20,521-7,120 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [389] 2 311-6,180
From the us fax: [389] 2 311-7,103

Flag description: a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: At independence in September 1991 Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. In 2001 during a civil conflict the economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade intermittent border closures increased deficit spending on security needs and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9% then averaged 4% per year during 2003-07 expanding to 5.1% in 2007. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at nearly 35% but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP that is not captured by official statistics.

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.1% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $8,400 (2007 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.9%
Industry: 28.2%
Services: 59.9% (2007 est.)

Agriculture products: grapes wine tobacco vegetables fruits; milk eggs

Industries: food processing beverages textiles chemicals iron steel cement energy pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (2007 est.)

Labor force: 890,000 (2007 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 19.6%
By occupation industry: 30.4%
By occupation services: 50% (September 2007)

Unemployment rate: 34.9% (2007 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.4%
Highest 10: 29.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39 (2003)

Budget
Revenues: $2.508 billion
Expenditures: $2.487 billion (2007 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 30.8% of GDP (2007 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: 6.5% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 10.23% (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit: $2.924 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $646 million (2005)

Current account balance: -$249 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $3.35 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: food beverages tobacco; textiles miscellaneous manufactures iron and steel
Partners: Serbia and Montenegro 19.2% Germany 14.5% Greece 10.4% Italy 10.1% Bulgaria 9.8% Croatia 5.6% Belgium 5% Spain 5% (2007)

Imports: $4.977 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment automobiles chemicals fuels food products
Partners: Germany 13.2% Greece 12.9% Bulgaria 9.6% Serbia and Montenegro 7.7% Turkey 6.6% Italy 6.3% Slovenia 5% (2007)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $2.265 billion (31 December 2007)

Debt external: $3.967 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $2.405 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 44.732 (2007) 48.978 (2006) 48.92 (2005) 49.41 (2004) 54.322 (2003)


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Electricity
Production: 6.051 billion kWh (2007)
Consumption: 8.651 billion kWh (2007)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 2.6 billion kWh (2007)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 100 million m³ (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 102.8 million m³ (2007)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 463,600 (2007)
Mobile cellular: 1.518 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions
Domestic: combined fixed line and mobile telephone density approaching 100 per 100 persons
International: country code - 389 (2007)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .mk
Hosts: 36,905 (2008)
Users: 685,000 (2007)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 17 (2007)
With paved runways total: 10
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 8 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 7
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2007)

Railways
Total: 699 km
Standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways
Total: 13,182 km (includes 208 km of expressways) (2002)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Idps: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2007)

Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement