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. 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 but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution are ongoing. Since 2004 the US and over 130 other nations have recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into an insurgency in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. Although Macedonia became an EU candidate in 2005 the country still faces challenges including fully implementing the Framework Agreement resolving the outstanding name dispute with Greece improving relations with Bulgaria halting democratic backsliding bolstering independence of the judiciary and media freedom and stimulating economic growth and development. Macedonia's membership in NATO was blocked by Greece at the Alliance's Summit of Bucharest in 2008.


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Location: Southeastern Europe north of Greece

Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N 22 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 25,713 km²
Land: 25,433 km²
Water: 280 km²
Rank: 150
Comparative: slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries
Total: 838 km
Border countries: (5) Albania 181 km; Bulgaria 162 km; Greece 234 km; Kosovo 160 km; Serbia 101 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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

Terrain: mountainous 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 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
Agricultural land: 44.3%
Forest: 39.8%
Other: 15.9%

Irrigated land: 1278 km² (2004)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 6.4 km³ (2011)

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: 2,096,015 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 147
Growth rate: 0.2% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 184
Below poverty line: 30.4% (2011 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 est.)

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

Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 64.8% Muslim 33.3% other Christian 0.4% other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.48%
15-24 years: 13.88%
25-54 years: 43.69%
55-64 years: 12.21%
65 years and over: 12.74% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 41.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 24%
Elderly dependency ratio: 17.4%
Potential support ratio: 5.7%

Median age
Total: 37.2 years
Male: 36.1 years
Female: 38.3 years

Population growth rate: 0.2% (2015 est.)
Rank: 184

Birth rate: 11.55 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 170

Death rate: 9.08 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 67

Net migration rate: -0.48 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 135

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 57.1% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.11% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: SKOPJE (capital) 503,000 (2015)

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
0-14 years: 1.07 male/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 7.96 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 7.42 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 156

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 76.02 years
Male: 73.44 years
Female: 78.79 years
Rank: 90

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 180

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 40.2% (2011)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.62 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 4.5 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2013 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 131
People living with hivaids: 200 (2013 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 126
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2013 est.)
Deaths rank: 106

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 20.8% (2014)
Rank: 92

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.3% (2011)
Rank: 128

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97.8%
Male: 98.8%
Female: 96.8%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years

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'
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
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 70 municipalities (opstini singular - opstina) and 1 city* (grad); Aracinovo Berovo Bitola Bogdanci Bogovinje Bosilovo Brvenica Caska Centar Zupa Cesinovo-Oblesevo Cucer Sandevo Debar Debarca Delcevo Demir Hisar Demir Kapija Dojran Dolneni Gevgelija Gostivar Gradsko Ilinden Jegunovce Karbinci Kavadarci Kicevo Kocani Konce Kratovo Kriva Palanka Krivogastani Krusevo Kumanovo Lipkovo Lozovo Makedonska Kamenica Makedonski Brod Mavrovo i Rostusa Mogila Negotino Novaci Novo Selo Ohrid Pehcevo Petrovec Plasnica Prilep Probistip Radovis Rankovce Resen Rosoman Skopje* Sopiste Staro Nagoricane Stip Struga Strumica Studenicani Sveti Nikole Tearce Tetovo Valandovo Vasilevo Veles Vevcani Vinica Vrapciste Zelenikovo Zelino Zrnovci

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Independence Day 8 September (1991); also known as National Day

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991 effective 20 November 1991; amended several times last in 2011 (2011)

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV
Head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI
Cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE DUI and several small parties
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 13 and 27 April 2014 (next to be held in 2019); following legislative elections the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the Assembly
Election results: Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 55.3% Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 41.1%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Assembly or Sobranie
Elections: last held on 27 April 2014 ; note - election has been moved up because of political unrest
Election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 43.0% SDSM 25.3% DUI 13.7% DPA 5.9% GROM 2.8% NDR 1.6% other 4.3% invalid 3.4%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 61 SDSM 34 DUI 19 DPA 7 GROM 1 NDR 1

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court ; Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Council a 7-member body of legal professionals and appointed by the Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the legislature for nonrenewable 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts

Political parties and leaders:
Note: during the 2014 parliamentary elections VMRO-DPMNE SDSM and GROM each led coalitions

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Vasko NAUMOVSKI
In the us chancery: 2,129 Wyoming Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 667-0501
In the us FAX: [1] 667-2,131
In the us consulate general: Chicago Detroit New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jess L. BAILY
From the us embassy: Str. Samolilova Nr. 21 1000 Skopje
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Skopje US Department of State 7,120 Skopje Place Washington DC 20,521-7,120
From the us telephone: [389] 310-2000
From the us FAX: [389] 310-2,499

Flag description: a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field; the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia

National symbols: eight-rayed sun; national colors: red yellow

National anthem
Name: 'Denes nad Makedonija'
Lyrics and music: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI
Note: adopted 1991; written in 1943 the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia

National heritage


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Economy overview: Since its independence in 1991 Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment but has lagged the Balkan region in attracting foreign investment. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law. Unemployment has remained consistently high at more than 30% since 2008 but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market estimated to be between 20% and 45% of GDP which is not captured by official statistics. Macedonia’s economy is closely linked to Europe as a customer for exports and source of investment and has suffered as a result of prolonged weakness in the euro zone. Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy which keeps the domestic currency pegged against the euro and by limiting fiscal deficits. The government has been loosening fiscal policy however and the budget deficit was 4.2% of GDP in both 2013 and 2014. Public debt at the end of 2014 was 45.8% which although low by regional comparison is significant for a small economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data
Rank: 130

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 92

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 112

Gross national saving:
Rank: 63

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 69.8%
Government consumption: 16.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 29%
Investment in inventories: 1.6%
Exports of goods and services: 47.9%
Imports of goods and services: -65.1%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.8%
Industry: 21.3%
Services: 69.9%

Agriculture products: grapes tobacco vegetables fruits; milk eggs

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.8% (2014 est.)
Rank: 91

Labor force: 961,400 (2014 est.)
Rank: 147
By occupation agriculture: 18.3%
By occupation industry: 29.1%
By occupation services: 52.6%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 178

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 30.4% (2011 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.2%
Highest 10: 34.5%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 65

Budget
Revenues: $2.89 billion
Expenditures: $3.328 billion
Surplus or deficit: -4% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 144

Taxes and other revenues: 26.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 88

Public debt:
Note: official data from Ministry of Finance; data cover central government debt; this data excludes debt instruments issued by government entities other than the treasury; includes treasury debt held by foreign entitites; excludes debt issued by sub-national entities as well as intra-governmental debt; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds
Rank: 116

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 26

Central bank discount rate:
Note: series discontinued in January 2010; the discount rate has been replaced by a referent rate for calculating the penalty rate
Rank: 104

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 114

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 140

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 123

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 117

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 99

Current account balance:
Rank: 100

Exports:
Rank: 128
Commodities: foodstuffs beverages tobacco; textiles miscellaneous manufactures iron steel; automotive parts
Partners: Germany 41.4% Bulgaria 6.6% Italy 6.1% Serbia 5.2% Kosovo 4.7% Greece 4.6% (2014 est.)

Imports:
Rank: 122
Commodities: machinery and equipment automobiles chemicals fuels food products
Partners: UK 12.3% Germany 11.1% Greece 9.2% Serbia 8.2% Italy 6.2% China 5.9% Bulgaria 5.3% Turkey 5.1% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 112

Debt external:
Rank: 114

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 32

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 81

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 4.569 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 118
Consumption: 6.96 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 101
Exports: 112.9 million kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 85
Imports: 3.073 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 54
Installed generating capacity: 2.011 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 106
Generation sources fossil fuels: 64.5% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 119
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 138
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 33% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 66
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 92

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 117
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014)
Crude oil exports rank: 153
Crude oil imports: 146 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 56
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (31 December 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 164

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 97
Products consumption: 15,070 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 140
Products exports: 2,616 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 88
Products imports: 17,950 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 134

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2014)
Production rank: 165
Consumption: 134.7 million m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 104
Exports: 0 m³ (2014)
Exports rank: 143
Imports: 134.7 million m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 73
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (31 December 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 169

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 8.084 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 111

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 390,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19
Fixed lines rank: 105
Mobile cellular total: 2.3 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 110
Mobile cellular rank: 147

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-cellular telephone subscribership about 130 per 100 persons
International: country code - 389

Broadcast media: public TV broadcaster operates 3 national channels and a satellite network; 5 privately owned TV channels broadcast nationally using terrestrial transmitters and about 15 broadcast on national level via satellite; roughly 75 local commercial TV stations; large number of cable operators offering domestic and international programming; public radio broadcaster operates over multiple stations; 3 privately owned radio stations broadcast nationally; about 70 local commercial radio stations (2012)

Internet
Country code: .mk
Users:
Users rank: 121

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 92

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2013)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 10 (2013)
Rank: 155
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 699 km
Standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 101

Roadways
Total: 14,182 km
Paved: 9,633 km
Unpaved: 4,549 km
Rank: 124

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
Stateless persons: 741

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