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. Greek objection to Macedonia’s name, insisting it implies territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of the same name, and democratic backsliding have stalled the country’s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name 'Macedonia' was used. Macedonia was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as 'The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,' and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. 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 a conflict 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. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however.


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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
Note: (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
Mean elevation: 741 m
Elevation extremes: 50 m
Note: lowest point: Vardar River

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% (2011 est.)
Forest: 39.8% (2011 est.)
Other: 15.9% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 1280 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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
Distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations: 2,118,945 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 146
Growth rate: 0.19% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 181
Below poverty line: 21.5% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Macedonian(s)
Adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:

Languages:

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: 16.24% (male 177,719 /female 166,374)
15-24 years: 13.41% (male 147,292 /female 136,851)
25-54 years: 44.55% (male 478,851 /female 465,058)
55-64 years: 12.43% (male 129,731 /female 133,645)
65 years and over: 13.38% (male 123,101 /female 160,323) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 41.6 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 23.8 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 17.7 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5.6 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.2 years
Male: 37.2 years
Female: 39.3 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 60

Population growth rate: 0.19% (2018 est.)
Rank: 181

Birth rate: 10.8 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 182

Death rate: 9.6 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 44

Net migration rate: -0.5 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 124

Population distribution: a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Urbanization
Urban population: 58% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 584,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants; Skopje has severe air pollution problems every winter as a result of industrial emissions, smoke from wood-buring stoves, and exhaust fumes from old cars
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(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.8 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 7.8 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 8.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 6.8 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 154

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.9 years (2018 est.)
Male: 73.8 years (2018 est.)
Female: 78.2 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 96

Total fertility rate: 1.49 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 198

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 40.2% (2011)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.2% of population
Rural: 1.1% of population
Total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 2.88 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 4.4 beds/1000 population (2013)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 2.8% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 17.4% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 9.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate note: <.1% (201 est.)
People living with hivaids note: <500 (2017 est.)
Deaths note: <100 (2016 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.4% (2016)
Rank: 77

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1.3% (2011)
Rank: 119

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
Total population: 97.8% (2015 est.)
Male: 98.8% (2015 est.)
Female: 96.8% (2015 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 13 years (2014)
Male: 13 years (2014)
Female: 13 years (2014)

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
Former: Peoples Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Etymology: the country name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.): note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the 'former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia' (FYROM)

Government type: parliamentary republic

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: 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
History: several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 (2018)
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by signed agreement of at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; draft amendments require approval by majority vote of Assembly members, followed by public debate; passage of final amendment to include public comments requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2011 (2018)

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Macedonia
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)
Head of government: Prime Minister Zoran ZAEV (since 31 May 2017)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote; note - after the December 2016 election, VMRO-DPMNE won a plurality of the seats but failed to gather a majority in the Assembly to establish a government; SDSM, DUI, and the Alliance for Albanians formed an alliance; however, the president refused to give the SDSM leader the mandate to form a new government; VMRO-DPMNE blocked the election of a Speaker of the Assembly until late April 2017, when a majority of Assembly members elected Talat XHAFERI as speaker; in response, demonstrators disrupted the Assembly building, attacking journalists and Assembly members; President Gjorge IVANOV eventually gave the mandate to SDSM’s Zoran ZAEV to form a new coalition government, and the Assembly confirmed the Cabinet on 31 May 2017
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second 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 is usually elected prime minister by the Assembly
Election results: Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV (independent) 55.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 41.1%, other 3.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (between 120 and 140 seats; currently 120 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; possibility of 3 directly elected in diaspora constituencies by simple majority vote provided there is sufficient voter turnout; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 11 December 2016, with a second round held in one polling station on 25 December 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - VMRO-DPMNE 38.1%, SDSM coalition 36.7%, BDI 7.3%, Besa Movement 4.9%, AfA 3.1%, PDSh 2.7%, other 7.2%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 51, SDSM coalition 49, BDI 10, Besa Movement 5, AfA 3, PDSh 2; note - the 3 seats for diaspora went unfilled because none of the candidates won the 6,500 minimum vote threshold: note: as of June 2018, seats by party/coalition - ruling coalition 68 (SDSM coalition 49, BDI 10, Besa Movement 3, PDSh 2, other 5), opposition coalition 52 (VMRO-DPMNE coalition 48, Besa Movement 2, AfA 2); composition - men 75, women 45, percent of women 37.5%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 22 judges); 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 Assembly for nonrenewable, 9-year terms
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts

Political parties and leaders:

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 (since 18 November 2014)
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 consulate: Chicago, Detroit, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Jess L. BAILY (since 12 February 2015)
From the us embassy: Str. Samoilova, 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 (pouch)
From the us telephone: [389] (2) 310-2000
From the us FAX: [389] (2) 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 (Today Over Macedonia)
Lyricsmusic: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI: note: written in 1943 and adopted in 1991, 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. Its low tax rates and free economic zones have helped to attract foreign investment, which is still low relative to the rest of Europe. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law.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. Unemployment has remained consistently high at about 23%, 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 is working to build a country-wide natural gas pipeline and distribution network. Currently, Macedonia receives its small natural gas supplies from Russia via Bulgaria. In 2016, Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding with Greece to build an interconnector that could connect to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline that will traverse the region once complete, or to an LNG import terminal in Greece.Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged to the euro, and inflation at a low level. However, in the last two years, the internal political crisis has hampered economic performance, with GDP growth slowing in 2016 and 2017, and both domestic private and public investments declining. Fiscal policies were lax, with unproductive public expenditures, including subsidies and pension increases, and rising guarantees for the debt of state owned enterprises, and fiscal targets were consistently missed. In 2017, public debt stabilized at about 47% of GDP, still relatively low compared to its Western Balkan neighbors and the rest of Europe.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 131

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 197

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 113

Gross national saving:
Rank: 29

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 65.6% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 15.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 13.6% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 20.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 54% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -69% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.9% (2017 est.)
Industry: 26.6% (2017 est.)
Services: 62.5% (2017 est.)

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: -7.8% (2017 est.)
Rank: 198

Labor force: 950,800 (2017 est.)
Rank: 147
By occupation agriculture: 16.2%
By occupation industry: 29.2%
By occupation services: 54.5% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 191

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 21.5% (2015 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 25% (2015 est.)
Highest 10: 25% (2015 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 111

Budget
Revenues: 3.295 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 3.605 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 122

Taxes and other revenues: 29% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 88

Public debt:
Rank: 134

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 78

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 106

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 125

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 129

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 136

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 123

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 98

Current account balance:
Rank: 92

Exports:
Rank: 114
Partners: Germany 46.7%, Bulgaria 6.1%, Serbia 4.4%, Belgium 4.1% (2017)
Commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron, steel; automotive parts

Imports:
Rank: 116
Commodities: machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products
Partners: Germany 11.9%, UK 10%, Greece 8%, Serbia 7.1%, China 5.9%, Italy 5.5%, Turkey 4.5%, Bulgaria 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 112

Debt external:
Rank: 117

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 99

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 88

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 5.396 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 119
Consumption: 6.42 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 112
Exports: 58.5 million kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 84
Imports: 2.191 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 55
Installed generating capacity: 1.828 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 115
Generation sources fossil fuels: 60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 132
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 133
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 37% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 57
Generation sources other renewable sources: 3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 126

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 165
Crude oil exports: 142 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 80
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 157
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 161

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 169
Products consumption: 21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 138
Products exports: 3,065 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 99
Products imports: 23,560 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 111

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 162
Consumption: 198.2 million m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 105
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 143
Imports: 198.2 million m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 72
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (31 December 2016 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 163

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 7.459 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 123

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 361,269 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 108
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 2,121,805 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 148

Telephone system
General assessment: being part of the EU pre-accession process has led to a stronger teledensity with closer regulatory framework, independent regulators and administrative ties with the the European Commission (EC) have led to progress; broadband services are widely available; more customers moving to fibre networks; 2 mobile network operators; end of roaming tariffs (2017)
Domestic: fixed-line 17 per 100 and mobile-cellular 101 per 100 subscriptions (2017)
International: country code - 389 (2017)

Broadcast media: public service TV broadcaster Macedonian Radio and Television operates 3 national terrestrial TV channels and 2 satellite TV channels; additionally, there are 10 regional TV stations that broadcast nationally using terrestrial transmitters, 54 TV channels with concession for cable TV, 9 regional TV stations with concessions for cable TV; 4 satellite TV channels broadcasting on a national level, 21 local commercial TV channels, and a large number of cable operators that offer domestic and international programming; the public radio broadcaster operates over 3 stations; there are 4 privately owned radio stations that broadcast nationally; 17 regional radio stations, and 49 local commercial radio stations (2018)

Internet
Country code: .mk
Users total: 1.475 million (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 70.4% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 122

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 386,718 (2017 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2017 est.)
Rank: 88


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 123

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: Z3 (2016)

Airports: 10 (2013)
Rank: 156
With paved runways total: 8 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 6 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 2 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines: 262 km gas, 120 km oil (2017)

Railways
Total: 925 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 925 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2017)
Rank: 93

Roadways
Total: 14,182 km
Note: (includes 290 km of expressways) (2017)
Paved: 9,633 km (2017)
Unpaved: 4,549 km (2017)
Rank: 127

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 590 (2017): note: 481,637 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015- December 2018); Macedonia is predominantly a transit country and hosts fewer than 50 refugees and asylum seekers as of October 2017; 547 migrant arrivals in 2017

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