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This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


Map of Macedonia
Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Macedonia Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement, and slow economic growth continue to be challenges for Macedonia.
   Geography    Macedonia Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 25,333 sq km
land: 24,856 sq km
water: 477 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia 221 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
none (landlocked)
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 22.01%
permanent crops: 1.79%
other: 76.2% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
550 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
6.4 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
Total: 2.27
Per capita: 1,118 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
high seismic risks
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
   People    Macedonia Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,055,915 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 19.8% (male 210,418/female 195,884)
15-64 years: 69.1% (male 715,997/female 704,739)
65 years and over: 11.1% (male 99,892/female 128,985) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 34.4 years
male: 33.5 years
female: 35.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.263% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.074 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.016 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.774 male(s)/female
total population: 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 74.21 years
male: 71.73 years
female: 76.88 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.57 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.1%
male: 98.2%
female: 94.1% (2002 census)
   Government    Macedonia Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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 Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats; members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM 22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%, other 14%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7, VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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]; 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 [Radmila SEKERINSKA]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Union of Romas or SR [Saliu SHABAN]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV]
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI
chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
FAX: [389] 2 311-7103
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field
   Economy    Macedonia Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. 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. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and job creation despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains the highest in Europe at 35%, but may be somewhat overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside official statistics.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$17.26 billion
note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$6.85 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.6% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$8,400 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 12.1%
industry: 28.6%
services: 59.3% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
890,000 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 21.7%
industry: 32.6%
services: 45.7% (September 2006)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
35% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
30% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 29.6% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
39 (2003)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
18% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $2.381 billion
expenditures: $2.456 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
26.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.935 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.929 billion kWh (2006)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2006)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
2.994 billion kWh (2006)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,134 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23,150 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
95.91 million cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
95.91 million cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.844 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Serbia and Montenegro 23.2%, Germany 15.6%, Greece 15.1%, Italy 9.9%, Bulgaria 5.4%, Croatia 5.2% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$4.079 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Russia 15.1%, Germany 9.8%, Greece 8.5%, Serbia and Montenegro 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.7%, Italy 6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$230.3 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.803 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.561 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$646 million (2005)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
Macedonian denar (MKD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Macedonian denars per US dollar - 45.174 (2007), 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Macedonia Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
490,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.417 million (2006)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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 exceeds 90 per 100 persons
international: country code - 389
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.mk
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,001 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
268,000 (2006)
   Transportation    Macedonia Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 699 km
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 8,684 km
paved: 5,540 km
unpaved: 3,144 km (1999)
   Military    Macedonia Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2007)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 498,259
females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 411,156
females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 16,686
females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6% (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Macedonia Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary with Serbia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Definition Field Listing
IDPs: fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006)
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
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

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


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