Page last updated on January 31, 2014
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 United States and over 130 other nations have recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. 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 ethnic Albanian population and led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for 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, improving relations with Bulgaria, carrying out democratic reforms, and stimulating economic growth and development.
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
total: 25,713 sq km
country comparison to the world: 150
land: 25,433 sq km
water: 280 sq km
slightly larger than Vermont
total: 766 km
border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Kosovo 159 km, Serbia 62 km
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
arable land: 16.1%
permanent crops: 1.36%
other: 82.54% (2011)
total: 1.03 cu km/yr (21%/67%/12%)
per capita: 502 cu m/yr (2007)
air pollution from metallurgical plants
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
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
noun: Macedonian(s)
adjective: Macedonian
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)
Macedonian (official) 66.5%, Albanian (official) 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)
2,087,171 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
0-14 years: 17.9% (male 193,507/female 180,157)
15-24 years: 14.3% (male 154,084/female 144,908)
25-54 years: 43.8% (male 463,282/female 450,261)
55-64 years: 11.9% (male 121,097/female 127,742)
65 years and over: 12.1% (male 108,324/female 143,809) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 40.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 23.5 %
elderly dependency ratio: 17.4 %
potential support ratio: 5.7 (2013)
total: 36.5 years
male: 35.4 years
female: 37.6 years (2013 est.)
0.22% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175
11.72 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
9 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
urban population: 59% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
SKOPJE (capital) 480,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
10 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 154
total: 8.11 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 156
male: 8.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 75.58 years
country comparison to the world: 91
male: 73.03 years
female: 78.33 years (2013 est.)
1.59 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
6.6% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 94
2.62 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
4.6 beds/1,000 population (2010)
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
21.1% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 92
1.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 120
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.4%
male: 98.7%
female: 96% (2011 est.)
total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2010)
total number: 16,782
percentage: 6 % (2005 est.)
total: 53.9%
country comparison to the world: 4
male: 55.2%
female: 51.7% (2012)
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
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
71 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); 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, Grad Skopje, 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, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day
several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended several times, last in 2011 (2011)
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)
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, BDI, and several small parties
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held on 22 March 2009, second round held on 5 April 2009 (next to be held in March 2014); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister
election results: Gjorge IVANOV elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.1%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI 36.9%
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (123 seats; all members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral and three diaspora districts; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 5 June 2011 (next to be held by June 2015)
election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 39%, SDSM-led block 32.8%, BDI 10.2%, PDSh 5.9%, other 12.1%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 56, SDSM-led block 42, BDI 15, PDSh 8, RDK 2
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consist of NA 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 legislature for nonrenewable, 9-year terms
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts
Albanian Democratic Union or BDSh [Bardhyl MAHMUTI]
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Mirjana ANDREVSKA]
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), 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
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI (since 22 March 2007)
chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, Southfield (MI)
chief of mission: Ambassador Paul D. WOHLERS (since 11 August 2011)
embassy: Str. Samolilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] (2) 310-2000
FAX: [389] (2) 310-2499
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
name: "Denes Nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia)
lyrics/music: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI
note: adopted 1991; the song, written in 1943, previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia
Macedonia is vulnerable to economic developments in Europe - due to strong trade ties - and dependent on regional integration and progress toward EU membership for continued economic growth. 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 the Socialist Federal Republic 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. Since then, 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 has remained consistently high at more than 31% since 2008, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be between 20% and 45% of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics. In the wake of the global economic downturn, Macedonia has experienced decreased foreign direct investment and a large trade deficit. However, as a result of conservative fiscal policies and a sound financial system, in 2010 the country credit rating improved slightly to BB+ and was kept at that level in 2011-12. However, macroeconomic stability has been maintained by a prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged against the euro. As a result, GDP growth was modest, but positive at about 3% both in 2010 and 2011, and inflation was under control. The government loosened fiscal policy in 2012 and the budget deficit expanded to 3.5% of GDP.
$21.63 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
note: data are in 2012 US dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data
-0.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
$10,500 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
24.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
household consumption: 75.7%
government consumption: 18.3%
investment in fixed capital: 22.3%
investment in inventories: 6.4%
exports of goods and services: 53.4%
imports of goods and services: -75.9%
agriculture: 11.2%
industry: 27.6%
services: 61.3% (2012 est.)
grapes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals
2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
943,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
agriculture: 16.7%
industry: 26%
services: 57.3% (September 2012)
31% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 34.5% (2009 est.)
43.2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 48
revenues: $2.883 billion
expenditures: $3.254 billion (2012 est.)
30.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
-3.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
34% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
note: official data from Ministry of Finance; data cover central government debt; this data excludes debt instruments issued (or owned) 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
3.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
3.75% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
note: series discontinued in January 2010; the discount rate has been replaced by a referent rate for calculating the penalty rate
8.48% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
$1.413 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
$5.709 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
$4.821 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
$2.423 billion (31 December 2012)
country comparison to the world: 94
$-385.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$3.975 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron, steel; automotive parts
Germany 27.3%, Italy 6.5%, Bulgaria 5.5%, Greece 4.8% (2012)
$6.273 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products
Greece 19%, Germany 11.8%, UK 9.5%, Bulgaria 9%, Italy 5.2%, Turkey 5% (2012)
$2.891 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$6.807 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
$4.284 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar -
5.81 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
7.25 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
12.82 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
2.692 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
1.94 million kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
64.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
35.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
40.87 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
0 bbl/day (2012)
country comparison to the world: 153
18,800 bbl/day (2012)
country comparison to the world: 68
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 162
17,030 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
17,490 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
6,750 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
21,530 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
0 cu m (2012)
country comparison to the world: 165
136.6 million cu m (2011)
country comparison to the world: 105
0 cu m (2012)
country comparison to the world: 145
136.6 million cu m (2012)
country comparison to the world: 73
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 169
6.947 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
407,900 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 103
2.235 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 142
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 (2012)
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)
62,826 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 92
1.057 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 97
10 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 155
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 6 (2013)
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m:
gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2013)
total: 699 km
country comparison to the world: 100
standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (234 km electrified) (2012)
total: 14,038 km (includes 259 km of expressways)
country comparison to the world: 124
paved: 9,489 km
unpaved: 4,549 km (2012)
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes General Staff and subordinate Joint Operational Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Special Operations Regiment) (2012)
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2013)
males age 16-49: 532,196
females age 16-49: 511,964 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 443,843
females age 16-49: 426,251 (2010 est.)
male: 16,144
female: 14,920 (2010 est.)
1.38% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 225
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
stateless persons: 905 (2012)
