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In general, information available as of 1 January 2003 was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003. This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
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| Introduction | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Background: | International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.
| Geography | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Location: | Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates: | 41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 25,333 sq km water: 477 sq km land: 24,856 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries: | total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | warm, dry summers and autumns and 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 highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m
Natural resources: | chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land
Land use: | arable land: 23.59% permanent crops: 1.85% other: 74.56% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 550 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | high seismic risks
Environment - current issues: | air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: | landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
| People | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Population: | 2,063,122 note: a census was taken 1-15 November 2002, but results are not yet available (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 21.9% (male 235,102; female 217,574) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 700,929; female 691,552) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 96,039; female 121,926) (2003 est.)
Median age: | total: 32.5 years male: 31.4 years female: 33.6 years (2002)
Population growth rate: | 0.4% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: | 13.2 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: | 7.78 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: | -1.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 12.14 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 13.08 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.49 years male: 72.23 years female: 76.94 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups: | Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.3% (1994)
Religions: | Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%
Languages: | Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%
Literacy: | definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
| Government | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Country name: | conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: none local long form: Republika Makedonija abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M. local short form: Makedonija
Government type: | parliamentary democracy
Capital: | Skopje
Administrative divisions: | 123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje"
Independence: | 8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing independence (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: | Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden
Constitution: | adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights
Legal system: | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1 November 2002) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI 46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with 72% of the vote 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 SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)
Legislative branch: | unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33, Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1 elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - Parliament appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI]; Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 116-180 FAX: [389] 117-103
Flag description: | a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field
| Economy | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Economy - overview: | At independence in November 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 center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, 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 0.3%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. But even this issue is overshadowed by the fragile political situation.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $10.57 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 0.7% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 11% industry: 31% services: 58% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 24% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1.1% (2002 est.)
Labor force: | 1.1 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: | 37% (2002 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $1.13 billion expenditures: $1.02 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: | coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses
Industrial production growth rate: | -5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production: | 6.465 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 6.112 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 100 million kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA (2001)
Oil - imports: | NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: | rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton
Exports: | $1.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities: | food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel
Exports - partners: | Germany 19.2%, Italy 9.2%, US 6.7%, Croatia 5.5%, Greece 4.6% (2002)
Imports: | $1.9 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products
Imports - partners: | Greece 19.4%, Germany 14.4%, Bulgaria 7.5%, Slovenia 6.9%, Italy 6.9%, Turkey 5.9%, Ukraine 5%, Austria 4.1% (2002)
Debt - external: | $1.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $150 million (2001 est.)
Currency: | Macedonian denar (MKD)
Currency code: | MKD
Exchange rates: | Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000), 56.9 (1999), 54.46 (1998)
Fiscal year: | calendar year
| Communications | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use: | 408,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 12,362 (1997)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code: | .mk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 6 (2000)
Internet users: | 100,000 (2001)
| Transportation | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Railways: | total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2002)
Highways: | total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: | note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders
Pipelines: | gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2003)
Ports and harbors: | none
Airports: | 18 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
| Military | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Military branches: | Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force
Military manpower - military age: | 19 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 553,988 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 17,909 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $200 million (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 6% (FY01/02 est.)
| Transnational Issues | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of | Top of Page
Disputes - international: | the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in F.Y.R.O.M. while continuing to seek regional cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo continue to protest 2000 F.Y.R.O.M.-Serbia and Montenegro boundary treaty, which transfers small tracts of land to F.Y.R.O.M.; dispute with Greece over country's name persists
Illicit drugs: | major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; while money laundering is a problem on a local level due to organized crime activities, the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003