Europe :: Macedonia

- Introduction :: Macedonia
- 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.

  Macedonia's pro-Western government has used its time in office since 2017 to sign a historic deal with Greece in June 2018 to end the name dispute and revive Skopje's NATO and EU membership chances. This followed a nearly three-year political crisis that engulfed Macedonia but ended in June 2017 following a six-month-long government formation period that followed a closely contested election in December 2016. The crisis began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretap content that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. Although Macedonia became an EU candidate in 2005, it has not opened accession negotiations. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome a decade of democratic backsliding, resolving the outstanding name dispute with Greece, and stimulating economic growth and development. At the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania, the Allies agreed that Macedonia would be invited to join the Alliance as soon as a mutually acceptable resolution to the name dispute was reached with Greece.

- Geography :: Macedonia
- Location:
  Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
  Geographic coordinates:
  41 50 N, 22 00 E
  Map references:
  Europe
  Area:
  total: 25,713 sq km
  land: 25,433 sq km
  water: 280 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Area - 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:
  mean elevation: 741 m
  elevation extremes: 50 m lowest point: Vardar River
  2764 highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit)
  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.)
  arable land: 16.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.4% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 26.5% (2011 est.)
  forest: 39.8% (2011 est.)
  other: 15.9% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  1,280 sq km (2012)
  Population distribution:
  a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
  Natural hazards:
  high seismic risks
  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
  Environment - 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
  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 and Society :: Macedonia
- Population:
  2,118,945 (July 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 146
  Nationality:
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian
  Ethnic groups:
  Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 est.)

  note: Macedonia has not conducted a census since 2002; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of Macedonia’s population

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

  note: minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where they are spoken by at least 20% of the population; Albanian is co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities; Turkish is co-official in Centar Zupa and Plasnica; Romani is co-official in Suto Orizari; Aromanian is co-official in Krusevo; Serbian is co-official in Cucer Sandevo

  Religions:
  Macedonian Orthodox 64.8%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.4%, other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.)
  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.)
  population pyramid:
  The World Factbook Field Image Modal
  Europe :: Macedonia Print
  Image Description
  This is the population pyramid for Macedonia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
  For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
  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.)
  country comparison to the world: 60
  Population growth rate:
  0.19% (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 181
  Birth rate:
  10.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Death rate:
  9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 44
  Net migration rate:
  -0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 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 (2018)
  rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  584,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2018)
  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.)
  Mother's mean age at first birth:
  26.8 years (2014 est.)
  Maternal mortality rate:
  8 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  male: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 154
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.9 years (2018 est.)
  male: 73.8 years (2018 est.)
  female: 78.2 years (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 96
  Total fertility rate:
  1.49 children born/woman (2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  40.2% (2011)
  Health expenditures:
  6.5% of GDP (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Physicians density:
  2.88 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
  Hospital bed density:
  4.4 beds/1,000 population (2013)
  Drinking water source:
  improved: urban: 99.8% of population
  rural: 98.9% of population
  total: 99.4% of population
  unimproved: urban: 0.2% of population
  rural: 1.1% of population
  total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved: urban: 97.2% of population (2015 est.)
  rural: 82.6% of population (2015 est.)
  total: 90.9% of population (2015 est.)
  unimproved: 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:
  <.1% (201 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  <500 (2017 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  <100 (2016 est.)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  22.4% (2016)
  country comparison to the world: 77
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  1.3% (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  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)
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 48.2% (2016 est.)
  male: 47.9% (2016 est.)
  female: 48.8% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 7
- Government :: Macedonia
- Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
  conventional short form: Macedonia
  local long form: Republika Makedonija
  local short form: Makedonija
  former: People's 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
  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
  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
  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
  elections/appointments: 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%

  Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Albanians or AfA [Ziadin SELA]
  Besa Movement [Bilal KASAMI]
  Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI]
  Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [Ali AHMETI]
  Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Hristijan MICKOSKI]
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Goran MILEVSKI]
  Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]
  Socialist Party of Macedonia or SPM [Ljubislav IVANOV-DZINGO]

  note: during the 2016 parliamentary elections SDSM and VMRO-DPMNE 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 (since 18 November 2014)
  chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Detroit, New York
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jess L. BAILY (since 12 February 2015)
  embassy: Str. Samoilova, 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
  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 symbol(s):
  eight-rayed sun; national colors: red, yellow
  National anthem:
  name: "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia)
  lyrics/music: 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

- Economy :: Macedonia
- 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.

  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $31.03 billion (2017 est.)
  $31.02 billion (2016 est.)
  $30.15 billion (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

  country comparison to the world: 131
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $11.37 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  0% (2017 est.)
  2.9% (2016 est.)
  3.9% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 197
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $14,900 (2017 est.)
  $15,000 (2016 est.)
  $14,600 (2015 est.)

  note: data are in 2017 dollars

  country comparison to the world: 113
  Gross national saving:
  30.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
  29.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
  28.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 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.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Labor force:
  950,800 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 147
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 16.2%
  industry: 29.2%
  services: 54.5% (2017 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  22.4% (2017 est.)
  23.8% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 191
  Population below poverty line:
  21.5% (2015 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 25% (2015 est.)
  highest 10%: 25% (2015 est.)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.7 (2015)
  35.2 (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Budget:
  revenues: 3.295 billion (2017 est.)
  expenditures: 3.605 billion (2017 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  29% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Public debt:
  39.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
  39.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

  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; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds

  country comparison to the world: 134
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.4% (2017 est.)
  -0.2% (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Central bank discount rate:
  3.25% (31 March 2017)
  3.75% (31 December 2016)

  note: series discontinued in January 2010; the discount rate has been replaced by a referent rate for calculating the penalty rate

  country comparison to the world: 106
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  6.21% (31 December 2017 est.)
  6.61% (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 125
  Stock of narrow money:
  $2.403 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.909 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 129
  Stock of broad money:
  $2.403 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $1.909 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $6.243 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $5.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 123
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $2.078 billion (31 December 2016)
  $1.853 billion (31 December 2015)
  $2.269 billion (31 December 2014)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Current account balance:
  -$151 million (2017 est.)
  -$293 million (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 92
  Exports:
  $4.601 billion (2017 est.)
  $3.75 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 114
  Exports - partners:
  Germany 46.7%, Bulgaria 6.1%, Serbia 4.4%, Belgium 4.1% (2017)
  Exports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron, steel; automotive parts
  Imports:
  $6.63 billion (2017 est.)
  $5.805 billion (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 116
  Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products
  Imports - 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:
  $2.802 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $2.755 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Debt - external:
  $8.79 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $7.685 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 117
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $6.937 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $6.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 99
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $1.169 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
  $849.1 million (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
  Exchange rates:
  Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar -
  55.8 (2017 est.)
  55.733 (2016 est.)
  55.733 (2015 est.)
  55.537 (2014 est.)
  46.437 (2013 est.)
- Energy :: Macedonia
- Electricity access:
  electrification - total population: 100% (2016)
  Electricity - production:
  5.396 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Electricity - consumption:
  6.42 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 112
  Electricity - exports:
  58.5 million kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 84
  Electricity - imports:
  2.191 billion kWh (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  1.828 million kW (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 115
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  60% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 132
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  37% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 57
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  3% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 126
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Crude oil - exports:
  142 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 80
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 161
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  21,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  3,065 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 99
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  23,560 bbl/day (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 111
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 162
  Natural gas - consumption:
  198.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 105
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Natural gas - imports:
  198.2 million cu m (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (31 December 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  7.459 million Mt (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 123
- Communications :: Macedonia
- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 361,269 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total subscriptions: 2,121,805 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 101 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 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
  Internet users:
  total: 1.475 million (July 2016 est.)
  percent of population: 70.4% (July 2016 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
  total: 386,718 (2017 est.)
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2017 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 88
- Transportation :: Macedonia
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
  Z3 (2016)
  Airports:
  10 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8 (2017)
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2017)
  under 914 m: 6 (2017)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2 (2013)
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
  under 914 m: 1 (2013)
  Pipelines:
  262 km gas, 120 km oil (2017)
  Railways:
  total: 925 km (2017)
  standard gauge: 925 km 1.435-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Roadways:
  total: 14,182 km (includes 290 km of expressways) (2017)
  paved: 9,633 km (2017)
  unpaved: 4,549 km (2017)
  country comparison to the world: 127
- Military and Security :: Macedonia
- Military expenditures:
  0.9% of GDP (2017)
  0.97% of GDP (2016)
  1.05% of GDP (2015)
  1.09% of GDP (2014)
  1.17% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 123
  Military branches:
  Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes General Staff and subordinate Joint Operational Command, Logistic Support Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Special Ops Regiment, Electronic Surveillance Center, and Air Surveillance Center) (2017)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2013)
- Transnational Issues :: Macedonia
- 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