2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042) 65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs

Airports

17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

under 914 m

8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

7 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

4 (2006)

Area

land

24,856 sq km

total

25,333 sq km

water

477 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM)

Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Force Command (2006)

Background

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 a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia. Geography Macedonia

Birth rate

12.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.149 billion; including capital expenditures of $114 million (2006 est.)

revenues

$2.113 billion

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

41 59 N, 21 26 E

name

Skopje

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Macedonia

conventional short form

Macedonia

former

People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of 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)

Currency (code)

Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code

MKD

Current account balance

$-167 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$2.138 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

telephone

[1] (202) 667-0501

Disputes - international

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

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.2 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

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 2003-06. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and job growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive grey market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside official statistics.

Electricity - consumption

7.933 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

1.662 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

6.271 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

83.7%

hydro

16.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

lowest point

Vardar River 50 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Exchange rates

Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.9962 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002)

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)

election results

Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

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

head of government

Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006)

Exports

$2.341 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners

Serbia and Montenegro 22.5%, Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy 8.3% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2131

[389] 2 311-7103

consulate(s) general

Southfield (Michigan)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Macedonia

Flag description

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field Economy Macedonia

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

13%

industry

27.7%

services

59.3% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$8,200 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.649 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$16.91 billion

note

Macedonia has a large informal sector (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe People Macedonia

Government type

parliamentary democracy

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

IDPs

fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006)

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 (no arrests or prosecutions for money laundering to date) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$3.631 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products

Imports - partners

Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia and Montenegro 8.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005)

Independence

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2006 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Infant mortality rate

female

9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

9.94 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.mk

Internet hosts

3,716 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6 (2000)

Internet users

392,671 (2005) Transportation Macedonia

Investment (gross fixed)

18.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

550 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Labor force

880,000 (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

21.7%

industry

32.6%

services

45.7% (September 2006)

Land boundaries

border countries

Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia 221 km

total

766 km

Land use

arable land

22.01%

other

76.2% (2005)

permanent crops

1.79%

Languages

Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

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; all serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM 22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7, VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2

elections

last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010)

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.62 years (2006 est.)

male

71.51 years

total population

73.97 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

94.1% (2002 est.) Government Macedonia

male

98.2%

total population

96.1%

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

481,317 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

498,259

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

397,839 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

411,156

Manpower reaching military service age annually

females age 18-49

15,664 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

16,686

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

35.1 years (2006 est.)

male

33.2 years

total

34.1 years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6% (FY01/02 est.) Transnational Issues Macedonia

Military service age and obligation

conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

National holiday

Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day

Nationality

adjective

Macedonian

noun

Macedonian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports

100 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

high seismic risks

Natural resources

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Net migration rate

-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Pipelines

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; 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 [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party-New Democratic Forces or PDK-FRO [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; 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

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV]

Population

2,050,554 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

29.6% (2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.26% (2006 est.)

Public debt

27.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

410,000 (1997)

Railways

standard gauge

699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)

total

699 km

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim 33.3%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.845 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

5,540 km

total

8,684 km

unpaved

3,144 km (1999) Military Macedonia

Sex ratio

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 389

Telephones - main lines in use

533,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.261 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

510,000 (1997)

Terrain

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

35% (2006 est.)