1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly larger than Vermont
Climate
hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Korab 2,753 m
Environment-current issues
air pollution from metallurgical plants
Environment-international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
Irrigated land
830 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 748 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)
Land use
arable land: 24% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 39% other: 10% (1993 est.)
Location
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
high seismic risks
Natural resources
chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber
Terrain
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 24% (male 244,636; female 230,103) 15-64 years: 67% (male 675,783; female 669,878) 65 years and over: 9% (male 85,030; female 103,957) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
15.71 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
8.08 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Macedonian 65%, Albanian 22%, Turkish 4%, Serb 2%, Gypsies 3%, other 4%
Infant mortality rate
19.49 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.77 years male: 70.67 years female: 75.03 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
NA
Nationality
noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Net migration rate
-0.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
2,009,387 (July 1998 est.) note: the Macedonian government census of July 1994 put the population at 1.94 million, but ethnic allocations were likely undercounted
Population growth rate
0.68% (1998 est.)
Religions
Eastern Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.06 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
34 counties (opstinas, singular-opstina) Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Murgasevo, Negotino, Ohrid, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Resen, Skopje-Centar, Skopje-Cair, Skopje-Karpos, Skopje-Kisela Voda, Skopje-Gazi Baba, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Sveti Nikole, Tetovo, Titov Veles, Valandovo, Vinica note: in September 1996, the Macedonian Parliament passed legislation changing the territorial division of the country; names of the 123 new municipalities are not yet available
Constitution
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
Country name
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: none local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
Data code
MK
Executive branch
chief of state: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991) head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4 September 1992) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note-after the withdrawal of the Liberal Party (LP) from the ruling coalition in early 1996, the Council of Ministers was reorganized without LP participation elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: Kiro GLIGOROV elected president; percent of vote-Kiro GLIGOROV 78.4%
FAX
[389] (91) 117-103
Flag description
a rising yellow sun with 8 rays extending to the edges of the red field
Government type
emerging democracy
Independence
17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
International organization participation
CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica Z. ACEVSKA chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337 3063 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher Robert HILL (18 July 1996) embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 9100 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] (91) 116-180
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected by the Judicial Council Political parties and leaders: Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM (former Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Abdurahman ALITI, president]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Stojan ANDOV and Petar GOSEV]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubislav IVANOV-ZINGO, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubcho GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Democratic Party for Albanians or DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil Tupur KOVSKI, president] Political pressure groups and leaders: Movement for All Macedonian Action or MAAK; Democratic Party of Serbs; Democratic Party of Turks; Party for Democratic Action (Slavic Muslim); Party for the Complete Emancipation of Romas or PCER [Faik ABDI]
Legal system
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); note-Assembly to vote on new election laws in spring 1998 elections: last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held NA October/November 1998) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-SDSM 58, LDP 29, SP 8, PDP 10, DPA 4, independents 7, other 4; note-since October 1994 elections, some members of the Assembly have changed their party affiliation; the seating as of January 1997 is as follows: SDSM 61, LDP 27, SP 6, PDP 11, DPA 7, independents 3, other 5
National capital
Skopje
National holiday
8 September
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton
Budget
revenues: $1.06 billion expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $107 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Macedonian denar (MKD) = 100 deni
Debt-external
$1.06 billion (June 1997)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA note: US, $10 million (for humanitarian and technical assistance); in December 1995, the EU agreed to provide a credit line of ECU 21.7 million for investment projects
Economy-overview
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, although the poorest republic in the former Yugoslav federation, can meet basic food and energy needs through its own agricultural and coal resources. The economy slowly rebounded in 1996-97 after years of recession. Continued recovery depends on Macedonia's ability to attract investment, to redevelop trade ties with Greece and Serbia and Montenegro, and to maintain its commitment to economic liberalization. The economy depends on outside sources for all of its oil and gas and most of its modern machinery and parts. An important supplement of GDP is the remittances from thousands of Macedonians working in Germany and other West European nations.
Electricity-capacity
1.366 million kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
2,584 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
5.4 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
denar per US$1-31 (July 1997), 40.5 (September 1996), 38.8 (December 1995), 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)
Exports
total value: $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: food, beverage, tobacco 17.0%, machinery and transport equipment 13.3%, other manufactured goods 58% partners: Bulgaria, other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Italy
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$2 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 20.4% industry: 38.6% services: 41% (1995 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$960 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
1.5% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $1.6 billion (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, chemicals 14%, fuels 12% partners: other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria
Industrial production growth rate
3.4% (1997 est.)
Industries
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco
Inflation rate-consumer price index
3.5% (1997 est.)
Labor force
total: 591,773 (June 1994) by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 6, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios
369,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
domestic: NA international: NA
Telephones
125,000
Television broadcast stations
5 (relays 2)
Televisions
327,011 (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
30% (1997 est.); note-many employed workers are, in fact, furloughees
Transportation
Airports
16 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 10,591 km paved: 5,500 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 5,091 km (1997 est.)
Pipelines
0 km Ports and harbors: none
Railways
total: 922 km standard gauge: 922 km 1.435-m gauge (232 km electrified) (1997)
Waterways
none, lake transport only
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force
Military expenditures-dollar figure
7 billion denars (1993 est.); note-conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
NA%
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 536,321 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 432,190 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
19 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 16,857 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
dispute with Greece over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; 20 bilateral agreements remain unsigned in a dispute over Bulgarian nonrecognition of Macedonian as a language distinct from Bulgarian; the border commission formed by The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro in April 1996 to resolve differences in delineation of their mutual border has made no progress so far; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government; Party for Democratic Action (DPA) calls for a rewrite of the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a national group and allow for regional autonomy
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine