2015 Edition

Background

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 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 an insurgency 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. Although Macedonia became an EU candidate in 2005, the country still faces challenges, including fully implementing the Framework Agreement, resolving the outstanding name dispute with Greece, improving relations with Bulgaria, halting democratic backsliding, bolstering independence of the judiciary and media freedom, and stimulating economic growth and development. Macedonia's membership in NATO was blocked by Greece at the Alliance's Summit of Bucharest in 2008.

Area

land

25,433 sq km

total

25,713 sq km

water

280 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

502 cu m/yr (2007)

total

1.03 cu km/yr (21%/67%/12%)

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

1,278 sq km (2004)

Land boundaries

border countries (5)

Albania 181 km, Bulgaria 162 km, Greece 234 km, Kosovo 160 km, Serbia 101 km

total

838 km

Land use

arable land 16.4%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 26.5%

agricultural land

44.3%

forest

39.8%

other

15.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

6.4 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

17.48% (male 189,719/female 176,751)

15-24 years

13.88% (male 150,048/female 140,834)

25-54 years

43.69% (male 464,811/female 450,914)

55-64 years

12.21% (male 125,327/female 130,617)

65 years and over

12.74% (male 114,357/female 152,637) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

11.55 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

6% (2005 est.)

total number

16,782

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.3% (2011)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

40.2% (2011)

Death rate

9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

17.4%

potential support ratio

5.7% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

41.4%

youth dependency ratio

24%

Drinking water source

urban: 99.8% of population

rural: 98.9% of population

total: 99.4% of population

urban: 0.2% of population

rural: 1.1% of population

total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Health expenditures

6.4% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

200 (2013 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.42 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

7.96 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.79 years (2015 est.)

male

73.44 years

total population

76.02 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.8% (2015 est.)

male

98.8%

total population

97.8%

Major urban areas - population

SKOPJE (capital) 503,000 (2015)

Median age

female

38.3 years (2015 est.)

male

36.1 years

total

37.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Macedonian

noun

Macedonian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.8% (2014)

Physicians density

2.62 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

2,096,015 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

0.2% (2015 est.)

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 64.8%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.4%, other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 97.2% of population

rural: 82.6% of population

total: 90.9% of population

urban: 2.8% of population

rural: 17.4% of population

total: 9.1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2012)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.07 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.75 male(s)/female

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.6 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

51.7% (2012 est.)

male

55.2%

total

53.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.11% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

57.1% of total population (2015)

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

Capital

daylight saving time

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

geographic coordinates

42 00 N, 21 26 E

name

Skopje

time difference

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

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended several times, last in 2011 (2011)

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 the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jess L. BAILY (since 12 February 2015)

embassy

Str. Samolilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje

FAX

[389] (2) 310-2499

mailing address

American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)

telephone

[389] (2) 310-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Vasko NAUMOVSKI (since 18 November 2014)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Detroit, New York

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2131

telephone

[1] (202) 667-0501

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE, DUI, and several small parties

chief of state

President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)

election results

Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV (independent) 55.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 41.1%

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 usually elected prime minister by the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006)

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (123 seats; 120 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 3 directly elected in diaspora constituencies worldwide by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 43.0%, SDSM 25.3%, DUI 13.7%, DPA 5.9%, GROM 2.8%, NDR 1.6%, other 4.3%, invalid 3.4%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 61, SDSM 34, DUI 19, DPA 7, GROM 1, NDR 1

elections

last held on 27 April 2014 (next to be held on 24 April 2016); note - election has been moved up because of political unrest

National anthem

lyrics/music

Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI

name

"Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia)

note

adopted 1991; written in 1943, the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia

National holiday

Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day

National symbol(s)

eight-rayed sun; national colors: red, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Citizens Option for Macedonia or GROM [Stevco JAKIMOVSKI]

Democratic Party of Albanians or DPA [Menduh THACI]

Democratic Union for Integration or DUI [Ali AHMETI]

Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]

National Democratic Revival or NDR [Vesel MEMEDI]

Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]

note

during the 2014 parliamentary elections VMRO-DPMNE, SDSM, and GROM each led coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Mirjana ANDREVSKA]

Federation of Trade Unions [Zivko MITREVSKI]

Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture or SONK [Jakim NEDELKOV]

Student Plenum

Eco Guerilla [Arianit XHAFERI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

grapes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs

Budget

expenditures

$3.328 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$2.89 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4% of GDP (2014 est.)

Central bank discount rate

3.25% (31 December 2014)

3.25% (31 December 2013)

note

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.2% (31 December 2014 est.)

5.4% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$151 million (2014 est.)

-$194.1 million (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$7.241 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$7.194 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

43.6 (2013)

39.2 (2011)

Economy - overview

Since its independence in 1991, Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment, but has lagged the Balkan region in attracting foreign investment. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law. Unemployment has remained consistently high at more than 30% since 2008, 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’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. Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged against the euro, and by limiting fiscal deficits. The government has been loosening fiscal policy, however, and the budget deficit was 4.2% of GDP in both 2013 and 2014. Public debt at the end of 2014 was 45.8%, which although low by regional comparison, is significant for a small economy.

Exchange rates

Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar -

50.56 (2014 est.)

44.63 (2013 est.)

47.89 (2012 est.)

44.23 (2011 est.)

46.49 (2010 est.)

Exports

$4.934 billion (2014 est.)

$4.267 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron, steel; automotive parts

Exports - partners

Germany 41.4%, Bulgaria 6.6%, Italy 6.1%, Serbia 5.2%, Kosovo 4.7%, Greece 4.6% (2014 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

47.9%

government consumption

16.8%

household consumption

69.8%

imports of goods and services

-65.1%

investment in fixed capital

29%

investment in inventories

1.6%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.8%

industry

21.3%

services

69.9% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$13,300 (2014 est.)

$12,900 (2013 est.)

$12,500 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.8% (2014 est.)

2.7% (2013 est.)

-0.5% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.34 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$27.62 billion (2014 est.)

$26.62 billion (2013 est.)

$25.93 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data

Gross national saving

29.2% of GDP (2014 est.)

26.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

26% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

34.5% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.2%

Imports

$7.277 billion (2014 est.)

$6.6 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

UK 12.3%, Germany 11.1%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia 8.2%, Italy 6.2%, China 5.9%, Bulgaria 5.3%, Turkey 5.1% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.1% (2014 est.)

2.8% (2013 est.)

Labor force

961,400 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

18.3%

industry

29.1%

services

52.6% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.084 billion (31 December 2014)

$2.302 billion (31 December 2013)

$2.423 billion (31 December 2012)

Population below poverty line

30.4% (2011 est.)

Public debt

45.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

40.5% of GDP (2013 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, as well as intra-governmental debt; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.958 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.747 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of broad money

$6.129 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.282 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$758 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$744 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$5.063 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$4.714 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$5.055 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$5.208 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.692 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.569 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

26.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

28.5% (2014 est.)

29% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

8.084 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014)

Crude oil - imports

146 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (31 December 2014 est.)

Electricity - consumption

6.96 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - exports

112.9 million kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

64.5% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

33% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2.6% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)

Electricity - imports

3.073 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.011 million kW (2014 est.)

Electricity - production

4.569 billion kWh (2014 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

134.7 million cu m (2014 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2014)

Natural gas - imports

134.7 million cu m (2014 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2014)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (31 December 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

15,070 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

2,616 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

17,950 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

1 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.mk

Internet users

1.1 million

51.1% (2009)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 68, shortwave 0 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership about 130 per 100 persons

general assessment

competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions

international

country code - 389 (2012)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

19 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

390,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

110 (2014 est.)

total

2.3 million

Television broadcast stations

76 (2009)

Airports

10 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

total

8

under 914 m

6 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

2

Pipelines

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2013)

Railways

standard gauge

699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2014)

total

699 km

Roadways

paved

9,633 km

total

14,182 km (includes 242 km of expressways)

unpaved

4,549 km (2014)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

511,964 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

532,196

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

426,251 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

443,843

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

14,920 (2010 est.)

male

16,144

Military branches

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes General Staff and subordinate Joint Operational Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Special Operations Regiment) (2012)

Military expenditures

1.08% of GDP (2015)

1.17% of GDP (2014)

1.14% of GDP (2013)

1.2% of GDP (2012)

1.3% of GDP (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2013)

Disputes - international

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

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

741 (2014)