2023 Edition

Background

North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of "Macedonia." Greek objection to the new country’s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years 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. The country 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 continued. Over time, the US and over 130 other nations 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. In January 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level, with the Macedonian language remaining the sole official language in international relations. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however. In June 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Agreement whereby Macedonia agreed to change its name to North Macedonia. Following ratification by both countries, the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia then joined NATO in 2020 after amending its constitution per the deal and opened EU accession talks in 2022 after a two-year veto by Bulgaria over identity, language, and historical disputes. North Macedonia has been an EU candidate since 2005. A nearly three-year political crisis from 2014 to 2017 began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding, stimulating economic growth and development, and fighting organized crime and corruption. 

Area

land

25,433 sq km

total

25,713 sq km

water

280 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont; almost four times the size of Delaware

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

lowest point

Vardar River 50 m

mean elevation

741 m

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

844 sq km (2016)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

838 km

Land use

agricultural land

44.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 26.5% (2018 est.)

forest

39.8% (2018 est.)

other

15.9% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

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

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

16.06% (male 177,156/female 165,540)

15-64 years

68.69% (male 742,990/female 722,359)

65 years and over

15.25% (2023 est.) (male 143,539/female 181,826)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15

0.3%

women married by age 18

7.5% (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.9% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

59.9% (2018/19)

Current health expenditure

7.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

66.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

21.4

potential support ratio

4.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

44.6

youth dependency ratio

23.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99% of population

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Macedonian 58.4%, Albanian 24.3%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.5%, Serb 1.3%, other 2.3%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no ethnic affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent total resident population; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of North Macedonia’s population

Gross reproduction rate

0.74 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no language data was available 7.2% (2021 est.); note - data represent mother tongue; 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

major-language sample(s)

Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.3 years

male

75 years

total population

77.1 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.6% (2020)

male

99.1%

total population

98.4%

Major urban areas - population

611,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

41.2 years

male

39.1 years

total

40.1 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.9 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Macedonian

noun

Macedonian(s)

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.4% (2016)

Physicians density

2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

2,133,410 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Population growth rate

0.11% (2023 est.)

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 46.1%, Muslim 32.2%, other Christian 13.8%, other and non-believers 0.5%, unspecified 0.2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no religious affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 98% of population

improved: total

total: 99.2% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2020)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.07 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.52 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

59.5% of total population (2023)

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 Rostuse, 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

etymology

Skopje derives from its ancient name Scupi, the Latin designation of a classical era Greco-Roman frontier fortress town; the name may go back even further to a pre-Greek, Illyrian name

geographic coordinates

42 00 N, 21 26 E

name

Skopje

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of North Macedonia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

8 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; final approval requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2019; this amendment was the result of the 2018 Prespa Agreement with Greece, in which the constitutional name of the country would be changed to the Republic of North Macedonia - previously the Republic of Macedonia -  in exchange for assurances that Greece would no longer object to North Macedonia's integration in international organizations

history

several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of North Macedonia

conventional short form

North Macedonia

etymology

the country name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.)

former

Democratic Federal Macedonia, People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Macedonia

local long form

Republika Severna Makedonija

local short form

Severna Makedonija

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Angela AGGELER (since 8 November 2022)

email address and website

SkopjeACS@state.govhttps://mk.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Str. Samoilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje

FAX

[389] (2) 310-2499

mailing address

7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120

telephone

[389] (2) 310-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Zoran POPOV (since 16 September 2022)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Detroit, New York

email address and website

washington@mfa.gov.mk

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2131

telephone

[1] (202) 667-0501

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote

chief of state

President Stevo PENDAROVSKI (since 12 May 2019)

election results

2019: Stevo PENDAROVSKI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 44.8%, Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (VMRO-DPMNE) 44.2%, Blenim REKA (independent) 11.1%; percent of vote in second round - Stevo PENDAROVSKI 53.6%, Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA 46.4%2014: Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gjorge IVANOV (VMRO-DPMNE) 53.1%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 38.6%, Ilijaz HALIMI (DPA) 4.6%, Zoran POPOVSKI (GROM) 3.7%; percent of vote in second round - Gjorge IVANOV 57.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI 42.7%

elections/appointments

president directly elected using a modified 2-round system; a candidate can only be elected in the first round with an absolute majority from all registered voters; in the second round, voter turnout must be at least 40% for the result to be deemed valid; president elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 April and 5 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Assembly; Dimitar KOVACEVSKI elected prime minister by the Assembly on 16 January 2022; Assembly vote - NA

head of government

Prime Minister Dimitar KOVACEVSKI (since 16 January 2022)

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 republic

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, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

note

note: North Macedonia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Assembly - Sobraine in Macedonian, Kuvend in Albanian (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)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - We Can 35.9%, Renewal 34.6%, BDI 11.5%, AfA-Alternative 9%, The Left 4.1%, PDSh 1.5%, other 3.4%; seats by party/coalition - We Can 46, Renewal 44, BDI 15, AfA-Alternative 12, The Left 2, PDSh 1; composition - men 70, women 50, percent of women 41.7%

elections

last held on 15 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI

name

"Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia)

note

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

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region; Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both natural)

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

Alliance for Albanians or AfA [Ziadin SELA]Alternative (Alternativa) [Afrim GASHI]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]Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI]Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Goran MILEVSKI]Renewal [Maja MORACHANIN]Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Dimitar KOVACHEVSKI]The Left (Levica) [Dimitar APASIEV]Turkish Democratic Party of DPT [Beycan ILYAS]We Can (coalition includes SDSM/Besa/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, grapes, wheat, potatoes, green chillies/peppers, cabbages, tomatoes, maize, barley, watermelons

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

7.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

30.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$4.5 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$3.505 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB+ (2019)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

BB- (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$376.487 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$360.444 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$420.178 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$9.398 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$9.065 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

growing upper middle-income European economy; EU accession stalled due to Bulgarian dispute; new NATO member; private consumption-driven growth; investment declined due to COVID-19; regional economic power gains since Greek naming resolution

Exchange rates

Currency

Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

54.665 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

52.107 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

54.947 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

54.144 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

52.102 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$7.8 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$7.19 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$9.157 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

support catalysts, centrifuges, insulated wiring, iron alloys, seats (2021)

Exports - partners

Germany 45%, Serbia 8%, Bulgaria 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

54% (2017 est.)

government consumption

15.6% (2017 est.)

household consumption

65.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-69% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

13.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

20.2% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

10.9% (2017 est.)

industry

26.6% (2017 est.)

services

62.5% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.696 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

33 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

1.7%

Imports

Imports 2019

$9.605 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$8.773 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$11.354 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

platinum, refined petroleum, laboratory ceramics, cars, insulated wiring (2019)

Imports - partners

United Kingdom 14%, Germany 14%, Greece 8%, Serbia 8% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.37% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.77% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.2% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.23% (2021 est.)

Labor force

916,200 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

21.6% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

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

Public debt 2016

39.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

39.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$34.839 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$32.71 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$34.007 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

3.91% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-6.11% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.96% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$16,800 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$15,800 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$16,500 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$3.651 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$4.126 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$4.129 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.13% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

17.26% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

17.2% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

16.2% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

38.4%

male

31.6%

total

34.1% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

3.866 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

423,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.094 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

7.383 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

5.211 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

174,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

5.026 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

332 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

6,350,982,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

639 million kWh (2020 est.)

imports

2.965 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.928 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

979 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

71.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

24.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

53.572 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

218.917 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

218.917 million cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

22,700 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,065 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

23,560 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2020 est.)

total

475,569 (2020 est.)

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 (2019)

Internet country code

.mk

Internet users

percent of population

83% (2021 est.)

total

1.743 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line roughly 20 per 100 and mobile-cellular 92 per 100 subscriptions (2021)

general assessment

as part of the EU pre-accession process, North Macedonia has built closer economic ties with the Union which accounts for 77.5% of Macedonia’s exports and just over half of its imports; closer regulatory and administrative ties with European Commission (EC) institutions have done much to develop the telecom sector and prepare the market for the competitive environment encouraged in the EU; as part of EU integration legislation North Macedonia has implemented the principles of the EU’s regulatory framework for communications, established an independent regulator and set out several provisions to provide for a competitive telecom market, including wholesale access to the incumbent’s fixed-line network; broadband services are widely available, with effective competition between DSL and cable platforms complemented by wireless broadband and a developing fiber sector; the number of DSL subscribers has continued to fall in recent years as customers are migrated to fiber networks; the MNOs are increasingly focused on expanding their 5G networks, seeking stronger coverage across North Macedonia’s high value urban areas; mobile data services are also becoming increasingly important following investments in LTE network rollouts and in upgrades to LTE-A technology (2022)

international

country code - 389

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

425,646 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

92 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,941,352 (2021 est.)

Airports

10 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

8

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

2

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z3

Pipelines

262 km gas, 120 km oil (2017)

Railways

total

699 km (2020) 313 km electrified

Roadways

paved

9,633 km (2017)

total

14,182 km (2017) (includes 290 km of expressways)

unpaved

4,549 km (2017)

Military - note

the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM) is responsible for the defense of the country’s territory and independence, fulfilling North Macedonia’s commitments to NATO and European security, and contributing to EU, NATO, and UN peace and security missions; the ARSM has participated in multinational missions and operations in Afghanistan (NATO), Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU), Eastern Europe (NATO), Iraq (NATO), Kosovo (NATO), and Lebanon (UN); a key area of focus over the past decade has been improving capabilities and bringing the largely Soviet-era-equipped ARSM up to NATO standards; it has increased its participation in NATO training exercises since becoming the 30th member of the Alliance in 2020 and currently has small numbers of combat troops deployed to Bulgaria and Romania as part of NATO’s Enhance Forward Presence mission implemented because of Russian military aggression against Ukrainethe ARSM is a joint force led by a general staff with subordinate commands for operations, logistics, reserves, special operations, and training; the Operational Command includes the active air and ground combat forces, which include a mechanized infantry brigade, an air brigade with a small combat helicopter squadron, and a ground air defense unit; the Special Operations Command has battalions of rangers and special forces, while the Reserve Forces Command has an infantry brigade (2023)

Military and security forces

Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM): the ARSM is a joint force with air, ground, reserve, special operations, and support forces (2023)

note

note: the Police of Macedonia maintain internal security, including migration and border enforcement, and report to the Ministry of the Interior

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 6,500 active-duty personnel (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years it has received small amounts of more modern equipment from countries such as Turkey and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.2% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.2% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.5% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2007 (2023)

note

note: as of 2023, women made up about 10% of the military's full-time personnel

Disputes - international

North Macedonia-Albania: none identified North Macedonia-Greece: none identified North Macedonia-Kosovo: North Macedonia and Kosovo completed demarcation of their boundary in October 2009 North Macedonia-Serbia: none identified

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

note

note: 562,235 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-October 2023)

refugees (country of origin)

18,680 (Ukraine) (as of 14 November 2023)

stateless persons

521 (2022)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

7.05 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

2.28 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

25.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

44.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 16.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 26.5% (2018 est.)

forest

39.8% (2018 est.)

other

15.9% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.15% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

6.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

20 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

310 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

59.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

796,585 tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1,434 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

0.2% (2013 est.)