North Macedonia

Republic of Macedonia

emerging democracyIndependence 20 November 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

North Macedonia as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSkopje

Area25,333 km2

LocationSouthern Europe, between Serbia and Montenegro and Greece

1993

Every edition of North Macedonia

Populationas each edition published it

2.19 million July 1993 est. · 2.17m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.91% 1993 est. · 0.08% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 32.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

73.19 years 1993 est. · 77.3 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2 children per woman 1993 est. · 1.53 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

29.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 6.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$3,110 1991 est. · $24,500 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-18% 1991 est. · 2.8% in 2025

Geography

Southern Europe, between Serbia and Montenegro and Greece

14 fields

Area

25,333km2

land area: 24,856 km2comparative area: slightly larger than Vermont

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Land boundaries

748km

total · Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)

Location

Southern Europe, between Serbia and Montenegro and Greece

Map references

Ethnic Groups in Eastern Europe, Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

Greece claims republic's name implies territorial claims against Aegean Macedonia

Climate

hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Terrain

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line

Natural resources

chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulphur, timber

Land use

arable land:: 5%
permanent crops:: 5%
meadows and pastures:: 20%
forest and woodland:: 30%
other:: 40%

Environment

Macedonia suffers from high seismic hazard; air pollution from metallurgical plants

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

2,193,951

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 0.91% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

15.91Death

6.79Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Macedonian 67%Albanian 21%Turkish 4%Serb 2%other 6%

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 59%Muslim 26%Catholic 4%Protestant 1%other 10%

Labor force

507,324

by occupation: agriculture 8%, manufacturing and mining 40% (1990)

Infant mortality rate

29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 73.19 years
male:: 71.15 years
female:: 75.41 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Macedonian(s)
adjective:: Macedonian

Languages

Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%

Literacy

total population:: NA%
male:: NA%
female:: NA%

Government

Emerging democracy

21 fields

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form:
Macedonia local long form:: Republika Makedonija
local short form:: Makedonija

34 districts (opcine, singular - opcina) Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krusevo, Kumanovo, 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

Independence

20 November 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

National holiday

Political parties and leaders

Social-Democratic League of Macedonia (SDSM; former Communist Party), Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president;
Party for Democratic Prosperity in Macedonia (PDPM), Nevzat HALILI, president;
National Democratic Party (PDP), Ilijas HALINI, president;
Alliance of Reform Forces of Macedonia (SRSM), Stojan ANDOV, president;
Socialist Party of Macedonia (SPM), Kiro POPOVSKI, president;
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), Ljupco GEORGIEVSKI, president;
Party of Yugoslavs in Macedonia (SJM), Milan DURCINOV, president

Other political or pressure groups

Movement for All Macedonian Action (MAAK);
League for Democracy;
Albanian Democratic Union-Liberal Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held 27 January 1991 (next to be held NA); results - Kiro GLIGOROV was elected by the Assembly
Assembly:: last held 11 and 25 November and 9 December 1990 (next to be held NA);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (120 total) VMRO-DPMNE 37, SDSM 31, PDPM 25, SRSM 17, SJM 1, SPM 5, others 4

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers, prime minister

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly (Sobranje)

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court, Judicial Court of the Republic

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since NA September 1992), Deputy Prime Ministers Jovan ANDONOV (since NA March 1991), Stevo CRVENKOVSKI (since NA September 1992), and Becir ZUTA (since NA March 1991)

Member of

EBRD, ICAO, IMF, UN, UNCTAD, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

none; US does not recognize Macedonia

US diplomatic representation

none; US does not recognize Macedonia

Flag

16-point gold sun (Vergino, Sun) centered on a red field

Economy

Macedonia, although the poorest among the six republics of a dissolved | Yugoslav federation, can meet basic food and energy needs through its own | agricultural and coal resources.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$3,110

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

-18%

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -18% (1991 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

114.9%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

20%

(1991 est.)

Overview

Macedonia, although the poorest among the six republics of a dissolved Yugoslav federation, can meet basic food and energy needs through its own agricultural and coal resources. It will, however, move down toward a bare subsistence level of life unless economic ties are reforged or enlarged with its neighbors Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Bulgaria.

The economy depends on outside sources for all of its oil and gas and its modern machinery and parts. Continued political turmoil, both internally and in the region as a whole, prevents any swift readjustments of trade patterns and economic programs. Inflation in early 1992 was out of control, the result of fracturing trade links, the decline in economic activity, and general uncertainties about the future status of the country;

prices rose 38% in March 1992 alone. In August 1992, Greece, angry at the use of "Macedonia" as the republic's name, imposed a partial blockade for several months. This blockade, combined with the effects of the UN sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro, cost the economy approximately $1 billion in 1992 according to official figures.

Macedonia's geographical isolation, technological backwardness, and potential political instability place it far down the list of countries of interest to Western investors. Resolution of the dispute with Greece and an internal commitment to economic reform would help to encourage foreign investment over the long run. In the immediate future, the worst scenario for the economy would be the spread of fighting across its borders.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $7.1 billion (1991 est.)

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Exports

$578 million (1990)

commodities:: manufactured goods 40%, machinery and transport equipment 14%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 23%, raw materials 7.6%, food (rice) and live animals 5.7%, beverages and tobacco 4.5%, chemicals 4.7%
partners:: principally Serbia and Montenegro and the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Greece, Albania

Imports

$1,112 million (1990)

commodities:: fuels and lubricants 19%, manufactured goods 18%, machinery and transport equipment 15%, food and live animals 14%, chemicals 11.4%, raw materials 10%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 8.0%, beverages and tobacco 3.5%
partners:: other former Yugoslav republics, Greece, Albania, Germany, Bulgaria

External debt

$845.8 million

Electricity

1,600,000 kw capacity; 6,300 million kWh produced, 2,900 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

low levels of technology predominate, such as, oil refining by distillation only;
produces basic liquid fuels, coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, and ferronickel;
light industry produces basic textiles, wood products, and tobacco

Agriculture

provides 12% of GDP and meets the basic need for food;
principal crops are rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, and millet;
also grown are cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus fruit, and vegetables;
Macedonia is one of the seven legal cultivators of the opium poppy for the world pharmaceutical industry, including some exports to the US;
agricultural production is highly labor intensive