North Macedonia

The Former Yugoslav Republic of MacedoniaRepublika Makedonija

emerging democracyIndependence 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

North Macedonia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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 sq km

LocationSoutheastern Europe, north of Greece

1995

Every edition of North Macedonia

Populationas each edition published it

2.16 million July 1995 est. · 2.17m in 1992

Population growth% a year

0.9% 1995 est. · 0.91% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 32.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74 years 1995 est. · 73.19 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.02 children per woman 1995 est. · 2 in 1993

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

24.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 29.7 in 1993

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$900 1994 est. · $3,110 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-15% 1994 est. · -18% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

14 fields

Area

25,333sq km

land area: 24,856 sq kmcomparative 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)

International disputes

dispute with Greece over name, symbols, and certain constitutional provisions

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;
country bisected by the Vardar River

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

current issues:: air pollution from metallurgical plants
natural hazards:: high seismic risks
international agreements:: party to - Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Note

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

People

15 fields

Population

2,159,503

(July 1995 est.)note: the Macedonian government census of July 1994 put the population at 1.94 million, but ethnic allocations were likely undercountedgrowth rate: 0.9% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

15.82Death

6.7Net migration

-0.14

Ethnic divisions

Macedonian 65%Albanian 22%Turkish 4%Serb 2%Gypsies 3%other 4%

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 67%Muslim 30%other 3%

Labor force

591,773

(June 1994)by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 25% (female 257,876; male 277,314)
15-64 years:: 67% (female 711,810; male 733,903)
65 years and over:: 8% (female 97,475; male 81,125) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 74 years
male:: 71.87 years
female:: 76.3 years (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Macedonian(s)
adjective:: Macedonian

Languages

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

Government

Emerging democracy; President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991); Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4 September 1992)

22 fields

Names

conventional long form:: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form:: none
local long form:: Republika Makedonija
local short form:: Makedonija

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

Independence

17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday

8 September

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991);
election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1997);
results - Kiro GLIGOROV was elected by the Assembly in 1991;
reelected by popular vote in 1994
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 Sobranje

Legislative branch

unicameral

Assembly (Sobranje)

elections last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held November 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (120 total) seats by party NA

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court, Judicial Court of the Republic

Political parties and leaders

Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM; former Communist Party), Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president;
Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP);
note - two factions competing for party name;
one faction is led by Abdurahman HALITI and the other faction is led by Arber XHAFFERI;
National Democratic Party (NDP), Ilijas HALINI, president;
Alliance of Reform Forces of Macedonia - Liberal Party (SRSM-LP), 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;
Democratic Party (DP), Petar GOSEV, president

Other political or pressure groups

Movement for All Macedonian Action (MAAK);
Democratic Party of Serbs;
Democratic Party of Turks;
Party for Democratic Action (Slavic Muslim)

Member of

CCC, CE (guest), CEI, EBRD, ECE, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, OSCE (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

the US recognized The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia on 8 February 1994

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Victor D. COMRAS
liaison office:: ul. 27 Mart No. 5, 9100 Skopje
mailing address:: USLO Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone:: [389] (91) 116-180

FAX

[389] (91) 117-103

Flag

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

Economy

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$900

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

-15%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -14% (1993)

Inflation, consumer prices

54%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

30%

(1993 est.)

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. Its economic decline will continue unless 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 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. Continued political turmoil, both internally and in the region as a whole, prevents any swift readjustments of trade patterns and economic programs.

The country's industrial output and GDP are expected to decline further in 1995. The Former Yugoslav Republic of 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 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 parity - $1.9 billion (1994 est.)

Budget

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

Exports

$1.06 billion (1993)

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% (1990)
partners:: principally Serbia and Montenegro and the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Greece, Albania

Imports

$1.2 billion (1993)

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% (1990)
partners:: other former Yugoslav republics, Greece, Albania, Germany, Bulgaria

External debt

$840 million (1992)

Electricity

capacity:: 1,600,000 kW
production:: NA kWh
consumption per capita:: NA kWh (1993)

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

meets the basic needs for food;
principal crops are rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, and millet;
also grown are cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus fruit, and vegetables;
agricultural production is highly labor intensive

Illicit drugs

limited illicit opium cultivation; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Economic aid

recipient: US $10 million (for humanitarian and technical assistance) EC promised a 100 ECU million economic aid package (1993)

Currency

the denar, which was adopted by the Macedonian legislature 26 April 1992, was initially issued in the form of a coupon pegged to the German mark;
subsequently repegged to a basket of seven currencies

Exchange rates

denar per US$1 - 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 16 in all

2,438 to 3,047 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

914 to 1,523 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

10,591Railroads

922

Highways: paved: 5,091 km · unpaved: gravel 1,404 km; earth 4,096 km (1991) · Railroads: standard gauge: 922 km 1.435-m gauge (1994)

Railroads

total:: 922 km
standard gauge:: 922 km 1.435-m gauge (1994)

Highways

total:: 10,591 km
paved:: 5,091 km
unpaved:: gravel 1,404 km; earth 4,096 km (1991)

Inland waterways

none, lake transport only

Pipelines

none

Ports

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

125,000 telephones

local:: NA
intercity:: NA
international:: no satellite links

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 6, FM 2, shortwave 0
radios:: 370,000

Television

broadcast stations:: 5 (relays 2)
televisions:: 325,000

Defense Forces

Army, Police Force

3 fields

Defense expenditures

7billion denars

NA% of GNP (1993 est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars using the prevailing exchange rate could produce misleading results MADAGASCAR

Branches

Army, Police Force

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 585,403;
males fit for military service 474,467;
males reach military age (19) annually 19,693 (1995 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/north-macedonia/1995.

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