North Macedonia
Republic of MacedoniaRepublika Makedonija
parliamentary democracy
North Macedonia as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 fields, one of 34 editions from 1992 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
International recognition of Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the 2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia.
Geography
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
18 fieldsLand useshare of 25,333 sq km
Terrain
- mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys;
- three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line;
- country bisected by the Vardar River
Natural resources
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
People
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female(2004 est.)
Ethnic groups(2002)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 21.5% (male 231,078; female 213,906)
- 15-64 years:
- 67.8% (male 707,298; female 696,830)
- 65 years and over:
- 10.7% (male 97,437; female 124,661) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.02 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.78 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Government
Parliamentary democracy; President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004); Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17 December 2004)
18 fieldsAssembly or Sobranie, 119 seats, elected 15 September 2002one dot, one seat
Country name
- conventional long form:
- Republic of Macedonia
- conventional short form:
- Macedonia; note - the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)
- local long form:
- Republika Makedonija
- local short form:
- Makedonija
- former:
- People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Administrative divisions
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci; note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje"; new information suggests that the 123 municipalities have been consolidated into 84 municipalities
Independence
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)
Constitution
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17 December 2004)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly;
- note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
- two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009);
- prime minister elected by the Assembly;
- election last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
- election results:
- Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot;
- percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%;
- Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the Assembly
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve four-year terms)
- elections:
- last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5), VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
Judicial branch
- Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges;
- Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges;
- Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV];
- Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president];
- Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC];
- Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president];
- Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC];
- Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI];
- Democratic Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA];
- Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA];
- Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI];
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party [Marjan GJORCEV];
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT) [Nikola GRUEVSKI];
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Option or VMRO-Vistinska [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI];
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV];
- Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA];
- League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC];
- Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV];
- Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
- National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI];
- National Farmers' Party [VejljoTANTAROV];
- Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI];
- Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president];
- Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president];
- Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI];
- United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; Movement for Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]
International organization participation
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
- chancery:
- Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 337-3063
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 337-3093
- consulate(s) general:
- Southfield, Michigan
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER
- embassy:
- Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
- mailing address:
- American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
- telephone:
- [389] 2 311-6180
- FAX:
- [389] 2 311-7103
Economy
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services.
39 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area.
An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001.
The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then rose to 2.8% in 2003. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains the most critical economic problem. The gray economy is estimated at around 40% of GDP. Politically, the country is more stable than in 2002.
Agriculture - products
rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton
Industries
coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel
Exchange rates
Macedonian denars per US dollar - NA (2003), 64.3498 (2002), 68.0371 (2001), 65.9039 (2000), 56.9018 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTransportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and Air Defense Command)
7 fieldsMilitary manpower - military age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of conscript duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2004)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation;
- ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of a small section of the Macedonia-Kosovo boundary in accordance with the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transferred a small amount of land to Macedonia;
- dispute with Greece over country's name persists
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned) (2004)
Illicit drugs
- major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
- minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
- although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions for money laundering to date)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Macedonia.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/north-macedonia/2004.