North Macedonia

Branches

Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force

Defense expenditures

7 billion denars, NA% of GDP (1993 est.); note - conversion of defense expenditures into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 571,927 males fit for military service: 458,231 males reach military age (19) annually: 16,698 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 6, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

369,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: NA

Telephones

125,000

Television broadcast stations

5 (relays 2)

Televisions

327,011 (1992 est.) Defense

Agriculture

rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Budget

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

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

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: US, $10 million (for humanitarian and technical assistance); in December 1995, the EU agreed to provide a credit line of ECU 21.7 million for investment projects

Economic 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. The end of sanctions on Serbia and the lifting of the Greek embargo on Macedonia have reopened its natural trade corridors, but the country has been slow to capitalize on these opportunities. Moreover, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's geographical isolation, technological underdevelopment, and potential political instability place it far down the list of countries of interest to Western investors. An internal commitment to economic reform would encourage foreign investment over the long run.

Electricity

capacity: 1,600,000 kW production: 6.046 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,941 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

denar per US$1 - 38.8 (December 1995), 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)

Exports

$916.2 million (1995) 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

External debt

$737.1 million (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 24% industry: 44% services: 32%

GDP per capita

$880 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4%

Illicit drugs

limited illicit opium cultivation; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Imports

$199 million (1995) 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

Industrial production growth rate

-14% (1993)

Industries

coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14.8% (1995 est.)

Labor force

591,773 (June 1994) by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)

Unemployment rate

37% (1995 est.)

Area

total area: 25,333 sq km land area: 24,856 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Vermont

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

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

Geographic coordinates

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

dispute with Greece over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 748 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)

Land use

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

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

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 lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Korab 2,753 m

Administrative divisions

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

Assembly (Sobranje)

elections last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) SDSM 58, LP 29, SPM 8, PDP 10, NDP 4, independents 7, other 4

Capital

Skopje

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Data code

MK

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica ACEVSKA chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337 3063

Executive branch

chief of state: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991) was elected by the Assembly in 1991 and reelected by popular vote in 1994; election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; note - following a failed assassination attempt on the president in October 1995, then Parliamentary Speaker Stojan ANDOV was acting president; GLIGOROV resumed his duties in early 1996 head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4 September 1992) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers were elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - after the withdrawal of the Liberal Party from the ruling coalition in early 1996, the Council of Ministers was reorganized without LP participation

FAX

[1] (202) 337 3093

FAX

[389] (91) 117-103 note: the US agreed to establish full diplomatic relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in September 1995, and to upgrade the Liaison Office to an Embassy

Flag

a rising yellow sun with 8 rays extending to the edges of the red field

Independence

17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

International organization participation

CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected by the Judicial Council

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

8 September

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)

Political parties and leaders

Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM; former Communist Party), Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president; Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP), Abdurahman HALITI, president; 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; Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians (PDPA), Arben XHAFFERI, president

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

emerging democracy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Christopher HILL; Charge d'Affaires Victor D. COMRAS embassy: ul. 27 Mart No. 5, 9100 Skopje mailing address: United States Liaison Office Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] (91) 116-180

Age structure

0-14 years: 22% (male 242,593; female 228,563) 15-64 years: 68% (male 728,969; female 703,665) 65 years and over: 10% (male 90,363; female 109,882) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

13.31 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

8.47 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

29.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.94 years male: 69.86 years female: 74.18 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

2,104,035 (July 1996 est.) note: the Macedonian government census of July 1994 put the population at 1.94 million, but ethnic allocations were likely undercounted

Population growth rate

0.46% (1996 est.)

Religions

Eastern Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 16 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with paved runways under 914 m: 12 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 2 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 10,591 km paved: 5,091 km unpaved: 5,500 km (1991 est.)

Pipelines

none

Ports

none

Railways

total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (232 km electrified) (1995)

Waterways

none, lake transport only