North Macedonia

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.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $1.06 billion expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Macedonian denar (MKD) = 100 deni

Debt - external

$1.2 billion (1996 est.)

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

Economy - 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. The economy slowly rebounded in 1996 after years of recession. Continued recovery depends on Macedonia's ability to redevelop trade ties with Greece and Serbia and Montenegro; as well as on Skopje's continued commitment to economic liberalization. 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.

Electricity - capacity

1.38 million kW (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

2,408 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

5.22 billion kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

denar per US$1 - 40.5 (September 1996), 38.8 (December 1995), 39 (November 1994), 865 (October 1992)

Exports

total value: $900 million (1996 est.) commodities: food, beverage, tobacco 17.0%, machinery and transport equipment 13.3%, other manufactured goods 58% partners : Bulgaria, other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Italy

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $960 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $1.4 billion (1996 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment 19%, chemicals 14%, fuels 12% partners: other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria

Industrial production growth rate

3.4% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate - consumer price index

5% (1996 est.)

Labor force

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

Unemployment rate

38% (1996 est.); note - many employed workers are, in fact, furloughees

Area

total : 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements

party to: Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified : none of the selected agreements

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

830 sq km (1993 est.)

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: 24% permanent crops : 2% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 39% other: 10% (1993 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

high seismic risks

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

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 note: in September 1996, the Macedonian Parliament passed legislation changing the territorial division of the country; names of the 123 new municipalities are not yet available

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Country name

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

Data code

MK

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher Robert HILL (18 July 1996) embassy: Ilindenska BB, 9100 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone : [389] (91) 116-180

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica Z. 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) 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 Assembly; note - after the withdrawal of the Liberal Party (LP) from the ruling coalition in early 1996, the Council of Ministers was reorganized without LP participation elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1999) election results: Kiro GLIGOROV elected president; percent of vote - NA

FAX

[1] (202) 337 3093

FAX

[389] (91) 117-103

Flag description

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

Government type

emerging democracy

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, ISO, ITU, NACC, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

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 Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998) election results : percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SDSM 58, LP 29, SP 8, PDP 10, NDP 4, independents 7, other 4; note - since October 1994 elections, some members of the Assembly have changed their party affiliation; the seating as of January 1997 is as follows: SDSM 61, LP 27, SP 6, PDP 11, NDP 2, PDPA 5, independents 3, other 5

National capital

Skopje

National holiday

8 September

Political parties and leaders

Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM (former Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Abdurahman ALITI, president]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Ilijas HALIMI, president]; Liberal Party or LP [Stojan ANDOV, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubislav IVANOV-ZINGO, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljupco GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Democratic Party or DP [Petar GOSEV, president]; Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians or PDPA [Arben XHAFFERI, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

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

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 532,578 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 429,419 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - military age

19 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 16,468 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 245,923; female 231,621) 15-64 years: 67% (male 670,535; female 665,556) 65 years and over : 9% (male 82,285; female 99,939) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

15.88 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

8.13 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population : 72.48 years male: 70.41 years female: 74.71 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

NA

Nationality

noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian

Net migration rate

-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

1,995,859 (July 1997 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

0.68% (1997 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: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over : 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.07 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

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; Albanians in Macedonia claim discrimination in education, access to public-sector jobs and representation in government

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine MADAGASCAR

Airports

16 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 12 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 8,532 km paved: 5,401 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,131 km (1995 est.)

Pipelines

0 km

Ports and harbors

none

Railways

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

Waterways

none, lake transport only