North Macedonia

Internet country code

.mk

Internet hosts

3,716 (2006)

Internet users

392,671 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 389

Telephones - main lines in use

533,200 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.261 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Agriculture - products

grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs

Budget

revenues: $2.105 billion expenditures: $2.15 billion; including capital expenditures of $114 million (2005 est.)

Currency (code)

Macedonian denar (MKD)

Current account balance

$-81.1 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$2.19 billion (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.2 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$250 million (2003 est.)

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 central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized 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 by 3.4% in 2003, 4.1% in 2004, and 3.7% in 2005. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and job growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive grey market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside official statistics.

Electricity - consumption

7.933 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

1.662 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

6.271 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002), 68.037 (2001)

Exports

$2.047 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners

Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy 8.3% (2005)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.304 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$15.94 billion note: Macedonia has a large informal sector (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11.8% industry: 31.9% services: 56.3% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$3.196 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products

Imports - partners

Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate

6.8% (2005 est.)

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

18.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force

855,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

29.6% (2004 est.)

Public debt

33.7% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.341 billion (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

37.3% (2005 est.)

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont

Climate

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands 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

550 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia 221 km

Land use

arable land: 22.01% permanent crops: 1.79% other: 76.2% (2005)

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

high seismic risks

Natural resources

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Terrain

mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Administrative divisions

85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Capital

name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 41 59 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Constitution

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: Macedonia local long form: Republika Makedonija local short form: Makedonija note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ljupco JORDANOVSKI chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 28 August 2006) 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 VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSH/DPA, and several small parties elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%

Flag description

a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)

International organization participation

BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Legal system

based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

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 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 32.5%, SDSM 23.3%, DUI 12.2%, PDSH/DPA 7.5%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 44, SDSM 32, DUI 28, PDSH/DPA 11, other 5

National holiday

Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Goran RAFAJLOVSKI]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA, acting]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers' Party [Vejljo TANTAROV]; New Democratic Forces [Hysni SHAQIRI]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo 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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 498,259 females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 411,156 females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49: 16,686 females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Force Command (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6% (FY01/02 est.)

Military service age and obligation

conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript duty is six months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042) 65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006 est.)

Birth rate

12.02 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate

8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages

Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.97 years male: 71.51 years female: 76.62 years (2006 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.1% male: 98.2% female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Median age

total: 34.1 years male: 33.2 years female: 35.1 years (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian

Net migration rate

-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

2,050,554 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

0.26% (2006 est.)

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim 33.3%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 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 (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.57 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international

ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions for money laundering to date)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2005)

Airports

17 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Pipelines

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006)

Railways

total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways

total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km unpaved: 3,144 km (1999)