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The World Factbook 2002
| Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of |

Introduction | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Background:

International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) 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, despite continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia." F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.

Geography | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Location: | Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates: | 41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references: | Europe
Area: | total: 25,333 sq km water: 477 sq km land: 24,856 sq km
Area - comparative: | slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries: | total: 766 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Yugoslavia 221 km
Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: | none (landlocked)
Climate: | warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain: | mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m
Natural resources: | chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land
Land use: | arable land: 24% permanent crops: 2% other: 74% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 550 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | high seismic risks
Environment - current issues: | air pollution from metallurgical plants
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 | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Population: | 2,054,800 note: a Framework Agreement ratified by Macedonia on 16 November 2001 calls for a new census in 2002 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 22.4% (male 239,638; female 221,446) 15-64 years: 67.2% (male 694,368; female 686,450) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 94,214; female 118,684) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.41% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: | 13.35 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: | 7.74 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: | -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.26 years female: 76.68 years (2002 est.) male: 72.01 years
Total fertility rate: | 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: | noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Ethnic groups: | Macedonian 66.6%, Albanian 22.7%, Turkish 4%, Roma 2.2%, Serb 2.1%, other 2.4% (1994)
Religions: | Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3%
Languages: | Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%
Literacy: | definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Country name: | conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: none local long form: Republika Makedonija abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M. local short form: Makedonija
Government type: | emerging democracy
Capital: | Skopje

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"

Independence: | 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday: | Uprising Day, 2 August (1903)
Constitution: | adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: the Macedonian Parliament approved November 2001 a series of new constitutional amendments, strengthening minority rights
Legal system: | based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI (since 30 November 1998)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held NA November 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI 46.2%
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, PDP, and DPA

Legislative branch:

unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 43, SDSM 27, PDP 14, DA 13, DPA 11, VMRO-VMRO 6, LDP 4, SP 1, Roma Party 1
elections: last held 18 October and 1 November 1998 (next tentatively scheduled for June 2002)

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - Parliament appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Party of Albanians or DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubcho GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris STOJMANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto GUSTERVO]; Liberal Party [leader NA]; National Democratic Party or MPDK [Kastriot HAXHISEXHA]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Imeri IMERI, president]; Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM (former Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: New York FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Larry BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] (02) 116-180 FAX: [389] (02) 213-767
Flag description: | a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending to the edges of the red field

Economy | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Economy - overview:

At independence in November 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 about 4% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. The international community hopes to restart growth with a donors' conference in 2002.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $9 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | -4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $4,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 10% industry: 32% services: 58% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 24% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 5.3% (2001 est.)
Labor force: | 1.1 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate: | 39% (2001 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $850 million expenditures: $950 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Industries: | coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses
Industrial production growth rate: | -8% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: | 6.395 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 82.25% hydro: 17.75% other: 0% (1999) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 5.992 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports: | 30 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports: | 75 million kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products: | rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton
Exports: | $1.2 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: | food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel
Exports - partners: | Yugoslavia 25%, Germany 19%, US 13%, Italy 7%, Greece 6% (2000)
Imports: | $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products
Imports - partners: | Germany 12%, Ukraine 10%, Greece 10%, Russia 9%, Yugoslavia 9% (2000)
Debt - external: | $1.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $150 million (2001 est.)
Currency: | Macedonian denar (MKD)
Currency code: | MKD
Exchange rates: | Macedonian denars per US dollar - 64.757 (January 2001), 65.904 (2000), 56.902 (1999), 54.462 (1998), 50.004 (1997)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Telephones - main lines in use: | 408,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 12,362 (1997)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: | 410,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)
Televisions: | 510,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .mk
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 6 (2000)
Internet users: | 100,000 (2001)

Transportation | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Railways: | total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) note: a 56-km extension of the Kumanovo-Beljakovce line to the Bulgarian border at Gyueshevo is under construction (2001)
Highways: | total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,144 km (1997)
Waterways: | note: lake transport only, on the Greek and Albanian borders
Pipelines: | 10 km
Ports and harbors: | none
Airports: | 17 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2001)

Military | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Military branches: | Army (ARM), Air and Air Defense Forces, Police Force
Military manpower - military age: | 19 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 551,523 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 444,575 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 17,905 (2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $200 million (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues | Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of

Disputes - international: | dispute with Greece over country's name persists; 2001 FYROM-Yugoslavia boundary delimitation agreement, which adjusts former republic boundaries, was signed and ratified and awaits demarcation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo dispute legitimacy of the agreement, which cedes small tracts of Kosovo lands to FYROM
Illicit drugs: | major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe

This page was last updated on 1 January 2002