MACEDONIA LAND OF ETERNAL SUNSHINE

  Republic of Macedonia (Makedonija) landlocked republic in south-eastern Europe, in the Balkan Peninsula. A former constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), it is bounded on the north by Serbia, on the east by Bulgaria, on the south by Greece, and on the west by Albania. Macedonia has a total area of 25,713 sq km (9,928 sq mi). Skopje is its capital and largest city.

Official name Republika Makedonija (Republic of Macedonia).

Form of government Unitary multiparty republic with a unicameral legislature (Assembly [120]).

Head of state President.

Head of government Prime Minister.

Independence 17 September 1991 (from former Yugoslavia)

Constitution Adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Voting Rights Universal at age 18

Membership of international organizations

CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, IAEA, ICAO, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT (non-signatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, WMO

Capital Skopje 563,102 (1994)

Official language Macedonian.The language uses the Cyrillic script.

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 67 per cent
Muslim 30 per cent
Other 3 per cent

Land and Resources

  The terrain of Macedonia is punctuated alternately by deep valleys and rugged mountains and hills. More than one-third of the republic's territory-primarily along the western side-is forested with trees such as beech, pine, and oak. The republic's four largest lakes-Ohrid, Prespa, Dojran, and Mavrovo-occupy a total area of 679.2 sq km (407.5 sq mi) Mount Korab, the highest point in Macedonia on the western border with Albania, rises 2,751 m (9,026 ft). The Vardar River, which originates in the north-western part of the republic and bisects it, is the longest river. It flows into Greece in the south-east, where it is called the Axiós River, and drains into the Aegean Sea.

  MACEDONIA has a mixed Mediterranean-continental climate. The republic's mountainous regions are characterized by hot and dry summers and autumns, while winters are cold with heavy snowfalls.

  The republic is relatively rich in mineral resources, including zinc, lead, silver, gold, antimony, manganese, nickel, chromium, copper, iron ore, and tungsten. Output in 1992 included 1.13 million tonnes of lead-zinc ore, 54,758 tonnes of lead-zinc concentrate, 3.57 million tonnes of copper ore, 39,099 tonnes of copper concentrate, and 13,572 tonnes of chromium ore and concentrate. Mineral and thermal springs are also common. The republic is in an area of high seismic activity. Skopje suffered a devastating earthquake in 1963.

DEBAR LAKE

OHRID LAKE BY NIGHT

  

BISTRA MOUNTAIN

Population 2,163,000 (1995 estimate)

Population growth rate 1.1 per cent (1990-1995 average)

Population density

84 persons per square kilometre (1995 estimate)
217.6 persons per square mile (1995 estimate)

Life Expectancy

Total 72 years (1995 estimate)
Female 75 years (1995 estimate)
Male 69 years (1995 estimate)

Ethnic Divisions

Macedonian 65 per cent
Albanian 22 per cent
Turkish 4 per cent
Serb 2 per cent
Other 7 per cent

Urban-rural (1994) urban 58.7%; rural 41.3%.

Principal Cities

  More than half (about 54 per cent, 1994) of the republic's population lives in urban areas. The main cities are the capital- Skopje (population, 1994; 563,102), Tetovo (180,605), Kumanovo (135,482), Bitola (population, 1991; 84,000), and Prilep (70,150), Ohrid.

Education

  Education is free and compulsory for eight years, and nearly 90 per cent of the population over the age of ten can read and write. Approximately 70 per cent of the population also completes secondary or tertiary education. In the early 1990s approximately 262,100 children attended primary schools, 72,000 pupils were in secondary and tertiary schools, and 24,800 students were in higher education. The University of Skopje, which was founded in 1949, and Bitola University (1979) are the republic's two accepted universities.

ECONOMY

Unit of currency 1 denar, consisting of 100 para

Exports

  Manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, raw materials, food (rice), livestock, beverages, tobacco, chemicals

Imports

  Fuels and lubricants, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, food and livestock, chemicals, raw materials, beverages, tobacco

Major trading partners for exports

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Germany, Greece, Albania

Major trading partners for imports

  Other former Yugoslav republics, Greece, Albania, Germany, Bulgaria

Industries

  Low levels of technology predominate, such as oil refining by distillation only; production of basic liquid fuels, coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, and ferronickel; light industry produces basic textiles, wood products, and tobacco.

Agriculture

  Meets the basic need for food; principal crops are rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, and millet; also grown are cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus fruits and vegetables; agricultural production is highly labour intensive.

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