Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991. 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. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

slightly larger than Vermont

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

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

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

air pollution from metallurgical plants

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

2,077,328 (July 2011 est.)

11.87 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

8.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

-0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

SKOPJE (capital) 480,000 (2009)

1.58 children born/woman (2011 est.)

less than 0.1% (2007 est.)

fewer than 200 (2007 est.)

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 100% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0% of population (2008)

urban: 92% of population

rural: 82% of population

total: 89% of population

urban: 8% of population

rural: 18% of population

total: 11% of population (2008)

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

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

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

parliamentary democracy

84 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, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Gjorce Petrov) (Skopje), Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, 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 Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (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

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

Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day

adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001, 2005 and in 2009

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

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; members serve four-year terms)

Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Judicial Council

Democratic Alliance or DS [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of the Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Turks in Macedonia [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization--Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP; Liberal Party [Borce STOJANOVSKI]; Movement for Reconstruction of Macedonia or DOM [Liljana POPOVSKA]; New Alternative [Gjorgji OROVCANEC]; New Democracy or DR [Imer SELMANI]; New Social-Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Action in Macedonia or SDAM [Avdija PEPIC]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Social-Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Socialist Party or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-DZINGO]; Union of Roma of Macedonia [Amdi BAJRAM]; United for Macedonia or OM [Ljube BOSKOVSKI]; VMRO-Macedonian [Borislav STOJMENOV]

Federation of Free Trade Unions [Rasko MISHKOSKI]; Federation of Trade Unions [Zivko MITREVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture [Yakim NEDELKOV]

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

a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field; the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia

Having a small, open economy makes Macedonia vulnerable to economic developments in Europe and dependent on regional integration and progress toward EU membership for continued economic growth. 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, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. Since then, Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at 31.7%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20% of GDP, that is not captured by official statistics. In the wake of the global economic downturn, Macedonia has experienced decreased foreign direct investment, lowered credit, and a large trade deficit. However, as a result of conservative fiscal policies and a sound financial system, in 2010 the country received slightly improved credit ratings. Macroeconomic stability also was maintained by a prudent monetary policy, which kept the domestic currency at the pegged level against the euro, while interest rates were falling. As a result, GDP growth was modest, but positive, in 2010.

$20 billion (2010 est.)

$19.86 billion (2009 est.)

$20.04 billion (2008 est.)

$9.108 billion (2010 est.)

31.7% (3rd quarter, 2010 est.)

23.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

34.2% of GDP (November 2010 est.)

31.6% of GDP (2009 est.)

6.5% (31 December 2009)

6.5% (31 December 2008)

8.2% (30 November 2010 est.)

9.3% (31 December 2009 est.)

$1.146 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$1.224 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.134 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$4.858 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.001 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$4.055 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$2.647 billion (31 December 2010)

$2.859 billion (31 December 2009)

$823.5 million (31 December 2008)

grapes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs

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

4% (November 2010 est.)

6.819 billion kWh (2010 est.)

8.189 billion kWh (2010 est.)

1.37 billion kWh (2010 est.)

18,200 bbl/day (2010)

8,594 bbl/day (2010)

18,200 bbl/day (2009)

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

117.4 million cu m (2010)

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

$-328 million (2010 est.)

$-645.6 million (2009 est.)

$3.171 billion (2010 est.)

$2.686 billion (2009 est.)

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

Germany 20.31%, Greece 13.09%, Italy 11.08%, Bulgaria 10.61%, Croatia 7.74% (2009)

$5.113 billion (2010 est.)

$4.842 billion (2009 est.)

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

Germany 15.11%, Greece 14.88%, Bulgaria 9.08%, Italy 7.68%, Turkey 7.59%, Slovenia 6.26%, Hungary 4.31% (2009)

$2.217 billion (30 November 2010 est.)

$2.292 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$5.485 billion (30 September 2010 est.)

$5.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$3.739 billion (31 October 2010 est.)

$3.554 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$NA (31 December 2010)

$564 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar -

1.943 million (2009)

public television broadcaster operates 3 national channels and a satellite network; 5 privately-owned TV channels broadcast nationally using terrestrial transmitters and about 15 broadcast on national level via satellite; roughly 75 local commercial TV stations broadcasting; large number of cable operators offering domestic and international programming; public radio broadcaster operates over multiple stations; 3 privately-owned radio stations broadcast nationally; about 70 local commercial radio stations functioning (2010)

1.057 million (2009)

gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2010)

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV); Special Operations Regiment; Logistic Support Command; Training Command (2010)

18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2010)

6% of GDP (2005 est.)

Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

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