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| Introduction | Macedonia |
| Background: | International recognition of Macedonia's 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. Macedonia's large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in Macedonia in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension. |
| People | Macedonia |
| Population: | 2,071,210 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 21.5% (male 231,078; female 213,906) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 707,298; female 696,830) 65 years and over: 10.7% (male 97,437; female 124,661) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 32.8 years male: 31.7 years female: 33.9 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.39% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 13.14 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -1.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 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 (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 11.74 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 12.67 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.73 years male: 72.45 years female: 77.2 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.74 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | less than 100 (2001 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian |
| Ethnic groups: | Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.8%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.3% (2002) |
| Religions: | Macedonian Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29%, other 1% |
| Languages: | Macedonian 68%, Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2%, other 2% |
| Literacy: | definition: NA total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
| Government | Macedonia |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form: Macedonia local long form: Republika Makedonija former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia local short form: Makedonija |
| Government type: | parliamentary 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: | 8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing independence (from Yugoslavia) |
| National holiday: | Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden |
| Constitution: | adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Assembly approved 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 Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) head of government: Acting Prime Minister Radmila SEKERINSKA (since 15 November 2004) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Hari KOSTOV elected prime minister by the Assembly 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 SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI) |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (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 - Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33, Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1 elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges |
| Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdulmenaf BEXHETI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM [leader NA] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Southfield, Michigan FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 91000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 321-3767 |
| Flag description: | a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field |
| Communications | Macedonia |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 560,000 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 365,300 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 389 |
| 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 hosts: | 3,738 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 6 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 100,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Macedonia |
| Railways: | total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2003) |
| Highways: | total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.) |
| Pipelines: | gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004) |
| Ports and harbors: | none |
| Airports: | 17 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Macedonia |
| Military branches: | Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; including Air and Air Defense Command) |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service, tour of conscript duty is 6 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2004) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 555,611 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 448,095 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 17,595 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $200 million (FY01/02 est.) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 6% (FY01/02 est.) |
| Transnational Issues | Macedonia |
| Disputes - international: | the Albanian government calls for the protection of the rights of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia while continuing to seek regional cooperation; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo resist demarcation of the Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro boundary in accordance with the 2000 delimitation treaty, which transfered a small amount of land to Macedonia; dispute with Greece over country's name persists |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned) (2004) |
| Illicit drugs: | major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions for money laundering to date) |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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