Macedonia

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Macedonia's Information


Capital	Skopje
Languages	Macedonian (official) 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Romani 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 est.)
Religion	Macedonian Orthodox 64.8%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.4%, other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.)
Government	Parliamentary republic
Independance	8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
Area	25,713.00 km²
Water Area	280.00 km²
Land Area	25,433.00 km²
Population	2,100,025.00 A fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Location	Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Albania 181 km, Bulgaria 162 km, Greece 234 km, Kosovo 160 km, Serbia 101 km
GDP(PPP)	$29,520,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$14,500.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Germany, Kosovo, and Bulgaria.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, and textiles.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, and Greece.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, and food products.
Climate	Warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain	Mountainous with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Where is Macedonia?

Located in Southeastern Europe, Macedonia has a 838.00 km border with Albania (181 km), Bulgaria (162 km), Greece (234 km), Kosovo (160 km) and Serbia (101 km). Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008.

The capital city of Macedonia is Skopje. It is located on the northern part of Vardar River and north-south Balkan route. Skopje is not only the capital city but also the political, cultural, and economic center of Macedonia. It is the largest and the most populous city in the country, boasting over 506,000 residents within the city and about one million in the larger metropolitan area. The capital is a preferred tourist destination in Macedonia, hosting several ancient buildings and sites such as Byzantine churches, Roman aqueducts, and Ottoman mosques. The Memorial House of Mother Terasa was built in 2009 in Skopje in honor of Mother Teresa who was born in the city. Skopje experiences a semi-Mediterranean climate which is characterized by a short winter period.

Geography

Macedonia has a mean elevation of 741 m above sea level.

It experiences warm, dry summers and autumns and cold winters with heavy snowfall. Its terrain is mountainous with deep basins and valleys.

Population

Macedonia has a population of 2,100,025 making it the 145th largest in the world. The population is evenly dispersed throughout the country.

Macedonian is the official language, and Albanian and Turkish are both also widely spoken. The major ethnic groups reported are Macedonian, Albanian, and Turkish. The majority of the population is either Macedonian Orthodox or Muslim.

The official language of Macedonia is Macedonian. It is a South Slavic language that was adopted as the country’s national language in 1945. Macedonian is composed of 13 Cyrillic alphabetical letters and has been hugely influenced by Serbian. Macedonian is spoken by approximately 2.5 million people around the world, of which about 1.4 million are in Macedonia. It is spoken as a first language by over 60% of the total Macedonian population. The language is one of the minority languages in Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania. Macedonian is subdivided into three dialects, namely the northern, eastern, and western dialects. The minority languages spoken in Macedonia include Albania, Serbia, Romani, Turkish, Bosnia, and sign language.

Government

Macedonia is an independent country. It became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991. Its constitution was last ratified in 1991.

The executive arm of the government of Macedonia comprises of the prime minister and the cabinet ministers. The prime minister is in charge of the affairs of the government while the president is largely ceremonial. The other arms of government include the legislature and the executive. The legislature is in charge of legislation and the amending of laws while the judiciary administers justice to the people. The parliament’s meeting place, known as the Great Hall of Macedonian Parliament, is located in Skopje. The official workplace of the president, known as the Villa Vodno, is at the foothill of Vodno in Skopje. Elections in Macedonia take place every five years with citizens above the age of 18 taking part in the electoral process.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Macedonia's GDP is $29,520,000,000.00 (USD) with $14,500.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 131st largest economy and its citizens the 109th richest in the world. The currency of Macedonia is the Denar (MKD).

Its major export partners are Germany, Kosovo, and Bulgaria. Its main exports are foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, and textiles. Its major import partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, and Greece. Its major imports include machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, and food products.

Flag

The flag of Macedonia is rectangular in shape and is characterized by stylish yellow sun on a red background. The flag is referred to as “the new sun of liberty” and is mentioned in the national anthem. The Macedonian flag has eight stylish yellow sun runs that widen towards the edges of the flag and narrows towards the center (sun). The sun of liberty was designed in 1994 by Professor Miroslav Grcev in a competitive process that involved nine other designs. However, the flag was only adopted one year later on October 5, 1995, following a year long dispute with Greece over the use of the Vergan Sun symbol. Previously, the Macedonian flag was red in color with a golden five-edged star on it. The flag was modified to depict five pointed golden stars on the upper hoist side. The Vergan sun symbol was introduced at the center of the red flag in 1992. The flag had 8 outstanding rays and 8 minor rays originating from the middle.