ARCHIVE // MK // 2023
North Macedonia
2023 Edition — sovereign
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Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 475,569 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 23 (2020 est.)
Broadcast media
[time series]
public service TV broadcaster Macedonian Radio and Television operates 3 national terrestrial TV channels and 2 satellite TV channels; additionally, there are 10 regional TV stations that broadcast nationally using terrestrial transmitters, 54 TV channels with concession for cable TV, 9 regional TV stations with concessions for cable TV; 4 satellite TV channels broadcasting on a national level, 21 local commercial TV channels, and a large number of cable operators that offer domestic and international programming; the public radio broadcaster operates over 3 stations; there are 4 privately owned radio stations that broadcast nationally; 17 regional radio stations, and 49 local commercial radio stations (2019)
Internet country code
[time series]
.mk
Internet users
[time series]
total: 1.743 million (2021 est.) percent of population: 83% (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems
[time series]
general assessment: as part of the EU pre-accession process, North Macedonia has built closer economic ties with the Union which accounts for 77.5% of Macedonia s exports and just over half of its imports; closer regulatory and administrative ties with European Commission (EC) institutions have done much to develop the telecom sector and prepare the market for the competitive environment encouraged in the EU; as part of EU integration legislation North Macedonia has implemented the principles of the EU s regulatory framework for communications, established an independent regulator and set out several provisions to provide for a competitive telecom market, including wholesale access to the incumbent s fixed-line network; broadband services are widely available, with effective competition between DSL and cable platforms complemented by wireless broadband and a developing fiber sector; the number of DSL subscribers has continued to fall in recent years as customers are migrated to fiber networks; the MNOs are increasingly focused on expanding their 5G networks, seeking stronger coverage across North Macedonia s high value urban areas; mobile data services are also becoming increasingly important following investments in LTE network rollouts and in upgrades to LTE-A technology (2022) domestic: fixed-line roughly 20 per 100 and mobile-cellular 92 per 100 subscriptions (2021) international: country code - 389
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 425,646 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2021 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 1,941,352 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2021 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
milk, grapes, wheat, potatoes, green chillies/peppers, cabbages, tomatoes, maize, barley, watermelons
Average household expenditures
[time series]
on food: 30.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 7.3% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $3.505 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $4.5 billion (2020 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
[time series]
-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
[time series]
Fitch rating: BB+ (2019) Standard & Poors rating: BB- (2013) note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Current account balance
[time series]
-$420.178 million (2021 est.) -$360.444 million (2020 est.) -$376.487 million (2019 est.)
Debt - external
[time series]
$9.065 billion (2019 est.) $9.398 billion (2018 est.)
Economic overview
[time series]
growing upper middle-income European economy; EU accession stalled due to Bulgarian dispute; new NATO member; private consumption-driven growth; investment declined due to COVID-19; regional economic power gains since Greek naming resolution
Exchange rates
[time series]
Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - 52.102 (2021 est.) 54.144 (2020 est.) 54.947 (2019 est.) 52.107 (2018 est.) 54.665 (2017 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$9.157 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $7.19 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $7.8 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
support catalysts, centrifuges, insulated wiring, iron alloys, seats (2021)
Exports - partners
[time series]
Germany 45%, Serbia 8%, Bulgaria 5% (2019)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$12.696 billion (2019 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 65.6% (2017 est.) government consumption: 15.6% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 13.6% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 20.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 54% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -69% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 10.9% (2017 est.) industry: 26.6% (2017 est.) services: 62.5% (2017 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
[time series]
33 (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 25% (2015 est.)
Imports
[time series]
$11.354 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $8.773 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars $9.605 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
platinum, refined petroleum, laboratory ceramics, cars, insulated wiring (2019)
Imports - partners
[time series]
United Kingdom 14%, Germany 14%, Greece 8%, Serbia 8% (2019)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
-2.37% (2021 est.)
Industries
[time series]
food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
3.23% (2021 est.) 1.2% (2020 est.) 0.77% (2019 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
916,200 (2021 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
21.6% (2018 est.)
Public debt
[time series]
39.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 39.5% of GDP (2016 est.) note: official data from Ministry of Finance; data cover central government debt; this data excludes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; includes treasury debt held by foreign entitites; excludes debt issued by sub-national entities; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$34.007 billion (2021 est.) $32.71 billion (2020 est.) $34.839 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
3.96% (2021 est.) -6.11% (2020 est.) 3.91% (2019 est.)
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$16,500 (2021 est.) $15,800 (2020 est.) $16,800 (2019 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$4.129 billion (31 December 2021 est.) $4.126 billion (31 December 2020 est.) $3.651 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
16.13% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Unemployment rate
[time series]
16.2% (2021 est.) 17.2% (2020 est.) 17.26% (2019 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 34.1% (2021 est.) male: 31.6% female: 38.4%
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
7.383 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 3.866 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.094 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 423,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Coal
[time series]
production: 5.026 million metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 5.211 million metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 1,000 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 174,000 metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 332 million metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 1.928 million kW (2020 est.) consumption: 6,350,982,000 kWh (2019 est.) exports: 639 million kWh (2020 est.) imports: 2.965 billion kWh (2020 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 979 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 100% (2021)
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
fossil fuels: 71.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 24.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 1.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
53.572 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 218.917 million cubic meters (2019 est.) exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) imports: 218.917 million cubic meters (2019 est.) proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 22,700 bbl/day (2019 est.) crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
[time series]
3,065 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
[time series]
23,560 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Environment
Air pollutants
[time series]
particulate matter emissions: 25.17 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 7.05 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 2.28 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
[time series]
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Environment - current issues
[time series]
air pollution from metallurgical plants; Skopje has severe air pollution problems every winter as a result of industrial emissions, smoke from wood-buring stoves, and exhaust fumes from old cars
International environmental agreements
(Environment - international agreements)
[time series]
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 44.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 26.5% (2018 est.) forest: 39.8% (2018 est.) other: 15.9% (2018 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Revenue from coal
[time series]
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
[time series]
0.15% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
6.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 310 million cubic meters (2020 est.) industrial: 20 million cubic meters (2020 est.) agricultural: 140 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 796,585 tons (2016 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1,434 tons (2013 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 0.2% (2013 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total: 25,713 sq km land: 25,433 sq km water: 280 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly larger than Vermont; almost four times the size of Delaware
Climate
[time series]
warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Coastline
[time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m lowest point: Vardar River 50 m mean elevation: 741 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
41 50 N, 22 00 E
Geography - note
[time series]
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
Irrigated land
[time series]
844 sq km (2016)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 838 km border countries (5): Albania 181 km; Bulgaria 162 km; Greece 234 km; Kosovo 160 km; Serbia 101 km
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 44.3% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 1.4% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 26.5% (2018 est.) forest: 39.8% (2018 est.) other: 15.9% (2018 est.)
Location
[time series]
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Major watersheds (area sq km)
[time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)
Map references
[time series]
Europe
Maritime claims
[time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
[time series]
high seismic risks
Natural resources
[time series]
low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land
Population distribution
[time series]
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Terrain
[time series]
mountainous with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
70 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina) and 1 city* (grad); Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Caska, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostuse, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Skopje*, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
Capital
[time series]
name: Skopje geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: Skopje derives from its ancient name Scupi, the Latin designation of a classical era Greco-Roman frontier fortress town; the name may go back even further to a pre-Greek, Illyrian name
Citizenship
[time series]
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of North Macedonia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years
Constitution
[time series]
history: several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; final approval requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2019; this amendment was the result of the 2018 Prespa Agreement with Greece, in which the constitutional name of the country would be changed to the Republic of North Macedonia - previously the Republic of Macedonia - in exchange for assurances that Greece would no longer object to North Macedonia's integration in international organizations
Country name
[time series]
conventional long form: Republic of North Macedonia conventional short form: North Macedonia local long form: Republika Severna Makedonija local short form: Severna Makedonija former: Democratic Federal Macedonia, People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Macedonia etymology: the country name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.)
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Angela AGGELER (since 8 November 2022) embassy: Str. Samoilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje mailing address: 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 telephone: [389] (2) 310-2000 FAX: [389] (2) 310-2499 email address and website: SkopjeACS@state.gov https://mk.usembassy.gov/
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran POPOV (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 email address and website: washington@mfa.gov.mk consulate(s) general: Chicago, Detroit, New York
Executive branch
[time series]
chief of state: President Stevo PENDAROVSKI (since 12 May 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Dimitar KOVACEVSKI (since 16 January 2022) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote elections/appointments: president directly elected using a modified 2-round system; a candidate can only be elected in the first round with an absolute majority from all registered voters; in the second round, voter turnout must be at least 40% for the result to be deemed valid; president elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 21 April and 5 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Assembly; Dimitar KOVACEVSKI elected prime minister by the Assembly on 16 January 2022; Assembly vote - NA election results: 2019: Stevo PENDAROVSKI elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 44.8%, Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (VMRO-DPMNE) 44.2%, Blenim REKA (independent) 11.1%; percent of vote in second round - Stevo PENDAROVSKI 53.6%, Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA 46.4% 2014: Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Gjorge IVANOV (VMRO-DPMNE) 53.1%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 38.6%, Ilijaz HALIMI (DPA) 4.6%, Zoran POPOVSKI (GROM) 3.7%; percent of vote in second round - Gjorge IVANOV 57.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI 42.7%
Flag
(Flag description)
[time series]
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
Government type
[time series]
parliamentary republic
Independence
[time series]
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
International law organization participation
[time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
[time series]
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: North Macedonia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership
Judicial branch
[time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 22 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Council, a 7-member body of legal professionals, and appointed by the Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Assembly for nonrenewable, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts
Legal system
[time series]
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Legislative branch
[time series]
description: unicameral Assembly - Sobraine in Macedonian, Kuvend in Albanian (between 120 and 140 seats, currently 120; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed-list proportional representation vote; possibility of 3 directly elected in diaspora constituencies by simple majority vote provided there is sufficient voter turnout; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 15 July 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - We Can 35.9%, Renewal 34.6%, BDI 11.5%, AfA-Alternative 9%, The Left 4.1%, PDSh 1.5%, other 3.4%; seats by party/coalition - We Can 46, Renewal 44, BDI 15, AfA-Alternative 12, The Left 2, PDSh 1; composition - men 70, women 50, percent of women 41.7%
National anthem(s)
(National anthem)
[time series]
name: "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia) lyrics/music: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI note: written in 1943 and adopted in 1991, the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia
National heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region; Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 8 September (1991), also known as National Day
National symbol(s)
[time series]
eight-rayed sun; national colors: red, yellow
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Alliance for Albanians or AfA [Ziadin SELA] Alternative (Alternativa) [Afrim GASHI] Besa Movement [Bilal KASAMI] Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI] Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [Ali AHMETI] Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Hristijan MICKOSKI] Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI] Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Goran MILEVSKI] Renewal [Maja MORACHANIN] Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Dimitar KOVACHEVSKI] The Left (Levica) [Dimitar APASIEV] Turkish Democratic Party of DPT [Beycan ILYAS] We Can (coalition includes SDSM/Besa/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP)
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
North Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name of "Macedonia." Greek objection to the new country s name, insisting it implied territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of Macedonia, and democratic backsliding for several years stalled the country s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name "Macedonia" was used. The country was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia," and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution continued. Over time, the US and over 130 other nations recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into a conflict in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. In January 2018, the government adopted a new law on languages, which elevated the Albanian language to an official language at the national level, with the Macedonian language remaining the sole official language in international relations. Relations between ethnic Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain complicated, however. In June 2018, Macedonia and Greece signed the Prespa Agreement whereby Macedonia agreed to change its name to North Macedonia. Following ratification by both countries, the agreement went in to force on 12 February 2019. North Macedonia then joined NATO in 2020 after amending its constitution per the deal and opened EU accession talks in 2022 after a two-year veto by Bulgaria over identity, language, and historical disputes. North Macedonia has been an EU candidate since 2005. A nearly three-year political crisis from 2014 to 2017 began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretapped material that revealed alleged widespread government corruption and abuse. The country still faces challenges, including fully implementing reforms to overcome years of democratic backsliding, stimulating economic growth and development, and fighting organized crime and corruption.
Military and Security
Military - note
[time series]
the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM) is responsible for the defense of the country s territory and independence, fulfilling North Macedonia s commitments to NATO and European security, and contributing to EU, NATO, and UN peace and security missions; the ARSM has participated in multinational missions and operations in Afghanistan (NATO), Bosnia and Herzegovina (EU), Eastern Europe (NATO), Iraq (NATO), Kosovo (NATO), and Lebanon (UN); a key area of focus over the past decade has been improving capabilities and bringing the largely Soviet-era-equipped ARSM up to NATO standards; it has increased its participation in NATO training exercises since becoming the 30th member of the Alliance in 2020 and currently has small numbers of combat troops deployed to Bulgaria and Romania as part of NATO s Enhance Forward Presence mission implemented because of Russian military aggression against Ukraine the ARSM is a joint force led by a general staff with subordinate commands for operations, logistics, reserves, special operations, and training; the Operational Command includes the active air and ground combat forces, which include a mechanized infantry brigade, an air brigade with a small combat helicopter squadron, and a ground air defense unit; the Special Operations Command has battalions of rangers and special forces, while the Reserve Forces Command has an infantry brigade (2023)
Military and security forces
[time series]
Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARSM): the ARSM is a joint force with air, ground, reserve, special operations, and support forces (2023) note: the Police of Macedonia maintain internal security, including migration and border enforcement, and report to the Ministry of the Interior
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
approximately 6,500 active-duty personnel (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
[time series]
the military's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment, although in recent years it has received small amounts of more modern equipment from countries such as Turkey and the US (2023)
Military expenditures
[time series]
1.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2021) 1.2% of GDP (2020) 1.2% of GDP (2019)
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2007 (2023) note: as of 2023, women made up about 10% of the military's full-time personnel
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 16.06% (male 177,156/female 165,540) 15-64 years: 68.69% (male 742,990/female 722,359) 65 years and over: 15.25% (2023 est.) (male 143,539/female 181,826)
Alcohol consumption per capita
[time series]
total: 3.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
10.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Child marriage
[time series]
women married by age 15: 0.3% women married by age 18: 7.5% (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
0.9% (2018/19)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
[time series]
59.9% (2018/19)
Current health expenditure
[time series]
7.9% of GDP (2020)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
[time series]
66.5% (2023 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 44.6 youth dependency ratio: 23.2 elderly dependency ratio: 21.4 potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
improved: urban: 99.7% of population rural: 99% of population total: 99.4% of population unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population rural: 1% of population total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)
Education expenditure
(Education expenditures)
[time series]
NA
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Macedonian 58.4%, Albanian 24.3%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.5%, Serb 1.3%, other 2.3%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no ethnic affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.) note: data represent total resident population; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5 13% of North Macedonia s population
Gross reproduction rate
[time series]
0.74 (2023 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no language data was available 7.2% (2021 est.); note - data represent mother tongue; minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where they are spoken by at least 20% of the population; Albanian is co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities; Turkish is co-official in Centar Zupa and Plasnica; Romani is co-official in Suto Orizari; Aromanian is co-official in Krusevo; Serbian is co-official in Cucer Sandevo major-language sample(s): Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 77.1 years (2023 est.) male: 75 years female: 79.3 years
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98.4% male: 99.1% female: 97.6% (2020)
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
611,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 40.1 years (2023 est.) male: 39.1 years female: 41.2 years
Mother's mean age at first birth
[time series]
26.9 years (2020 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian
Net migration rate
[time series]
0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
22.4% (2016)
Physician density
(Physicians density)
[time series]
2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2015)
Population
[time series]
2,133,410 (2023 est.)
Population distribution
[time series]
a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations
Population growth rate
[time series]
0.11% (2023 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Macedonian Orthodox 46.1%, Muslim 32.2%, other Christian 13.8%, other and non-believers 0.5%, unspecified 0.2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no religious affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
[time series]
improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 98% of population total: 99.2% of population unimproved: urban: 0% of population rural: 2% of population total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2020)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
1.52 children born/woman (2023 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
[time series]
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
North Macedonia-Albania : none identified North Macedonia-Greece : none identified North Macedonia-Kosovo : North Macedonia and Kosovo completed demarcation of their boundary in October 2009 North Macedonia-Serbia : none identified
Illicit drugs
[time series]
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
refugees (country of origin): 18,680 (Ukraine) (as of 14 November 2023) stateless persons: 521 (2022) note: 562,235 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-October 2023)
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
10 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
8 note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
2 note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
Z3
Pipelines
[time series]
262 km gas, 120 km oil (2017)
Railways
[time series]
total: 699 km (2020) 313 km electrified
Roadways
[time series]
total: 14,182 km (2017) (includes 290 km of expressways) paved: 9,633 km (2017) unpaved: 4,549 km (2017)