Official name:

Republic of Macedonia

Population:

2,102,000

Density:

212 per sq.mi. (82 per sq.km.)

Urban:

54%

Capital:

Skopje (pop. 444,900)

Ethnic Groups:

Macedonians 67%, Albanians 21%, Turkish 4%, Serb 2%

Languages:

Macedonian, Albanian

Religions:

Eastern Orthodox 59%, Muslim 26%, Roman Catholic 4%

Life expectancy:

75 female, 71 male

Literacy:

89%

Government:

Republic

Parties:

see Political Parties in Macedonia

Suffrage:

Universal, over 18

Memberships:

UN

Subdivisions:

34 counties

GDP:

$ 2,200,000,000

Per capita:

$ 1,010

Monetary unit:

Denar

Trade partners:

Exports: Former Yugoslav Republics, Germany, Greece Imports: Former Yugoslav Republics, Grece, Albania

Exports:

manufactures, machinery and transportation equipment,food

Imports:

fuels and lubricants, manufactures, machinery and transportation equipment

Description:

Eastern Europe, landlocked

Area:

9,928 sq.mi. (25,713 sq.km.)

Highest point:

Korab 9,035 ft. (2,754 m.)

Lowest point:

along Vardar River 165 ft. (50 m.)

Brief Notes:

People: Most Macedonians are of Slavic background. Albanians are the most significant minority. Many Macedonians practice the Orthodox religion, although there is a significant Muslim minority in the western part of the country. Macedonians are proud of their folklore and traditional music.

Economy and the Land: Landlocked Macedonia is predominately mountaneous, and most of the people are involved in agriculture and herding. Agricultural products include cereal grains, tobacco, and cotton. The country has deposits of iron ore, lead, zinc, nickel, and chromium, but there are no significant mineral fuels.

History and Politics: The country of Macedonia is a part of a larger historical region of the same name. Macedonia reached its zenith under the rule of Alexander the Great, who created a vast Macedonian empire in the fourth century B.C. that extended from Egypt to northern India. The empire fell apart after Alexander's death, and Rome then conquered the region. The Slavic people, who were the ancestors of today's Macedonians, migrated to the area in the sixth century A.D. The region suffered numerous invasions over the centuries. After 500 years of Turkish rule, it was split between Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria in 1913, after serving as a battleground for the two Balkan wars. In 1945, the Serbian portion of Macedonia became a full and independent republic of Yugoslavia. It remained part of Yugoslavia until 1991, when it followed the lead of neighboring Yugoslav republics and declared its independence. International peacekeeping forces in Macedonia are attempting to prevent a spillover of ethnic strife. Greece opposes use of the name "Macedonia". U.S. and the European Union recognized Macedonia in 1994.