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Location
Former Yugoslav Republic; southeastern Europe.
Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Area
25,713 sq km (9,928 sq miles).
The former Yugoslav republic of ‘Macedonia’ is only one of three areas of the historical region of ‘Macedonia’, which includes Pirin Macedonia (Bulgaria) and Aegean Macedonia (Greece), with a total area of 66,600 sq km (25,700 sq miles), most of which is in Greece. In deference to Greek sensibilities, the United Nations and other international organisations have formally recognised Macedonia under the interim name of ‘The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’; however this is gradually reverting to ‘The Republic of Macedonia’. In 2004, the US began using its constitutional name but negotiations with Greece to resolve the name issue continue.
The former Yugoslav republic of ‘Macedonia’ is only one of three areas of the historical region of ‘Macedonia’, which includes Pirin Macedonia (Bulgaria) and Aegean Macedonia (Greece), with a total area of 66,600 sq km (25,700 sq miles), most of which is in Greece. In deference to Greek sensibilities, the United Nations and other international organisations have formally recognised Macedonia under the interim name of ‘The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’; however this is gradually reverting to ‘The Republic of Macedonia’. In 2004, the US began using its constitutional name but negotiations with Greece to resolve the name issue continue.
Population
2,055,915 (CIA estimate 2007).
Population Density
80 per sq km.
Capital
Skopje. Population: 450,000 (UN estimate 2003).
Geography
Roughly rectangular in shape, and on the strategic Vardar Valley north–south communications route, Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic) is landlocked, bordering Serbia & Montenegro to the north, Albania to the west, Greece to the south and Bulgaria to the east.
Government
Republic since 1991. Gained independence from Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Montenegro) in 1991.
Head of State
President Branko Crvenkovski since 2004.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski since 2006.
Recent History
Vlado Buckovski's Social Democrat coalition was beaten by the opposition nationalist party VMRO-DPMNE in the July 2006 elections. VMRO-DPMNE is led by Nikola Gruevski, a former finance minister. Macedonia was awarded EU candidate status in December 2005. The Macedonian parliament approved a new government proposed by Gruevski on 26 August 2006.
Along with Albania and Croatia, Macedonia is expected to be invited to join NATO at its next summit in 2008.
Along with Albania and Croatia, Macedonia is expected to be invited to join NATO at its next summit in 2008.
Language
Macedonian (a slavonic language using the Cyrillic script) is the most widely used language. Albanian, Turkish and Serbo-Croat are also used by ethnic groups. English, French and German are widely spoken.
Religion
67% of the population are Eastern Orthodox Macedonians and around 23% are Muslim Albanians. There are also Muslim Turks and Serbian Orthodox minorities. As elsewhere in the former Yugoslav federation, local politics are now strongly divided along national religious lines.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Social Conventions
Handshaking is the common practice on introduction. Local business protocol is fairly informal, but things go very slowly or not at all owing to the local bureaucracy and the more recent general socio-economic collapse in the Republic.