Macedonia – key data

Area: 25,713 km² (of which land: 25,433 km², water: 280 km²)

Population: 2.1 million (July 2011 estimate, CIA). Composition: Macedonians 64.2%, Albanians 25.2%, Turks 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serbs 1.8%, others 2.2% (2002 census)

Population density: 81 people per km²

Population growth: 0.248% per year (2011, CIA)

Capital: Skopje (506,926 residents, 2002)

Highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit), 2,764 m

Lowest point: Vardar river, 50 m

Form of government: Macedonia has been a republic since 1991, the constitution dates from the same year. The last constitutional amendment was made in 2001. The Macedonian unicameral parliament consists of 120MPs. Macedonia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia on September 8, 1991.

Administrative division: 84 municipalities (opstina, plural: opstini): Aerodrom, Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel, Cair, Caska, Centar, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov, Drugovo, Gazi Baba, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraji, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste,Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci

Head of State: President Gjorge Ivanov, since May 12, 2009

Head of Government: Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, since August 27, 2006

Language: the official language in Macedonia is Macedonian (66.5%). Other languages: Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Religion: Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslims 33.3%, other Christians 0.37%, other or no information 1.63% (2002 census)

Local time: CET + 1 h. Between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October there is summer time in Macedonia (CET + 2 hours).
The time difference to Central Europe both in winter and in summer 1 hour.

International phone code: +389

Internet identifier:.mk

Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz

According to localcollegeexplorer, the Republic of Macedonia is located in southeastern Europe on the southern Balkan Peninsula. Macedonia borders Serbia and Kosovo to the north, Albania to the west, Greece to the south and Bulgaria to the east. Its state area covers only 26,000 square kilometers and is therefore somewhat smaller than the state of Brandenburg, but has the same population density. Around two million of Macedonia’s residents live in the capital Skopje, which is more than a quarter of the total population.

The mountainous structure Macedonia comes about because the tectonic plates of Africa, Europe and Asia meet here. This causes, among other things, the creation of hot springs as well as increased earthquake activity.

This is characterized by high mountains and agriculturally used basin landscapes Landscape picture as well as many karst caves and the great lakes in the south of Macedonia. About 80% of the total area of ​​the country is covered by mountains, from which many peaks over 2,000 meters high protrude. The flatter interior is also 600 meters above that sea level.

The mountains of Macedonia present themselves in quite different forms. The mountains in the east of the country are more like gently sloping hills, while the west has the highest and steepest peaks. At 2,764 meters, the Golem Korab is the highest mountain in the country and also marks the border with Albania with its peak. The border situation also makes it difficult to climb this summit to its highest point. Only a few meters less point the Titov Vrv mountain near the town of Tetovo to second place. It is in the Sarberg Mountains, Macedonia’s longest mountain range, which extends beyond the country to Kosovo. In the south of Macedonia the mountains are not particularly lower either. The Bababerge can boast the 2,600 meter high summit of the Pelister, while the Galicica massif has been declared a national park due to the biodiversity of its flora and fauna. There are

three large lakes in the south of the country; they owe their origins to the tectonic activity of this region many thousands of years ago and extend into both Greece and Albania. Because of the living beings that only exist here and have long since become extinct elsewhere, Lake Ohrid became declared a world natural heritage. At an impressive 300 meters, it is the deepest lake in the Balkans and is also known as the “Macedonian Sea” because of its size of 350 square kilometers. Lake Ohrid is a popular summer resort and the only lake on which larger boats can also sail. Almost as big, but much shallower, is Prespa Lake, which is the only lake in the Balkans to have several islands. The borders of Macedonia, Albania and Greece converge exactly in the middle of the lake. The Dojran Lake is the third and smallest tectonic lake of Macedonia. It is only ten meters deep and its water level has been falling dramatically for a few years, which has brought about a variety of projects to save the lake, which is popular as a bathing lake and fishing water, from ecological collapse.

At 400 kilometers, the Vadar is the longest river in the country, which flows into the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki and which previously divides Macedonia into two halves. Other important rivers are Crna Reka, Treska and Babuna, but none of Macedonia’s rivers are navigable.