]! ^! International recognition of Macedonia's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the 2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia. 
]" ^" Southeastern Europe, north of Greece ^# 41 50 N, 22 00 E ^$ Europe ^% `! 25,333 sq km `" 24,856 sq km `# 477 sq km ^& slightly larger than Vermont ^' `! 766 km `U Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km ^( 0 km (landlocked) ^) none (landlocked) ^* warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall ^+ mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River ^, `% Vardar River 50 m `& Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m ^- low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land ^. `' 22.26% `( 1.81% `) 75.93% (2001) ^/ 550 sq km (1998 est.) ^0 high seismic risks ^1 air pollution from metallurgical plants _J `K Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands `L none of the selected agreements ^2 landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe 
]# ^3 2,045,262 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* 20.5% (male 217,057/female 202,465) `+ 68.7% (male 707,489/female 697,150) `, 10.8% (male 97,117/female 123,984) (2005 est.) ^5 `! 32.8 years `- 31.7 years `. 33.9 years (2005 est.) ^6 0.26% (2005 est.) ^7 12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^8 8.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^9 -0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) ^: `/ 1.08 male(s)/female `0 1.07 male(s)/female `+ 1.02 male(s)/female `, 0.78 male(s)/female `1 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.) ^; `! 10.09 deaths/1,000 live births `- 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births `. 9.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) ^< `1 73.73 years `- 71.28 years `. 76.37 years (2005 est.) ^= 1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.) ^> less than 0.1% (2001 est.) ^? less than 200 (2003 est.) ^@ less than 100 (2003 est.) ^A `2 Macedonian(s) `3 Macedonian ^B Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census) ^C Macedonian Orthodox 32.4%, other Christian 0.2%, Muslim 16.9%, other and unspecified 50.5% (2002 census) ^D Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census) ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write `1 96.1% `- 98.2% `. 94.1% (2002 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Republic of Macedonia `5 Macedonia; note - the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) `V Republika Makedonija `W Makedonija `X People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia ^H parliamentary democracy ^I Skopje ^J 85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute "greater Skopje" ^K 8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing independence from Yugoslavia) ^L Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day and Ilinden ^M adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights ^N based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `6 President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) `7 Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17 December 2004) `8 Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI `9 president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) `: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the Assembly ^Q unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve four-year terms) `9 last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006) `: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5), VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1 ^R Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges ^S Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party [Marjan GJORCEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT) [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Option or VMRO-Vistinska [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers' Party [Vejljo TANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA] ^T Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; Movement for Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA] ^U ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ^V `N Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV `O Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 `P [1] (202) 337-3063 `Q [1] (202) 337-3093 `R Southfield (Michigan) ^W `N Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER `Z Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje `[ American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) `P [389] 2 311-6180 `Q [389] 2 311-7103 ^X a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field 
]% ^Y At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the down-sized Yugoslavia, one of its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then rose by a moderate 3.4% in 2003, and is estimated at 1.3% in 2004. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains a critical economic problem. Much of the extensive grey market activity falls outside official statistics. ^Z $14.4 billion (2004 est.) ^[ 1.3% (2004 est.) ^\ purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.) ^] `; 11.2% `< 26% `= 62.8% (2004 est.) ^^ 855,000 (2004 est.) ^_ agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% ^` 37.7% (3rd quarter, 2004 est.) ^a 30.2% (2003 est.) _! `> NA% `? NA% _" 0.4% (2004 est.) _P 17.5% of GDP (2004 est.) _# `@ $1.198 billion `A $1.245 billion, including capital expenditures of $114 million (2004 est.) _Q 20% of GDP (2004 est.) _$ wheat, grapes, rice, tobacco, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton _% coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel _& 0% (2004 est.) _' 6.273 billion kWh (2003) _( 7.216 billion kWh (2003) _) 0 kWh (2003) _* 953 million kWh (2003) _+ 0 bbl/day (2003 est.) _, 22,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) _- NA _. NA _X $-311 million (2004 est.) _/ $1.629 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) _0 food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel _1 Serbia and Montenegro 31.4%, Germany 19.9%, Greece 8.9%, Croatia 6.9%, US 4.9% (2004) _2 $2.677 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) _3 machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products, automobiles _4 Greece 15.4%, Germany 13.1%, Serbia and Montenegro 10.4%, Slovenia 8.6%, Bulgaria 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Romania 4.7% (2004) _Y $928 million (2004 est.) _5 $1.863 billion (2004 est.) _6 $250 million (2003 est.) _7 Macedonian denar (MKD) _8 Macedonian denars per US dollar - 49.41 (2004), 54.32 (2003), 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000) _9 calendar year 
]& _: 560,000 (2002) _; 830,000 (2005) _< `B NA `C NA `D country code - 389 _= AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998) _> 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995) _? .mk _@ 3,738 (2004) _A 100,000 (2002) 
]' _e `! 699 km `b 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2004) _B `! 8,684 km `E 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) `F 3,144 km (1999 est.) _[ gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004) _D 17 (2004 est.) _E `! 10 `G 2 `T 8 (2004 est.) _L `! 7 `_ 3 `T 4 (2004 est.) 
]( _F Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes Air and Air Defense Command) _M conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript duty is 6 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (January 2005) _] males age 18-49: 498,259 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 411,156 (2005 est.) _^ `` 16,686 (2005 est.) _N $200 million (FY01/02 est.) _O 6% (FY01/02 est.) 
]) _H ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia _c IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned) (2004) _I major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions for money laundering to date) 