Macedonia

Facts

Background: Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. Fully implementing the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.
Location: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Area land: 25,433 sq km
Area water: 280 sq km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
Country name conventional short form: Macedonia
Country name former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Population: 2,077,328 (July 2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.5% (male 198,643/female 184,775); 15-64 years: 70% (male 733,601/female 720,103); 65 years and over: 11.6% (male 103,620/female 136,586) (2011 est.);
Population growth rate: 0.248% (2011 est.)
Birth rate: 11.87 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death rate: 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.077 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female; total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.);
Infant mortality rate: total: 8.54 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 8.76 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.14 years; male: 72.61 years; female: 77.87 years (2011 est.);
Total fertility rate: 1.58 children born/woman (2011 est.);
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2007 est.);
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: fewer than 200 (2007 est.);
HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2003 est.);
Nationality: noun: Macedonian(s); adjective: Macedonian;
Ethnic groups: Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census);
Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census);
Languages: Macedonian (official) 66.5%, Albanian (official) 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census);
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 96.1%; male: 98.2%; female: 94.1% (2002 census);
GDP (purchasing power parity): $19.46 billion (2010 est.); $19.21 billion (2009 est.); $19.31 billion (2008 est.);

GDP (official exchange rate): $9.17 billion (2010 est.);
GDP - real growth rate: 1.3% (2010 est.); -0.5% (2009 est.); 4.5% (2008 est.);
GDP - per capita (PPP): $9,400 (2010 est.); $9,300 (2009 est.); $9,400 (2008 est.);
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.7%; industry: 22.1%; services: 69.2% (2010 est.);
Population below poverty line: 28.7% (2008);
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4%; highest 10%: 29.6% (2003);
Labor force: 949,300 (2010 est.);
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 19.9%; industry: 22.1%; services: 58% (September 2010);
Unemployment rate: 31.7% (3rd quarter, 2010 est.); 32.2% (2009);
Budget: revenues: $2.772 billion; expenditures: $3.011 billion (2010 est.);
Industries: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals;
Industrial production growth rate: 4% (November 2010 est.);
Electricity - production: 6.819 billion kWh (2010 est.);
Electricity - consumption: 8.189 billion kWh (2010 est.);
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.);
Electricity - imports: 1.37 billion kWh (2010 est.);

Statistics: CIA World Factbook.

Press

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