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Macedonia
Relevant information about Macedonia.The Republic of Macedonia is located in the central Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe and its bordering countries are Kosovo to the northwest, Serbia to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south and Albania to the west. Its capital city is Skopje (506,926 citizens). The country has a total area of 25,713 km and a population of 2,114,550 inhabitants, estimated in 2009. It has more than 50 lakes and 16 mountains. Macedonia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in September 1991. During the Kosovo War in 1999, approximately 360,000 Albanian refugees were sheltered in the country. Shortly after they left Macedonia, Albanian radicals demanded the autonomy and independence of the areas populated by Albanians in Macedonia, which led into a war between the government and Albanian within the months of March and June 2001. NATO ended the war and it was signed the Ohrid Agreement, which sustained that the government must give political power and recognition to the Albanian minority. Macedonia is a member of the UN, since 1993, and of the Council of Europe. Since 2005, it is a candidate for joining the EU and NATO.
Macedonia is inhabited by 2,114,550 citizens. Among the numerous ethnic groups, 64.8% of the population is Macedonians, making them the largest ethnic group in the country. They are followed by Albanians (25.17%) who predominate the western part of Macedonia; and, to a lesser extent, Turks (3.85%), Roma (2,66%), Serbs (1,78%) and Bosnians (0.84%). The republic is divided into eight arbitrary statistical regions, only for legal reasons: Skopje, Pelagonia, Polog, Eastern, Southeastern, Northeastern, Southwestern and Vardar. The largest cities are Skopje (with 506,926 citizens), Bitola, Kumanovo, Prilep, Tetovo, Ohrid, Veles, Gostivar, Stip, Strumica, Kavadarci and Strugar. The life expectancy at birth is, in male, of 72.18 years, and in female, of 77.38 years, estimated in 2009. The total fertility rate is 1.58 children born per woman and the infant mortality rate is of 9.01 deaths per 1000 live births. Regarding religion, Macedonian Orthodox is the majority in Macedonia, with 64.7% of the population. On the other hand, the minority are Christians with 0.37% of the citizens, whereas Muslims represent 33.33% of the country, which makes Macedonia the fourth largest Muslim population in the European continent, after Kosovo (90%), Albania (70%) and Bosnia-Herzegovina (48%). According to the 2002 census, the remaining 1.63% is registered as unspecified. There is a small Protestant community, which has been growing since the 80s, and the Jewish community is even smaller, since it has about 200 adherents, due to the extermination during World War II. Macedonian is the official language (66.5% of the population speaks it) and it belongs to the South Slavic language branch. This language, which is also the most widely spoken, has similarities with Bulgarian and Serbian. Due to its ethnic diversity, in Macedonia there is a great variety of languages that are spoken: Albanian (25.1%), Turkish (3.5%), Roma (1.9%) and Serbian (1.2%). The Republic of Macedonia has a rich cultural heritage in numerous areas: art, poetry, music and architecture. Lazar Licenovski, Nikola Martinoski, Dimitar Pandilov, and Vangel Kodzoman are the founders of modern painting. Contemporary artists (each one has their own style) are Aleksandar Stankovski, Zhaneta Vangeli, Maja Dzhartovska and Gordana Apostolovska. The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Gallery the Daut Pasha Baths are known for being the best galleries. In the area of music, Macedonian music has a unique sound and it has been strongly influenced by the bordering Balkan countries, which are known for its complex rhythms. Macedonian music has a wide range: from jazz, folk and classical music, to hip-hop, rock and pop, and many instruments are used for its creation. The gajda is a type of bagpipe which is, in Macedonia, the most common folk instrument. You can also find the Å¡upelka (a small flute), the zurla (large double-reed horn), the tapan (cylindrical drum) and the kiemane (a three-stringed fiddle). Regarding cuisine, Macedonian gastronomy is varied due to the fact that it has been influenced by the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, as well as the Italian, German and Hungarian ones. Thanks to its warm climate, Macedonia provides fabulous growth conditions for vegetables and fruits, therefore the quality of its dishes are extremely high. The country is well-known for the Shopska salad, which is a side dish that goes with every meal, and for its dairy products and wines. The national dish is the TavÄe-gravÄe. In relation to sports, football and handball are the most important. The Republic of Macedonia hosted the European Women's Handball Championship in 2008, particularly in the cities of Skopje and Ohrid.
Macedonia has a small, open economy, which makes it vulnerable to developments in Europe and dependent on regional integration. When the country became independent in 1991, it was the least developed of the Yugoslavian republics, and in 2001, due to a civil conflict, economy decreased 4.5% because of intermittent border closures, increased deficit and investor uncertainty. In 2007 and 2008, growth averaged more than 5%. The country has sustained a macroeconomic stability with low inflation. However, as a result of the global crisis, the foreign direct investment has decreased, and the credit has lowered. The labor force, by occupation is: in agriculture 18.6%; in industry, 29.5%; and in services, 51.9%, calculated in 2009. The unemployment rate is of 31, 7% in 2009 and the population below the poverty line is of 28.7%. The industrial sector in Macedonia consists of: food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, energy, cement, and pharmaceuticals. Among the agricultural products, grapes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, milks and eggs can be found.
Macedonia attracts approximately 700,000 visitors every year, because of its natural and cultural attractions. The city of Skopje, which is the largest city, evidenced many archaeological sites, such as the Skopje Aqueduct and the many Ottoman buildings and monuments, and is turning into a modern city with museums and events. Another important city in Macedonia is Ohrid, which is found in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, and, because of its beaches and excellent atmosphere, is the most popular tourist destination. Mavrovo is the largest national park in Macedonia. There you can appreciate a vast number of river valleys, waterfalls and caves. Other beautiful national parks are: GaliÄica, where there are diverse flora and fauna and has spectacular views of the city of Ohrid and the Ohrid Lake; and the National Park of Pelister, which is famous for the existence of Macedonian Pine and other 88 species of plants. Macedonia is the home for 3,700 plant species, Macedonian oaks, the sycamore, weeping willows, elms, bears, wild boars, wolves, foxes, squirrels, deer and lynxes. The Ohrid Summer Festival of Classical Music and Drama, the Struga Poetry Evenings (gathers poets from all over the world), the International Camera Festival in the city of Bitola, the Open Youth Theatre and the Skopje Jazz festivals are the most important cultural events in Macedonia. The May Opera Evenings take place in the capital city for 20 nights.
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