Macedonia Facts, Macedonia Flag - National Geographic

Fast Facts

Population:: 2,039,000
Capital:: Skopje; 447,000
Area:: 25,713 square kilometers (9,928 square miles)
Language:: Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish
Religion:: Macedonian Orthodox, Muslim
Currency:: Macedonian denar
Life Expectancy:: 73
GDP per Capita:: U.S. $5,100
Literacy Percent:: N/A

The landlocked and mostly mountainous country of Macedonia, in southeastern Europe, proclaimed independence from Yugoslavia in September 1991. The UN officially calls the country "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia"—due to Greece's fear that use of "Macedonia" might imply territorial ambitions toward the Greek region of Macedonia. The democratic government faced a 2001 rebellion launched by ethnic Albanians, who make up 25 percent of the population. Negotiations led to laws making Albanian an official language and providing other minority rights.

ECONOMY

Industry: Coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles
Agriculture: Rice, tobacco, wheat, corn; beef
Exports: Food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

—Text From National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition

Related Features

Castles

From intriguing ruins on the British Isles to towering Alpine palaces in full glory, these classic European structures are full of history and wonder.
Painting the Sky

A brilliant blur as it plucks a butterfly from the air, the European bee-eater leads a colorful life on three continents.
The Big Trip: Central Europe

Central Europe's new backcountry cycling routes show off the Old World's wild side.