North Macedonia

Broadcast media

public service TV broadcaster Macedonian Radio and Television operates 3 national terrestrial TV channels and 2 satellite TV channels; additionally, there are 5 privately owned TV channels that broadcast nationally using terrestrial transmitters, 4 TV channels with concession for cable TV, 5 satellite TV channels broadcasting on a national level, 47 local commercial TV channels, and a large number of cable operators that offer domestic and international programming; the public radio broadcaster operates over multiple stations; there are 3 privately owned radio stations that broadcast nationally and about 75 local commercial radio stations (2017)

Internet country code

.mk

Internet users

1.475 million | 70.4% (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Telephone system

general assessment: competition from the mobile-cellular segment of the telecommunications market has led to a drop in fixed-line telephone subscriptions | domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership about 120 per 100 persons | international: country code - 389 (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 368,070 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 2.223 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (July 2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 147

Agriculture - products

grapes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits; milk, eggs

Budget

revenues: $3.038 billion | expenditures: $3.327 billion (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.6% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Central bank discount rate

3.25% (31 March 2017) | 3.75% (31 December 2016) | note: series discontinued in January 2010; the discount rate has been replaced by a referent rate for calculating the penalty rate | country comparison to the world: 104

Commercial bank prime lending rate

6.61% (31 December 2016 est.) | 7.08% (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Current account balance

$-336 million (2016 est.) | $-203.6 million (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 93

Debt - external

$7.685 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.942 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.7 (2015) | 35.2 (2014) | country comparison to the world: 105

Economy - overview

Since its independence in 1991, Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment. Its low tax rates and free economic zones have helped to attract foreign investment, which is still low relative to the rest of Europe. Corruption and weak rule of law remain significant problems. Some businesses complain of opaque regulations and unequal enforcement of the law. | Macedonia’s economy is closely linked to Europe as a customer for exports and source of investment, and has suffered as a result of prolonged weakness in the euro zone. Unemployment has remained consistently high at about 23%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market, estimated to be between 20% and 45% of GDP, which is not captured by official statistics. | Macedonia is working to build a country-wide natural gas pipeline and distribution network. Currently, Macedonia receives its small natural gas supplies from Russia via Bulgaria. In 2016, Macedonia signed a memorandum of understanding with Greece to build an interconnector that could connect to the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline that will traverse the region once complete, or to an LNG import terminal in Greece. | Macedonia maintained macroeconomic stability through the global financial crisis by conducting prudent monetary policy, which keeps the domestic currency pegged to the euro, and inflation at a low level. However, in the last two years, the internal political crisis has hampered economic performance, with GDP slowing in 2016, and both domestic private and public investments declining. Fiscal policies were lax, with unproductive public expenditures, including subsidies and pension increases, and rising guarantees for the debt of state owned enterprises, and fiscal targets were consistently missed. In 2016, public debt reached 50.5% of GDP before being revised down to 47.8% of GDP by year’s end, still relatively low compared to its Western Balkan neighbors and the rest of Europe. In 2016, Macedonia issued a Eurobond worth approximately $495 million to finance 2016 and part of 2017 budget needs.

Exchange rates

Macedonian denars (MKD) per US dollar - | 55.733 (2016 est.) | 55.733 (2015 est.) | 55.537 (2014 est.) | 46.437 (31 December 2013 est.) | 47.89 (2012 est.)

Exports

$3.75 billion (2016 est.) | $3.37 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Exports - commodities

foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron, steel; automotive parts

Exports - partners

Germany 40.9%, Kosovo 13.5%, Serbia 7.7%, Bulgaria 4.5% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.91 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$30.26 billion (2016 est.) | $29.17 billion (2015 est.) | $27.79 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars; Macedonia has a large informal sector that may not be reflected in these data | country comparison to the world: 129

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 65.3% | government consumption: 15.7% | investment in fixed capital: 13.3% | investment in inventories: 20.3% | exports of goods and services: 49.2% | imports of goods and services: -63.8% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 9.9% | industry: 29.7% | services: 60.4% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,600 (2016 est.) | $14,300 (2015 est.) | $13,800 (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 dollars | country comparison to the world: 110

GDP - real growth rate

2.4% (2016 est.) | 3.8% (2015 est.) | 3.6% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Gross national saving

30.5% of GDP (2016 est.) | 29% of GDP (2015 est.) | 29.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.2% | highest 10%: 34.5% (2009 est.)

Imports

$5.805 billion (2016 est.) | $5.393 billion (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products

Imports - partners

Germany 12.2%, UK 10.7%, Serbia 7.9%, Greece 7.3%, China 6.2%, Italy 5.6%, Turkey 5.1%, Bulgaria 4.6% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

7.6% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 20

Industries

food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals, automotive parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.2% (2016 est.) | -0.3% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Labor force

948,600 (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 16.6% | industry: 29.6% | services: 53.8% (2016 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$2.078 billion (31 December 2016) | $1.853 billion (31 December 2015) | $2.269 billion (31 December 2014) | country comparison to the world: 99

Population below poverty line

21.5% (2015 est.)

Public debt

47.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | 46.7% of GDP (2015 est.) | note: official data from Ministry of Finance; data cover central government debt; this data excludes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; includes treasury debt held by foreign entitites; excludes debt issued by sub-national entities; there are no debt instruments sold for social funds | country comparison to the world: 103

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.755 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $2.471 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110

Stock of broad money

$4.574 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $4.459 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$849.1 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $666.7 million (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$6.8 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $6.227 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Stock of domestic credit

$5.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $5.308 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Stock of narrow money

$1.909 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.797 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Taxes and other revenues

27.8% of GDP (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97

Unemployment rate

23.6% (2016 est.) | 26.1% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

7.9 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Crude oil - exports

142.3 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2017 es) | country comparison to the world: 167

Electricity - consumption

6.455 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - exports

58.5 million kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Electricity - from fossil fuels

64.3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

32.8% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2.9% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - imports

2.191 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.057 million kW (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Electricity - production

5.303 billion kWh (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Natural gas - consumption

471 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2016) | country comparison to the world: 148

Natural gas - imports

60 million cu m (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2016) | country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (31 December 2016 ) | country comparison to the world: 171

Refined petroleum products - consumption

20,700 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Refined petroleum products - exports

3,900 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 100

Refined petroleum products - imports

23,400 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Area

total: 25,713 sq km | land: 25,433 sq km | water: 280 sq km | country comparison to the world: 150

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Vermont

Climate

warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

mean elevation: 741 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Vardar River 50 m | highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Environment - current issues

air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

41 50 N, 22 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Irrigated land

1,280 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 838 km | border countries (5): Albania 181 km, Bulgaria 162 km, Greece 234 km, Kosovo 160 km, Serbia 101 km

Land use

agricultural land: 44.3% | arable land 16.4%; permanent crops 1.4%; permanent pasture 26.5% | forest: 39.8% | other: 15.9% (2011 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

high seismic risks

Natural resources

low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Population - distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Terrain

mountainous with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River

Administrative divisions

70 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina) and 1 city* (grad); Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Caska, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Skopje*, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci

Capital

name: Skopje | geographic coordinates: 42 00 N, 21 26 E | time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) | daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Macedonia | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 8 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991 | amendments: proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; draft amendments require approval by majority vote of Assembly members, followed by public debate; final passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; amended several times, last in 2015 (2016)

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia | conventional short form: Macedonia | local long form: Republika Makedonija | local short form: Makedonija | note: the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" (FYROM) | former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia | etymology: the country name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jess L. BAILY (since 12 February 2015) | embassy: Str. Samolilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje | mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) | telephone: [389] (2) 310-2000 | FAX: [389] (2) 310-2499

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Vasko NAUMOVSKI (since 18 November 2014) | chancery: 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 667-0501 | FAX: [1] (202) 667-2131 | consulate(s) general: Chicago, Detroit, New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009) | head of government: Prime Minister Zoran ZAEV (since 31 May 2017) | cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote; note - the 2014 cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE, DUI, and several small parties; as a result of an agreement reached in July 2015 between the largest parties to resolve a 16-month opposition boycott of the Assembly, several minister and deputy minister positions were also given to the opposition SDSM from November 2015 through May 2016 in preparation for parliamentary elections originally scheduled for 24 April 2016, and pushed back to 5 June 2016, and again from September to December 2016 | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 13 and 27 April 2014 (next to be held in 2019); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Assembly | election results: Gjorge IVANOV reelected president in second round; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV (independent) 55.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 41.1%, other 3.6%

Flag description

a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field; the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 22 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Council, a 7-member body of legal professionals, and appointed by the Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Assembly for nonrenewable, 9-year terms | subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (123 seats; 120 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 3 directly elected in diaspora constituencies worldwide by simple majority vote, provided candidates meet a specified minimum vote count; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 11 December 2016, with a second round held in one polling station on 25 December 2016 (next to be held in 2020) | election results: percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 38.1%, SDSM coalition 36.7%, BDI 7.3%, Besa Movement 4.9%, Alliance for Albanians 3.1%, PDSh 2.7%, other 7.2%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 51, SDSM coalition 49, BDI 10, Besa Movement 5, Alliance for Albanians 3, PDSh 2

National anthem

name: "Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia) | lyrics/music: Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI | note: written in 1943 and adopted in 1991 , the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia

National holiday

Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day

National symbol(s)

eight-rayed sun; national colors: red, yellow

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Albanians [Ziadin SELA] | Besa Movement [Bilal KASAMI] | Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI] | Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [Ali AHMETI] | Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI] | Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV] | note: during the 2016 parliamentary elections VMRO-DPMNE and SDSM each led coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders

Confederation of Free Trade Unions or KSS [Blagoja RALPOVSKI] | Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia or SSM [Zivko MITREVSKI] | Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture or SONK [Jakim NEDELKOV] | Student Plenum | Eco Guerilla [Arianit XHAFERI]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greek objection to Macedonia’s name, insisting it implies territorial pretensions to the northern Greek province of the same name, and democratic backsliding have stalled the country’s movement toward Euro-Atlantic integration. Immediately after Macedonia declared independence, Greece sought to block Macedonian efforts to gain UN membership if the name “Macedonia” was used. Macedonia was eventually admitted to the UN in 1993 as “The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,” and at the same time it agreed to UN-sponsored negotiations on the name dispute. In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, but the issue of the name remained unresolved and negotiations for a solution are ongoing. Since 2004, the US and over 130 other nations have recognized Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia. Ethnic Albanian grievances over perceived political and economic inequities escalated into an insurgency in 2001 that eventually led to the internationally brokered Ohrid Framework Agreement (OFA), which ended the fighting and established guidelines for constitutional amendments and the creation of new laws that enhanced the rights of minorities. Relations between Macedonians and ethnic Albanians remain fragile, however. | Macedonia has been engulfed in a political crisis that began after the 2014 legislative and presidential election, and which escalated in 2015 when the opposition party began releasing wiretap content that it alleged showed widespread government corruption. Although Macedonia became an EU candidate in 2005, the country still faces challenges, including overcoming the political crisis, fully implementing the OFA, resolving the outstanding name dispute with Greece, improving relations with Bulgaria, halting democratic backsliding, and stimulating economic growth and development. At the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania, the Allies agreed that Macedonia would be invited to join the Alliance as soon as a mutually acceptable resolution to the name dispute was reached with Greece.

Military branches

Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes General Staff and subordinate Joint Operational Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Special Operations Regiment) (2012)

Military expenditures

0.97% of GDP (2016) | 1.05% of GDP (2015) | 1.08% of GDP (2014) | 1.17% of GDP (2013) | 1.23% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 92

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2008 (2013)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17.17% (male 187,063/female 174,196) | 15-24 years: 13.41% (male 145,716/female 136,444) | 25-54 years: 43.6% (male 465,862/female 451,321) | 55-64 years: 12.41% (male 128,024/female 132,955) | 65 years and over: 13.41% (male 121,019/female 161,121) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

11.4 births/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1.3% (2011) | country comparison to the world: 128

Contraceptive prevalence rate

40.2% (2011)

Death rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 41.6 | youth dependency ratio: 23.8 | elderly dependency ratio: 17.7 | potential support ratio: 5.6 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 99.8% of population | rural: 98.9% of population | total: 99.4% of population | urban: 0.2% of population | rural: 1.1% of population | total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 est.) | note: Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of Macedonia’s population

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<100 (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

<500 (2016 est.)

Health expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 93

Hospital bed density

4.5 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 7.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160

Languages

Macedonian (official) 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Romani 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 est.) | note: minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where they are spoken by at least 20% of the population; Albanian is co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities; Turkish is co-official in Centar Zupa and Plasnica; Romani is co-official in Suto Orizari; Aromanian is co-official in Drusevo; Serbian is co-official in Cucer Sandevo

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.4 years | male: 73.8 years | female: 79.2 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 97.8% | male: 98.8% | female: 96.8% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

SKOPJE (capital) 503,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

8 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157

Median age

total: 37.9 years | male: 36.8 years | female: 39 years (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.8 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Macedonian(s) | adjective: Macedonian

Net migration rate

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.4% (2016) | country comparison to the world: 77

Physicians density

2.8 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

2,103,721 (July 2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Population growth rate

0.17% (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 64.8%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.4%, other and unspecified 1.5% (2002 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 97.2% of population | rural: 82.6% of population | total: 90.9% of population | urban: 2.8% of population | rural: 17.4% of population | total: 9.1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years | male: 13 years | female: 13 years (2014)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.6 children born/woman (2017 est.) | country comparison to the world: 180

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 47.3% | male: 49.7% | female: 43.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Urbanization

urban population: 57.3% of total population (2017) | rate of urbanization: 0.24% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Disputes - international

Kosovo and Macedonia completed demarcation of their boundary in September 2008; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs

major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe; although not a financial center and most criminal activity is thought to be domestic, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 600 (2016) | note: 478,416 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015 - November 2017); Macedonia is predominantly a transit country and hosts fewer than 50 refugees and asylum seekers as of September 2017

Airports

10 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 155

Airports - with paved runways

total: 8 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | under 914 m: 6 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z3 (2016)

Pipelines

gas 262 km; oil 120 km (2017)

Railways

total: 699 km | standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (223 km electrified) (2017) | country comparison to the world: 100

Roadways

total: 14,182 km (includes 242 km of expressways) | paved: 9,633 km | unpaved: 4,549 km (2014) | country comparison to the world: 126