| North Macedonia | |
 | |
Location  | |
Coat of arms and flag   | |
| Capital | Skopje |
|---|---|
| Government | presidential republic |
| Currency | Macedonian Dinar (MKD) |
| Surface | 25,713 km² |
| Inhabitants | 2.070.000 |
| Tongue | Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Serbian-Croatian |
| Religion | Orthodox 70%, Muslim 29% |
| Electricity | 220V / 50Hz |
| Prefix | 389 |
| TLD | .mk |
| Time zone | UTC 1 |
| Website | Macedonia Tourist Board |
North Macedonia (officially Republic of North Macedonia, Република Северна Македонија, Republika Severna Makedonija) is a state of the Balkans. Some states recognize it as FYROM (From English F.ormer Yugoslav R.epublic of M.acedonia), included between Bulgaria, the Greece, L'Albania, the Serbia and the Kosovo.
To know
Until 2019 the state was called the Republic of Macedonia and was involved in a long-standing dispute over its name with Greece; on the basis of the Prespa agreement of June 2018, despite the failure to reach the quorum in the consultative referendum of 30 September, the Macedonian parliament approved in January 2019 a constitutional amendment to adopt the name of North Macedonia and thus be able to subsequently join with the new name to NATO and theEuropean Union. The name change then became effective on the following 12 February.
Geographical notes
The Macedonian territory is mainly mountainous (located between the Šare and the Rhodope), with deep valleys and basins, such as that of the Vardar. Three large lakes, Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Lake Dojran are located on the southern borders of the Republic, cut by the borders with Albania and Greece. The most important river is the Vardar, which continues in Greece with the name Axios.
When to go
The climate is warm temperate, with dry summers and autumns, and relatively cold winters with heavy snow. Therefore it is advisable to visit the country in late spring.
Background
The territory of present-day North Macedonia has been part, over the centuries, of numerous ancient states and empires. Peony, ancient Macedonia, the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire; in the VI-VII century AD the first Slavs arrived and later the medieval states of Bulgaria and Serbia were formed. In the 15th century the region was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.
Following the two Balkan wars in 1912 and 1913 and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, it became part of Serbia and was recognized as Јужна Србија (Južna Srbija, "Southern Serbia"). After the First World War, Serbia joined the newly formed Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In 1929, the kingdom was renamed Yugoslavia and divided into provinces called "banovina". The territory of the modern Republic of Macedonia became the Province of Vardar (Vardarska Banovina).
In 1941, Yugoslavia was occupied by the Axis Powers. The Vardarska Banovina province was divided between Bulgaria and Italy, which at the time occupied Albania. The rigid government that the occupying forces established in the area encouraged many Macedonian Slavs to support the resistance movement of Josip Broz Tito, who became the president of Yugoslavia at the end of the war. After the conclusion of the Second World War, the People's Republic of Macedonia in Yugoslavia became one of the six republics of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. Following the renaming of the Yugoslav Federation to the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia in 1963, the Federal Republic of Macedonia was renamed in the same way Socialist Republic of Macedonia. The republic renamed itself the Republic of Macedonia in 1991, when it peacefully separated from Yugoslavia. It entered into formal conflict with Greece over the official name of the state after its declaration of independence until 2019.North Macedonia remained at peace during the Yugoslav Civil War in the early 1990s but was partially involved in the Kosovo War in 1999, when around 360,000 Albanians fled from Kosovo to the country. The refugees quickly returned to their region at the end of the war, but shortly thereafter, the Albanian radicals on both sides of the border took up arms to claim autonomy or independence for the Albanian-majority areas of the republic.
Spoken languages
The major language is Macedonian (75%), followed by the minority Albanian in western areas.
Culture and traditions
North Macedonia has a great heritage in art, architecture and music. There are many religious sites that are protected and admired around the world. Poetry, music, and film festivals are held annually.
Traditional Macedonian musical styles developed under the strong influence of Byzantine ecclesiastical music.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- Štip, with the ruins of an old castle on the hill of Isar. There are three 14th-century churches in the city and its surroundings, built around the time the city was part of medieval Serbia.
- Bitola was a center of considerable importance also under the Ottoman rule during which it was called "the city of consuls" because Bitola hosted a large number of diplomatic offices of the European powers.
- Tetovo, by virtue of the numerous political and cultural institutions located there, is considered the capital of the Albanian minority in Macedonia. Like all of the north-west of North Macedonia, the city is also largely ethnic Albanian.
- Skopje, the city's monuments include Byzantine churches, the stone bridge built by the Turkish conqueror Mohammed II and the bazaar. There is also a commemorative plaque in memory of the birth of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, to which a mausoleum was recently erected in the center, in the Makedonska Ulica.
- Ohrid was home to ancient Illyrian and later Greek settlements, while the city became one of the most important cultural, religious and artistic centers of the Balkan Peninsula and Slav Europe in the Middle Ages. In 1979 the city and its lake were included by UNESCO in the list of World Heritage Sites.
Other destinations
- Canyon Matka and Mount Vodno (Millennium Cross), north of Skopje.
How to get
Entry requirements
Passport, visa required for Italian citizens only for stays longer than 3 months. L'Italian embassy it is found at Skopje.
By plane
 | To learn more, see: Airports in North Macedonia. |
The major international airport is in Petrovec, 17 km from the capital. On the website of the airport you will find detailed information.
The company WizzAir flies twice a week from Treviso (TSF) to Skopje (SKP).
Another international airport with less traffic is located in the city of Ohrid.
By car
Border posts withAlbania they are located on Lake Ohrid. One is that of Qafë Thanë, the other that of Sveti Naum. Before starting the journey with your car, find out which of the two is open to private car traffic, otherwise you will have to go around the lake again. Ohrid it is about 180 km from Durres passing through Elbasan.
With the Greece the main border post is that of Gevgelija-Evzoni, crossed by the railway and the highway Skopje-Thessaloniki. Another secondary one is that of Medžitlija-Níki between the cities of Bitola is Florina. There are no land connections between the two centers and a taxi can be used to cross customs.
Tabanovce is the busiest crossing with the Serbia, being located on the highway Skopje-Nis
Luke, (Kriva Palanka) is the border crossing point located on the road axis Skopje-Sofia. The distance between the two capitals is just 220 km. Further south are the Delčevo and Novo Selo-Petrich passes
On the train
The country has different international connections, indicated below:
- Section Skopje-Thessaloniki (Thessaloniki) via Gevgelija;
- Skopje-Belgrade section (via Tabanovce);
- Route Skopje-Pristina (via Hani i Elezit).
By bus
The main bus station is located in Skopje. it has numerous international connections.
How to get around
On the train
The train is rarely used despite the country having a good railway network. The main railway axis of the country follows the course of the Vardar river from the borders with the Serbia to those with the Greece. The railway section Veles-Prilep-Bitola it is recommended for beauty of landscapes.
By bus
The suburban bus network is widespread and covers even the smallest towns.
By car
Despite the condition of the road surface, it is quite safe to travel by car. Pay due attention to the Highway Code, especially with regard to driving under the influence of alcohol, which can be seriously sanctioned by the Authorities.
What see
- Skopje, the largest city of the country, which includes the greatest cultural and artistic riches;
- Bitola, a major Turkish-Ottoman-style center;
- Ohrid, considered the Jerusalem of the Balkans (UNESCO).
What to do
- Hiking on foot - The three national parks of Mavrovo, Galičica, Pelister offer the best opportunities for lovers of hiking.
- Cultural visits to urban centers.
- Winter sports - Skiing can be practiced in the center of Popova Šapka (1845 m.), Near Tetovo and in the other inside the Pelister park (Mavrovo).
Currency and purchases
The national currency is the Macedonian money (MKD) Here are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:
| (EN) With Google Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| With Yahoo! Finance: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| (EN) With XE.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
| (EN) With OANDA.com: | AUDCADCHFEURGBPHKDJPYUSD |
At the table
Macedonian cuisine reveals an undeniable Turkish influence in its dishes, a fate shared by all other Balkan countries. Grilled meats are very popular. The national dish is "tavče gravče", beans prepared in a pan with onion, garlic and abundant red pepper.
Börek is a savory pie filled with cheese, spinach and even potatoes with meat. There are shops specializing in the sale of Börek
Drinks
Among the drinks, the most popular is beer (pivo). Local brands are much cheaper than imported ones. Among the traditional liqueurs, all of Turkish origin, we must mention the raki, boza and the mastika, the latter similar to the Greek ouzo.In North Macedonia various and excellent wines are produced as evidenced by the numerous vineyards that characterize the landscapes of the valley of the Vardar and its tributaries.
Safety
In North Macedonia, ethnic tensions are strong and the risk of a new conflict between the Albanian National Liberation Army and government forces remains. The area most at risk is the Western North Macedonia which includes the country's major tourist attractions.After the early political elections of 11 December 2016, which were held regularly but which did not result in a decisive result, the country is in an institutional stalemate and strong political uncertainty , not without tension. Daily demonstrations, generally peaceful, run through the streets of Skopje and other Macedonian cities.
The country shares exposure to the phenomenon of international terrorism with most of the rest of the world.
In connection with the Ramadan period, and in the light of the attacks that have occurred in Europe in recent months, the local authorities consider the risk of hostile actions to be higher. In this regard, the local authorities, also in light of the attacks in Europe in recent months, have further raised the level of alert, especially as regards places with a high concentration of people in the capital Skopje, due to the increased risk of hostile actions from part of formations linked to fundamentalist terrorism, increasing controls and the number of units deployed.
In Skopje there have been cases of robberies and pickpockets by gangs of Roma children in the places of gathering of tourists and foreigners, especially near the main square (Plostad Makedonija), the shopping center (Trgovski Centar), in the old part of the city as well as close to entertainment venues.
Health situation
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning North Macedonia
Commons contains images or other files on North Macedonia
Wikiquote contains quotes from or about North Macedonia
Wikinews contains current news on North Macedonia
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