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| Capital | Skopje |
| Government | parliamentary democracy |
| Coin | Macedonian Dinar (MKD) |
| Surface | 25,333 km 2 |
| Population | 2.082.370 (2012) |
| Language | Macedonian 68%, Albanian 23%, Turkish 3%, Serbian 2%, Other 4% |
| Religion | Macedonian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 33%, other 2% |
| Electricity | 220V/50Hz (European plug) |
| Call code | 389 |
| Internet TLD | .mk |
| Time zone | UTC 1 |
North Macedonia, formerly Macedonia or Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian: Македонија, Makedonija or Πоранешна Југословенска Република Македонија, Poranešna Jugoslovenska Republika Makedonija), is a country in the Balkans.
Info
The neighboring countries are Serbia and the disputed region Kosovo in the north, Albania in the West, Bulgaria in the east and Greece in the south. The country controls an important transport corridor between Western Europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe.
Although Macedonia is easily accessible and equipped with all the comforts of the Western world, it remains one of the great undiscovered countries of Europe. It is a natural paradise of mountains, lakes and rivers, where life follows a different rhythm. The country has grandeur and rich historical ruins as well as idyllic villages that have remained almost completely intact for centuries.
The majority of the population is of Slavic ethnicity and adheres to the Orthodox faith, but there is also a significant Albanian minority who mainly adhere to Islam. As a result, Macedonia has a multifaceted cultural heritage. The country represents the mix of cultures that the Balkans stand for: a fascinating mix of Slavic, Albanian, Turkish and Mediterranean influences.
History
After the Second World War, Yugoslavia formally became a federal state, with the Macedonian people also receiving their own territory for the first time: the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. On September 8, 1991, this state became independent after a referendum.
The name Macedonia is sensitive to Greece, since the northern part of Greece also has that name. Greece urged the international community to make the difference between the two 'Macedonia' clearly visible. It was therefore decided in the UN that Macedonia would be referred to in international traffic as the 'Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia' (in English Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or abbreviated as F.Y.R.O.M.). Since the country's name change to North Macedonia, this is no longer a problem.
The Greeks call the country ΠΓΔΜ (pronounced poe-ghoe-dhoe-moe), the Greek abbreviation for F.Y.R.O.M., or simply Skopje, after the country's capital. On March 17, 2008, Athens and Skopje negotiated the name, as a solution had to be found before April 2 following the negotiations on Macedonia's accession to NATO. However, no solution was found and Greece used its veto to block accession to NATO. On December 5, 2011, the International Court of Justice ruled that this veto violated the Interim Agreement concluded between Macedonia and Greece. Despite the ruling of the International Court of Justice, NATO has indicated that Greece's 2008 veto remains intact.
The Netherlands now recognizes the state (albeit officially 'temporarily') under the official name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. However, the simple form 'Macedonia' is still used in Dutch colloquial speech.
The new Republic of Macedonia suffered little or no impact from the Wars in Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. That changed when an extreme nationalist Orthodox government under Prime Minister Gregoriefski came to power in 1998 and war broke out in Kosovo. Many ethnic Albanians fled Kosovo, some of them to Macedonia, where an ethnic Albanian minority already lived. The Albanians in Macedonia, organized in the UÇK-M, strove for independence. This led to a short but fierce battle between ethnic Albanians and the Macedonian government army in 2001 in Macedonia. As a result, the violence stopped and the Ohrid Agreement was signed by Macedonian and ethnic Albanian leaders.
It was decided that NATO would assist in taking the weapons of the ethnic Albanians. This mission was named Task Force Harvest. After the termination of TFH, NATO was asked to support Macedonia in the peace process and the parliamentary elections of 15 September 2002. NATO then stationed the peace force Task Force Fox in Macedonia. After the elections were satisfactorily, this mission was succeeded by a smaller EU peacekeeping force "Concordia", which was later succeeded by an EU police mission called "Proxima", which would be active for a year (until December 15, 2004). are. Just before that time, the mission was extended by one year (Proxima II). This mission ended on December 15, 2005.
climate
In summer and autumn Macedonia is warm and dry. Winters are relatively cold and there is often a lot of snow.
Landscape
Macedonia is a mountainous country, characterized by deep basins and valleys, where wheat, barley and millet are grown. Furthermore, there are three large lakes in Macedonia, each separated by a border, and the Vardar River also runs through the country.
Population
Macedonia is a country with many minorities. Sometimes there is still tension between Albanians (who make up a majority in the northwest of the country) and Macedonians, so it's best to avoid this topic. There was almost a civil war a few years ago.
Regions
Towns
- Skopje, the capital. There are many historical and architecturally interesting monuments.
- Bitola, the second largest city. It is Macedonia's most European city. It has a medieval city center, Ottoman monuments, a beautiful pedestrian boulevard and great nightlife.
- Ohrid, a lakeside town located on the UNESCO World Heritage List state.
- Prilep, a city known for tobacco and cigarette production. Also called "the city under Marko's towers", because of the proximity of the (remnants of the) towers of Kрaли Марко (Dutch: Krali Marko).
- Krusevo, the highest city in the Balkans (1250-1350 meters). The late singer Toše Proeski grew up and was buried here. There are many monuments to the memory of the Ilinden Rebellion and a number of churches of great cultural value.
Other destinations
Arrive
Passport & visa info
Residents of the European Union or of a country that has signed the Schengen Agreement can enter the country with a valid ID card or passport.
By plane
Macedonia has two international airports. The largest is that of the capital Skopje: Airport Alexander the Great (SKP). The other airport, which in Ohrid state, hot Saint Paul the Apostle Airport (OHD).
By train
By car
By bus
EuroBus Macedonia, ☎ 436643014416, e-mail: [email protected]. Website is in German, people speak German and English. Almost daily from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Slovenia.. Goes to Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar, Kicevo, Ohrid, Struga. €75 / €140 return from Vienna, Austria. €75/€140rt from Vienna.
By boat
Travel around
By train
The trains in Macedonia are very slow, but still a nice alternative to crowded, hot buses in the summer. The main railways run from Skopje to Bitola and from Skopje to Gevgelia. There are no trains to Ohrid.
By car
Make sure your car has good tires, especially in the spring and fall. Even if the roads are bad, there is the possibility that a toll will be charged, which can be €1.50 for 20 kilometers (for example from Kumanovo to Skopje). It is not recommended to drive off the main roads. When it rains, the country roads turn into deep mud puddles and some roads can suddenly turn out to be impassable (for example due to erosion).
It is also mandatory in Macedonia to drive with lights on during the day.
By taxi
Taxis are the most used form of transport in Macedonia for tourists. Usually it costs about thirty denars (in Skopje 50 denars) plus an amount per kilometer. You can always try to haggle.
Language
The only official language of Macedonia is Macedonian, which in Bulgaria is considered by some to be a dialect or variant of Bulgarian.
In municipalities in Western Macedonia (on the border of Albania and Kosovo) where more than 20% Albanians live, Albanian can be used for questions to the government.
Furthermore, most people speak Serbian, because Macedonia was part of Yugoslavia. Turkish and Romani, the gypsy language of the Roma, are also spoken locally. Furthermore, Russian and German can be useful.
To look at
To do
To buy
The official currency of Macedonia is the Macedonian denar (MKD), but many Macedonians quote their prices in euros. Most cities have ATMs, where you can withdraw money for a small commission. There are also many banks where you can exchange money, but do not do this on the street. Stores may accept euros when that is actually not legal.
Cost
Food
Going out
stay overnight
To learn
To work
Safety
See it travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the current security situation.
5555 is the emergency number for Macedonia.
Health
Sport
Popular sport in Macedonia is arm squeezing, followed by football. Vladimir Djurakovski has been Macedonia's arm wrestling champion for seven years in a row, while Goran Pandev is the star of the national football team.
respect
Contact
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