MACEDONIA
(Republic of Macedonia)

Capital: Skopje
Currency: Macedonian denar (MKD)
Population: 2,1 million people
GDP (PPS): 34 bln. dollars of the USA (2018)
Area: 25,713 sq.km.
IRCHP: 82 (2015)

ABOUT THE COUNTRY

The country which doesn't have an outlet to the sea, the Republic of Macedonia borders on Kosovo in the northwest, Serbia in the north, on Bulgaria in the east, on Greece in the South and on Albania in the West. It makes approximately northwest third of larger geographical region of Macedonia which also includes the neighboring regions of northern Greece and smaller parts of southwest Bulgaria and southeast Albania. The geography of the country is defined first of all by mountains, valleys and the rivers. About a quarter of residents of the country on 2,06 million inhabitants lives in the capital and the largest city of Skopje. Most of inhabitants - ethnic Macedonians, the South Slavic people. Albanians make considerable minority about 25 percent, they are followed by Turks, Roma, Serbians, Bulgarians and others.

HISTORY

After two Balkan wars of 1912 and 1913 and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire the most part of the European territories belonging to it was divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia. The territory of the modern Macedonian state was attached to Serbia and called the Southern Serbia. After the section, in areas under the Serbian and Greek control the anti-Bulgarian campaign was conducted. Serbians were closed by 641 Bulgarian schools and 761 churches while the ekzerkhatsky clergy and the teachers were sent. Use of Bulgarian (including all Macedonian dialects) was forbidden.

GEOGRAPHY

Macedonia has the total area of 25 713 sq.km (9 928 quarter. Miles). It is between latitudes 40 ° and 43 °C. Sh.I generally between longitudes 20 ° and 23 ° EL (the small area is to the east from 23 °). Macedonia has about 748 km (465 miles) of the borders divided with Serbia (62 km or 39 miles) into the North, Kosovo (159 km or 99 miles) on the northwest, Bulgaria (148 km or 92 miles) on the East, Greece (228 km or 142 miles) on the South and Albania (151 km or 94 miles) on the West. It is a transit way of cargo delivery from Greece through the Balkans to Eastern, Western and Central Europe and through Bulgaria on the East. It is a part of larger region known also as Macedonia which also includes Macedonia (Greece) and the Blagoevgrad province in the southwest of Bulgaria.

CLIMATE

Macedonia has transitional climate from the Mediterranean Sea to continental. Summer hot and dry, and winters moderately cold. The average annual amount of precipitation fluctuates from 1700 mm (66,9 inches) in the western mountain area up to 500 mm (19,7 inches) in east part. In the country there are three main climatic zones: moderate Mediterranean, mountain and slightly continental. Along valleys of the Vardar and Strumika Rivers, in the Areas of Gevgeliya, Valandovo, Doyran, Strumitsa and Radovish, climate moderate and Mediterranean. The warmest regions are Demir Kapiya and Gevgeliya where temperature in July and August often exceeds 40 °C (104 °F).