]! ^! Macedonia gained its independence peacefully from Yugoslavia in 1991, but Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols delayed international recognition, which occurred under the provisional designation of "the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia." In 1995, Greece lifted a 20-month trade embargo and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. The United States began referring to Macedonia by its constitutional name, Republic of Macedonia, in 2004 and negotiations continue between Greece and Macedonia to resolve the name issue. Some ethnic Albanians, angered by perceived political and economic inequities, launched an insurgency in 2001 that eventually won the support of the majority of Macedonia's Albanian population and led to the internationally-brokered Framework Agreement, which ended the fighting by establishing a set of new laws enhancing the rights of minorities. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement, and a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia. 
]" ^" Southeastern Europe, north of Greece ^# 41 50 N, 22 00 E ^$ Europe ^% `! 25,333 sq km `" 24,856 sq km `# 477 sq km ^& slightly larger than Vermont ^' `! 766 km `Y Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km, Serbia 221 km ^( 0 km (landlocked) ^) none (landlocked) ^* warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall ^+ mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River ^, `% Vardar River 50 m `& Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m ^- low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land ^. `' 22.01% `( 1.79% `) 76.2% (2005) ^/ 550 sq km (2003) ^0 high seismic risks ^1 air pollution from metallurgical plants _P `P Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands `Q none of the selected agreements ^2 landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe 
]# ^3 2,055,915 (July 2007 est.) ^4 `+ 19.8% (male 210,418/female 195,884) `, 69.1% (male 715,997/female 704,739) `- 11.1% (male 99,892/female 128,985) (2007 est.) ^5 `! 34.4 years `. 33.5 years `/ 35.5 years (2007 est.) ^6 0.263% (2007 est.) ^7 12.02 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^8 8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^9 -0.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^: `0 1.08 male(s)/female `1 1.074 male(s)/female `, 1.016 male(s)/female `- 0.774 male(s)/female `2 0.997 male(s)/female (2007 est.) ^; `! 9.53 deaths/1,000 live births `. 9.69 deaths/1,000 live births `/ 9.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) ^< `2 74.21 years `. 71.73 years `/ 76.88 years (2007 est.) ^= 1.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) ^> less than 0.1% (2001 est.) ^? less than 200 (2003 est.) ^@ less than 100 (2003 est.) ^A `3 Macedonian(s) `4 Macedonian ^B Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma (Gypsy) 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census) ^C Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, Muslim 33.3%, other Christian 0.37%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census) ^D Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census) ^E `5 age 15 and over can read and write `2 96.1% `. 98.2% `/ 94.1% (2002 est.) 
]$ ^F `6 Republic of Macedonia `7 Macedonia `Z Republika Makedonija `[ Makedonija `* the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) `\ People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia ^H parliamentary democracy ^I `8 Skopje `9 41 59 N, 21 26 E `: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) `p +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October ^J 85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci `* the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality ^K 8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia) ^L Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day ^M adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights and in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary ^N based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `; President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004) `< Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006) `= Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO/DPMNE, NSDP, PDSh/DPA, and several small parties `> president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be held by April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections `? Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%, Sasko KEDEV 37.3% ^Q unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve four-year terms) `> last held 5 July 2006 (next to be held by July 2010) `? percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 33%, SDSM 22%, BDI/DUI 12%, PDSh/DPA 7%, NSDP 6%, VMRO-Narodna 6%, other 14%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 45, SDSM 32, BDI/DUI 17, PDSh/DPA 11, NSDP 7, VMRO-Narodna 6, other 2 ^R Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges ^S Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSh/DPA [Arben XHAFERI]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [Mitko KOSTOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV]; National Alternative [Harun ALIU]; National Democratic Party-New Democratic Forces or PDK-FRO [Hysni SHAQIR]; New Social Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Future [Alajdin DEMIRI]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Party for European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Radmila SEKERINSKA]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV-ZINGO]; Union of Romas or SR [Saliu SHABAN]; United Party for Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA] ^T Federation of Free Trade Unions [Svetlana PETROVIC]; Federation of Trade Unions [Vanco MURATOVSKI]; World Macedonian Congress [Todor PETROV] ^U BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ^V `R Ambassador (vacant) `S 2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 `T [1] (202) 667-0501 `U [1] (202) 667-2131 `V Southfield (Michigan) ^W `R Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC `_ Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje `` American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) `T [389] 2 311-6180 `U [389] 2 311-7103 ^X a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field 
]% ^Y At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the central government and eliminated advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the downsized Yugoslavia, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000. However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade, and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in 2002 to 0.9%, then averaged 4% per year during 2003-06. Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has lagged the region in attracting foreign investment, and job growth has been anemic. Macedonia has an extensive gray market, estimated to be more than 20 percent of GDP, that falls outside official statistics. ^Z $16.91 billion `* Macedonia has a large informal sector (2006 est.) ^[ $6.225 billion (2006 est.) ^\ 3.2% (2006 est.) ^] $8,200 (2006 est.) ^^ `@ 9% `A 29% `B 62% (2006 est.) ^_ 899,000 (2006 est.) ^` `@ 21.7% `A 32.6% `B 45.7% (September 2006) ^a 36% (September 2006 est.) _! 30% (2005) _" `C NA% `D NA% _d 28.2 (1998) _# 3% (2006 est.) _V 9.2% of GDP (2006 est.) _$ `E $2.234 billion `F $2.284 billion; including capital expenditures of $24 million (2006 est.) _% 41.5% of GDP (2006 est.) _& grapes, wine, tobacco, vegetables; milk, eggs _' food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, iron, steel, cement, energy, pharmaceuticals _( 3.4% (2006 est.) _) 5.935 billion kWh (2006) _* 8.929 billion kWh (2006) _+ 0 kWh (2006) _, 2.994 billion kWh (2006) _- 0 bbl/day (2005) _. 23,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) _/ NA bbl/day _0 NA bbl/day _1 0 cu m (2004 est.) _2 100 million cu m (2004 est.) _X 0 cu m (2004 est.) _Y 100 million cu m (2004 est.) _Q $-167 million (2006 est.) _3 $2.341 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) _4 food, beverages, tobacco; textiles, miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel _5 Serbia and Montenegro 22.5%, Germany 17.8%, Greece 15.3%, Italy 8.3% (2005) _6 $3.631 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) _7 machinery and equipment, automobiles, chemicals, fuels, food products _8 Russia 13.2%, Germany 10.4%, Greece 9.2%, Serbia and Montenegro 8.2%, Bulgaria 7.3%, Italy 6% (2005) _[ $1.867 billion (November 2006) _9 $2.285 billion (November 2006) _: $NA _; Macedonian denar (MKD) _< Macedonian denars per US dollar - 48.978 (2006), 48.92 (2005), 49.41 (2004), 54.322 (2003), 64.35 (2002) _= calendar year 
]& _> 533,200 (2005) _? 1.261 million (2005) _@ `G NA `H NA `I country code - 389 _A AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998) _B 31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995) _C .mk _D 3,716 (2006) _E 392,671 (2005) 
]' _F 17 (2006) _G `! 10 `J 2 `W 8 (2006) _R `! 7 `c 3 `W 4 (2006) _^ gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2006) _e `! 699 km `m 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2005) _H `! 8,684 km `K 5,540 km `L 3,144 km (1999) 
]( _J Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Operations Regiment (2007) _T mandatory military service phased out by mid-2006; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2007) _K males age 18-49: 498,259 females age 18-49: 481,317 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 411,156 females age 18-49: 397,839 (2005 est.) _L males age 18-49: 16,686 females age 18-49: 15,664 (2005 est.) _U 6% (2005 est.) 
]) _N ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary with Serbia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia _c `k fewer than 1,000 (ethnic conflict in 2001) (2006) _O 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 