About Macedonia

Background
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, although differences over Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the 2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue to be challenges for Macedonia.

Population
2,050,554 (July 2006)

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 213,486/female 199,127)
15-64 years: 68.9% (male 711,853/female 701,042)
65 years and over: 11% (male 98,618/female 126,428) (2006)

Population growth rate
0.26% (2006)

Birth rate
12.02 births/1,000 population (2006)

Net migration rate
-0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006)

Infant morality rate
total: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.94 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2006)

Total fertility rate
1.57 children born/woman (2006)

Ethnic groups
Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Religions
Macedonian Orthodox 64.7%, other Christian 0.37%, Muslim 33.3%, other and unspecified 1.63% (2002 census)

Languages
Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

GDP - real growth rate
4% (2005)

GDP - per capita
$7,800 (2005)

Unemployment rate
37.3% (2005)

Population below poverty line
29.6% (2004)