Macedonia Education

 

Related Articles Geography Location: Southeastern Europe, north of Greece Geographic coordinates: 41 50 N, 22 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 25,333 sq km land: 24,856 sq km water: 477 sq km Area - comparative: slightly larger than Vermont Land boundaries: total: 748 km border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia) Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall Terrain: mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River Elevation extremes: lowest point: Vardar River 50 m highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,753 m Natural resources: chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber, arable land Land use: arable land: 24% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 39% other: 10% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 830 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: high seismic risks Environment - current issues: air pollution from metallurgical plants Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe [back to top]

Background: International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (FYROM) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations. FYROM's large Albanian minority and the de facto independence of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension. People Population: 2,041,467 (July 2000 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 248,400; female 230,091) 15-64 years: 67% (male 684,025; female 678,014) 65 years and over: 10% (male 89,539; female 111,398) (2000 est.) Population growth rate: 0.04% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 13.73 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 7.69 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -5.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2000 est.) Infant mortality rate: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.79 years male: 71.58 years female: 76.19 years (2000 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality: noun: Macedonian(s) adjective: Macedonian Ethnic groups: Macedonian 66.6%, Albanian 22.7%, Turkish 4%, Roma 2.2%, Serb 2.1%, other 2.4% (1994) Religions: Macedonian Orthodox 67%, Muslim 30%, other 3% Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3% Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% [back to top] Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 407,000 (1997) Telephones - mobile cellular: NA Telephone system: domestic: NA international: NA Radio broadcast stations: AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 410,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 136 (1997) Televisions: 510,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (1999) [back to top] Transportation Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) note: a new 56-km line is under construction to the Bulgarian border (1999) Highways: total: 8,684 km paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,144 km (1997 est.) Waterways: none, lake transport only Pipelines: 10 km Ports and harbors: none Airports: 16 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (1999 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 6 s 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)