Macedonia
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Republic of Macedonia
Country name - conventional short form : Macedonia
Country name - local long form : Republika Makedonija
Country name - local short form : Makedonija
Country name - former : People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type : parliamentary democracy
Capital - name : Skopje
Capital - time difference : UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : Ilinden Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's Day
Population : 2,061,315 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality - noun : Macedonian(s)
Nationality - adjective : Macedonian
Languages : Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)
Currency (code) : Macedonian denar (MKD)
Currency code : MKD
Macedonia is located Southeastern Europe, north of Greece. The climate is warm, dry summers and autumns; relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall. The terrain is mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.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. 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. Fully implementating the Framework Agreement and stimulating economic growth and development continue to be challenges for Macedonia, although progress has been made on both fronts over the past several years.
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