The population of Macedonia: features, numbers and interesting facts

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:55

The name of the country of Macedonia comes from the Greek word "macedonos", which means "slender, tall, tall". The population of Macedonia is mostly Macedonian - South Slavs. They appeared as a result of the assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of Macedonia - the ancient Macedonians, Thracians and others directly with the Slavs.

Establishment of the Republic of Macedonia

The correct name of the country is the Republic of Macedonia. This is an independent European state, a former republic that was part of Yugoslavia. Located on the Balkan Peninsula. It is often called simply Macedonia, but should not be confused with Ancient Macedonia. The modern Republic of Macedonia occupies only 38% of its territory. After the proclamation of a sovereign state, called the Republic of Macedonia, this name caused great displeasure in Greece.

The territory of the current republic in different periods of history belonged to different states, which undoubtedly influenced the composition of the population of Macedonia. Once upon a time there was an independent state of the same name. The land of today's Macedonia was part of Payonia, the Roman and Byzantine empires, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, thanks to which the majority of the country's population became Christians.

Bulgarians and modern Macedonians can be considered kindred peoples, since they are ethnically close to each other. For more than 500 years, the territory was under the yoke of Osman. At the end of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, the land of Ancient Macedonia is divided between three countries - Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. This largely influenced the national composition of the population of Macedonia, where Macedonians, Albanians, Serbs and Turks live. Serbia, together with Macedonia, became part of Yugoslavia, from which the second left in 1991.

Ethnic composition

Consider the population of Macedonia, the ethnic composition of which is Macedonians - 64% of the country's inhabitants, Albanians - 25%, Turks - 4%, Gypsies - 2.7%, Serbs - 2%.

Most of the population of the country are Macedonians, or South Slavs. The ethnonym "Macedonians" was introduced into use in 1945. Prior to this, the people were called "Macedonian Slavs". In Greece, they are called Slavic-Macedonians or Skopyans. In total, there are about 2.5 million ethnic Macedonians in the world, including 1.3 million people living in the country.

One of the numerous ethnic groups on the territory of the state are Albanians - a Balkan people living in a neighboring country. The Albanian population of Macedonia is 510 thousandman.

Demography

According to the UN, the male population prevails over the female by 0.1% and amounts to 1,044,361 people in 2017, and the female population - 1,040,521. Population growth, the predominance of births over deaths, is 3,229 people per year, per day is 9 people. The migration rate averages about 1,000 people per year. This figure is quite large, since the country is poor by European standards. Despite this, the natural increase of the population is 2,229 people, which is quite a significant indicator for Europe, because the population is increasing mainly due to migrants.

General information

The state of Macedonia is located in the south-east of Europe, namely in the southern territory of the Balkans. In terms of area, the territory is 25,712 km2. The total population of Macedonia is 2.08 million people. The Macedonian language is recognized as the state language, in some areas with an Albanian population - Macedonian and Albanian. The capital of the country is the city of Skopje with a population of 563.3 thousand. The form of government is a parliamentary republic. The leader of the country is the president. The national holiday - Independence Day - is celebrated on September 8th. The monetary unit is the denar. Membership in the UN since 1993.

Geographic location

The state border lies in the north with Montenegro and Serbia, in the east with Bulgaria, in the west with Albania, in the south with Greece. The countrycontinental, has no access to the sea. A railway and road route from Western Europe to Greece passes through its territory.

Landscape

Natural landscape - the ancient massifs of the Rhodes mountains and younger mountains in the former part of the Aegean Sea. The famous Vardar lowland stretches along the bed of the Vardar River. Mineral deposits have been discovered on the territory of the country. Along the Vardar River and in the northern region of Eastern Macedonia there are hills of volcanic origin, where deposits of minerals have been discovered: iron, zinc, copper and lead.

Western Macedonia is predominantly mountainous, with the alpine highlands of Karadjica (2,538 meters above sea level). The Vardar and Strumica rivers flow through the territory of Macedonia, carrying their waters to the Aegean Sea. The Black Dream River flows into the Adriatic Sea. The deep-water Lake Ohrid is similar to our Baikal, and the tectonic Lake Prespanskoe borders with Greece and Albania. In the mountains there are glacial lakes that are adjacent to healing springs that come to the surface. The population of Macedonia and tourists from other countries come here for treatment.

In those areas where there is a Mediterranean climate, mixed forests grow, they are dominated by the most valuable species - oak and hornbeam, in the Strumnitsa region grows black Crimean pine. Forests cover more than half of the country.

Industry

What do people in Macedonia do?Most of the population (59.5%) lives in cities. Significant cities of the country are Skopje, Bitola, Prilep, Kumanovo. Large enterprises operate in the country, mining is carried out: iron ore, chromites, polymetals, coal. Ferrous (cast iron) and non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises operate.

Machine-building enterprises are operating to produce equipment, machine tools, electrical appliances, agricultural machinery. Part of the population works at pharmacological, woodworking, light and food industries.

Agriculture

About 40% of Macedonia's population is employed in agriculture, which is dominated by crop production. Wheat, rice, corn, cotton, peanuts, tobacco, opium poppy and anise are grown here. Viticulture, horticulture and vegetable growing are developed. Animal husbandry is represented by mountain sheep breeding and cattle breeding. Lake fish farming is also developed.

Attractions

Macedonia is an ancient country, the ancestor of ancient civilization, which has preserved the richest historical heritage. This is the birthplace of Slavic writing, one of the purest countries in Europe. All monuments in the country are carefully protected. These include the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Heraclea Lincestis, the fortress in Strumica, the castle of the legendary King Samuil and ancient Christian shrines - the Basilica of St. Sophia in Ohrid, the Church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi and St. Michael in Lesnovo, and much more.