Country Details

North Macedonia

Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

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Government

Detailed information and insights

Country name

Conventional long form

Republic of North Macedonia

Conventional short form

North Macedonia

Local long form

Republika Severna Makedonija

Local short form

Severna Makedonija

Former

Democratic Federal Macedonia, People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Macedonia

Etymology

the name derives from the ancient kingdom of Macedon (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.), whose name origin is unclear; it may derive from the mythological Macedon, the son of the Greek god Zeus; alternatively, it may come from the Greek word makednos, meaning "tail," or the Illyrian word maketia, meaning "cattle"

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

Name

Skopje

Geographic coordinates

42 00 N, 21 26 E

Time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology

the name is of Illyrian or Macedonian origin, and the meaning is unclear; derives from Scupi, its name during the Roman era

Administrative divisions

80 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina) and 1 city* (grad); Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Caska, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostuse, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Skopje*, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci

*the Greater Skopje area is composed of 10 municipalities: Aerodrom, Butel, Centar, Chair, Gazi Baba, Gjorce Petrov, Karposh, Kisela Voda, Saraj, and Shuto Orizari

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Constitution

History

several previous (since 1944); latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Amendment process

proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by at least 30 members of the Assembly, or by petition of at least 150,000 citizens; final approval requires a two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of North Macedonia

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

8 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Chief of state

President Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (since 12 May 2024)

Head of government

Prime Minister Hristijan MICKOSKI (since 23 June 2024)

Cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the Assembly by simple majority vote

Election/appointment process

president directly elected using a modified 2-round system; a candidate can only be elected in the first round with an absolute majority from all registered voters; in the second round, voter turnout must be at least 40% for the result to be valid; president elected for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the Assembly usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister

Most recent election date

24 April and 8 May 2024

Election results


2024: Hristijan MICKOSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 77 for, 22 against

2024: Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA elected president in the second round; percent of vote - Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (VMRO-DPMNE) 69%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI (SDSM) 31%

2024: Talat XHAFERI elected caretaker prime minister; Assembly vote - 65 for (opposition boycott)

2022: Dimitar KOVACEVSKI elected prime minister; Assembly vote - NA

Expected date of next election

2029

Legislative branch

Legislature name

Assembly of the Republic (Sobranie)

Legislative structure

unicameral

Number of seats

123 (all directly elected)

Electoral system

mixed system

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

Most recent election date

5/8/2024

Parties elected and seats per party

Coalition "Your Macedonia" (led by VMRO-DPMNE) (58); Coalition "European Front" (led by the Democratic Union for Integration – DUI) (18); Coalition "For a European Future" (led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia – SDSM) (18); Coalition VLEN (14); ZNAM (Movement "I know": For our Macedonia) (6); The Left (Levica) (6)

Percentage of women in chamber

39.2%

Expected date of next election

May 2028

Judicial branch

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of 22 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

Judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges nominated by the Judicial Council, a 7-member body of legal professionals, and appointed by the Assembly; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed by the Assembly for nonrenewable, 9-year terms

Subordinate courts

Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts

Political parties

Alliance for Albanians or AfA or ASH
Alternative (Alternativa) or AAA
Besa Movement or BESA
Citizen Option for Macedonia or GROM 
Democratic Alliance or DS
Democratic Movement or LD 
Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH
Democratic Party of Serbs or DPSM
Democratic Renewal of Macedonia or DOM
Democratic Union for Integration or BDI
European Democratic Party or PDE 
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
New Social-Democratic Party or NSDP
Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM
Socialist Party of Macedonia or SPM
Srpska Stranka in Macedonia or SSM
The Left (Levica) 
The People Movement or LP
Turkish Democratic Party or TDP 
Turkish Movement Party or THP 
We Can! (coalition includes SDSM/BESA/VMRO-NP, DPT, LDP)

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador Zoran POPOV (since 16 September 2022)

Chancery

2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Telephone

[1] (202) 667-0501

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2104

Email address and website


washington@mfa.gov.mk

United States (mfa.gov.mk)

Consulate(s) general

Chicago, Detroit, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador Angela AGGELER (since 8 November 2022)

Embassy

Str. Samoilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje

Mailing address

7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120

Telephone

[389] (2) 310-2000

FAX

[389] (2) 310-2499

Email address and website


SkopjeACS@state.gov

https://mk.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Note

note: North Macedonia is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

Independence

8 September 1991 (referendum endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday

Independence Day, 8 September (1991), also known as National Day

Flag

description: a red field with a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) in the center, with eight broadening rays extending to the edges

meaning: the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia

National symbol(s)

eight-rayed sun

National color(s)

red, yellow

National anthem(s)

Title

"Denes nad Makedonija" (Today Over Macedonia)

Lyrics/music

Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI

History

written in 1943 and adopted in 1991, the song previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, when it was part of Yugoslavia

National heritage

Total World Heritage Sites

2 (both natural)

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region; Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians