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Brief overview on the facts
on the Republic of Macedonia
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The Republic of Macedonia is a sovereign and independent state, proclaimed
by a referendum on September 8, 1991. From 1944 up to her independence
she was a member of the former federation of Yugoslavia. In April 1993,
she became a member of the United Nations Organization. She has diplomatic
relations with 45 countries and is a member of 22 international organizations
(up to January 1995).
| Natural and geographic characteristics of Macedonia |
Europe, Balkan Peninsula, 25.713 km2. To the North it borders with
Yugoslavia, to the East with Bulgaria, to the South with Greece and
to the West with Albania. The highest pick is Golem Korab - 2.753 m.
Climate: continental, moderate, with an influence of the mediterranean
climate along the valley of Vardar. Mountains, forests, fertile valleys.
1.936.877 (Census of l944) - Macedonians 66,5%, Albanians 22,9%, Turks
4,0, Roms 2,3%, Serbs 2,0%, Vlachs 0,4%, others 1,8, undeclared 0,1%.
Skopje - 541.28O inhabitants
Larger towns: Skopje, Bitola, Prilep, Kumanovo
Macedonian, original, autonomous and a separate language. Indoeuropean,
from the family of Slavonic languages, belongs to the Southslavonic
group of languages. The Macedonian language has existed for a long time,
in written form commencing from the IX century, in the XI century in
The Glagolitic, and, from then, in Cyrillic. In 1944, the codification
of the Macedonian literary language is made, after what the Macedonian
language had its great development. Today, the phonetic principle is
used in the orthography - each voice has its own separate letter, so,
the Macedonian alphabet has 31 letters. Literacy: 89%.
Macedonia is traditionally orthodox. The church is separate from the
state. There is a freedom in the choice of religious determination.
The Macedonian Orthodox Church has been independent since 1967. Out
of the total population 66,66% are Orthodox, 30,06% Moslems, 0,49% Catholics,
2,79% belong to other religions. History: In the first half of the VII
century BC, King Perdika established The First Macedonian State. The
Macedonian State reached its maximal affirmation in the VI century BC
during the reign of Philip II (359-336 BC) and Alexander
The Great (336-323). In 168, the Roman consul Paulus Emilijanus
defeated the Macedonian King Persej, at a place called Pinda, and, after
the three Macedonian-Roman wars, Macedonia became a Roman province.
After the division of the Roman Empire (395), Macedonia gets under the
jurisdiction of Byzantium. At the end of the VI and the beginning of
the VII century, Macedonia was settled by the Slavonic tribes (Dragovities,
Velegisites, Versites, Sagudats, Strumyans, Smolyans and so on), it
became slavonicized and so called Sclavenes are formed. During the reign
of the Czar Samuil (969-1018), a powerful feudal state was established
in Macedonia. Culture and literature were developing. The Salonica brothers
Cyril and Methodius made the Slavonic alphabet and Kliment
Ohridski organized a literary school in Ohrid. Macedonia gradually
falls under the jurisdiction of Bulgaria (the first half of the IX century
to 969) and the jurisdiction of Serbia (1282-1371). In 1371, after the
Battle at Maritsa, Macedonia gets under the jurisdiction of the Turks
until 1912 .In that period, the Karposh Uprising (1689) and Kresnen
Uprising (1878) begun. In Salonica in 1893, IMRO (Internal Macedonian
Revolutionary Organization) is formed and it embraces Pirin, Egian and
Vardar Macedonia with the goal of liberating and establishing the Macedonian
State. On August 2,1903 commences the Uprising of Ilinden with about
30.000 rebels. The Krushevo Republic is established and lasts 10 days,
but it collapses under the great attack of the Otoman Army. After the
Balkan War (1912-1913) and the Bucuresht Peace Agreement (1913) Macedonia
is divided between Greece (Egian Macedonia), Serbia (Vardar Macedonia),
Bulgaria (Pirin Macedonia) and later on Albania (Minor Prespa). They
were forcing an aggressive national, social and cultural assimilation
over the Macedonian people. During the Second World War, Macedonian
people from the three parts of Macedonia gave contribution to the antifascist
battles. They organize military and political organizations, publish
newspapers and edit books in Macedonian language, several liberated
territories are formed, and the Macedonian language becomes an official
language in the churches. The foundations of the Macedonian State are
laid at the First Session of ASNOM (Antifascist Session of the National
Liberation of Macedonia) in the monastery
of Prohor Pchinjski on August 2, l944. On January 25, 1991, the
Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia proclaims its sovereignance
and the right to separation. On January 27, 1991 the President of the
Republic of Macedonia is elected by the Parliament and on September
8, l991 there is a referendum with 75% participation and 99% votes for
the independence of the Republic of Macedonia. The Declaration for independence
is brought on September 20 and on November 20, the Constitution is officially
proclaimed. On April 26, 1992 a national currency " denar " is intrduced.
On April 8, 1992 Republic of Macedonia becomes a member of he Organization
of the United Nations.
A parliamentary democracy with an Assembly of 120 members of the Parliament,
elected for a period of 4 years by a referendum in 1994. The President
is chosen by a referendum (1994) for a period of 5 years (Kiro Gligorov),
the government (formed in 1994) with a Premier (Branko Crvenkovski),
consisted of several parties: SDSM (Social-democratic allience of Macedonia),
PDP (Party of democratic prosperity) and SPM (Socialist party of Macedonia).
Market economy, free development of initiatives, projects, and opportunities
for foreign investments in all economical segments. Privatization and
transformation of the state capital with structural reforms in the giant
state firms.
Mavrovo (77.088ha), Galichitsa (22.750ha), Pelister (12.500ha)
Yorgov Kamen, Katlanovsko Blato, Korab, Vodno, the mountain Selechka.
The inherent cultural-historical region of Ohrid is under the protection
the UNESCO world rarities.
