The name of the country of Macedonia comes from the Greek word "Macedonos", which means "slim, tall, tall." The population of Macedonia in most of the Macedonians is the southern Slavs. They appeared as a result of the assimilation of the indigenous inhabitants of Macedonia - ancient Macedonians, Thracians and others directly with the Slavs.
Republic of Macedonia
The correct name of the country is the Republic of Macedonia. It 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 it 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 present republic at different periods of history belonged to different states, which undoubtedly affected the composition of the population of Macedonia. Once upon a time there existed 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 related peoples, as they are ethnically close to each other. For more than 500 years, the territory was under the oppression of Osman. At the end of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, the land of Ancient Macedonia was divided between three countries - Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. This has more affected the national composition of the population of Macedonia, where the Macedonians, Albanians, Serbs and Turks live. Serbia, together with Macedonia, became part of Yugoslavia, of which the second withdrew in 1991.
Ethnic composition
Consider the population of Macedonia, whose ethnic composition is Macedonians - 64% of the country's population, Albanians - 25%, Turks - 4%, Gypsies - 2.7%, Serbs - 2%.
A larger number of the country's population are Macedonians, or Southern Slavs. The ethnonym "Macedonians" was put into use in 1945. Prior to this, the people were called "Macedonian Slavs." In Greece they are called Slavic-Macedonians or Skopians. 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 many ethnic groups in the state is made up of Albanians, the Balkan people living in the neighboring country. The Albanian population of Macedonia is 510 thousand people.
Demography
According to the UN, the male population prevails over the female population by 0.1% and amounts to 1, 044, 361 people in 2017, and the female population 1, 040, 521. The population growth, the predominance of those born over the dead, is 3, 229 people per year, 9 per day man. 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 population growth 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. The area of the territory is 25 712 km 2. The total population of Macedonia is 2.08 million people. The Macedonian language is recognized as the state language, in some areas with the 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 head of the country is the president. Public holiday - Independence Day - is celebrated on September 8th. The monetary unit is denar. Membership in the United Nations since 1993.
Geographical position
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 country is continental, has no access to the sea. On its territory passes the railway and road route from Western Europe to Greece.
Landscape
The natural landscape - the ancient massifs of the Rhodes mountains and the younger mountains in the former part of the Aegean Sea. The famous Vardar Lowland stretches along the channel of the Vardar River. Mineral deposits have been discovered in the country. On the Vardar River and in the northern region of Eastern Macedonia, there are hills of volcanic origin, where mineral deposits: iron, zinc, copper and lead were discovered.
Western Macedonia is predominantly mountainous, with the alpine highlands of Karadzhitsa (2, 538 meters above sea level). The rivers Vardar and Strumica flow through the territory of Macedonia, carrying their waters to the Aegean Sea. The Black Dream River flows into the Adriatic Sea. The deep-sea Ohrid lake is similar to our Baikal, and the border with Greece and Albania passes along the tectonic lake Prespansky. In the mountains there are glacial lakes that are adjacent to the healing springs that come to the surface. The population of Macedonia and tourists from other countries come here for treatment.
In those areas where the Mediterranean climate is present, mixed forests grow, the most valuable species prevail in them - oak and hornbeam, in the region of Strumnitsa black Crimean pine grows. Forests occupy more than half of the country.
Industry
What does the population of 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. There are enterprises of ferrous (cast iron), non-ferrous metallurgy.
There are machine-building enterprises for the production of equipment, machine tools, electrical appliances, agricultural machines. Part of the population works in pharmacological, woodworking factories, light and food processing factories.
Agriculture
About 40% of the population of Macedonia is engaged in agriculture, where crop production predominates. Wheat, rice, corn, cotton, peanuts, tobacco, opium poppy and anise are grown here. Viticulture, horticulture and vegetable growing are developed. Livestock is represented by mountain sheep breeding and cattle are raised. Also developed lake fish farming.
