The Republic of Macedonia also known as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), is a landlocked country in the Balkans, in Mediterranean Europe. It is bordered by Serbia to the north, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, and Greece to the south. The country is usually called simply Macedonia, despite the disambiguation concerns of the neighboring Greeks in Macedonia (Greece). The country controls a major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to the Aegean Sea and Southern Europe.
Regions
As river Vardar runs through the middle of Macedonia, traditionally the country is divided to eastern and western Macedonia. While western Macedonia is more mountainous, eastern is more flat with large fields. Even though Macedonians are generally pleasant, friendly and hospitable, what is interesting is that the people in eastern Macedonia are nicer and tend to be more friendly.
Administrative divisions
Since 2004 Macedonia is divided into 84 municipalities, out of which 33 have seats in towns or cities, 41 have seats in villages, and 10 make up the capital city of Skopje.
Macedonia has such a large number of municipalities in such a small country to accommodate its ethnic minorities. The law says that if 20% or over of the population of a municipality is of a certain minority, the language of that minority is co-official in that county along with Macedonian. If some small counties were incorporated into the large ones, most minorities would lose the right to have schools, signs, etc. in their native language, and could not use it in their administrations and official documents. It also gives small communities control over their administrative budgets, empowering them to invest money in their local infrastructure which (if they were incorporated into a bigger county) would probably be spent elsewhere.
Shuto Orizari County (better known as Shutka), which is part of the city of Skopje, is the only municipality in the world where Romany is an official language. Roma (the people known as "gypsies") make up 61.14% of the population in Shutka.
Cities
Other destinations
Understand
Macedonia is a country with 6 ethnic groups. There is still ethnic tension between Albanians and Macedonians, so maybe this is a subject best avoided. The populuation of Tetovo, one of Macedonia's largest cities, is about 70% ethnic Albanian. Many Macedonians advise travelers to avoid Tetovo, but the brave traveler will be rewarded with local hospitality and beautiful scenery.
Money
Tipping is not seen as essential, but it is always welcomed. It is not recommended to tip over 10%, as this is seen as being patronizing and offensive.
Most Macedonians quote prices in €. One Euro roughly equates to 62 Denar. Most larger cities have ATMs where you can withdraw money with cheap commission rates, although there are also plenty of banks and exchange booths where you can easily change money. Do not change money on the street.
Climate
Macedonia has warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall.
Terrain
Macedonia is covered by mountainous territory marked by deep basins and valleys. There are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line, and the country bisected by the Vardar River.
Macedonia is blessed with outstanding natural beauty. Do not miss a trip to one of the large lakes, Pelister Mountains, Shar Planina in the West, and the fascinating rolling hills and mountains of the East with its rice fields.
History
The area comprising modern day Macedonia has a rich and ancient history. The legendary Kings of Macedon Phillip and Alexander the Great ruled here as did Illyrians, Romans, Slavs and Ottoman Turks, all of which are represented in the country's culture today. Maybe the most significant influence shaping the modern nation was its 500 years Ottoman rule, and the fact that Saints Cyril and Methodus wrote their teachings in the fascinating city of Ohrid. The country is dotted with beautiful Orthodox churches, monasteries, and Ottoman mosques (most notably in Skopje's Bit Bazaar district).
Macedonia has been part of many countries, but until its incorporation into Yugoslavia by Tito in 1948 it was never acknowledged as an administrative "state." Macedonia prospered under Tito's rule, especially when the capital Skopje was rebuilt after a severe earthquake in 1963 and the Yugoslav government invested heavily in the subsequent infrastructure rebuilding. This may explain why many Macedonians are somewhat nostalgic for Tito's Yugoslavia—one can even see road signs for Veles denoted as Titov Veles.
International recognition of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.) independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995, and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite continued disagreement over the use of "Macedonia."
Macedonia's large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed insurgency in Macedonia in 2001, and the status of neighboring Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.
Get in
By plane
Macedonia has two international airports, the main airport in the capital Skopje (SKP) and a second airport of lesser importance in Ohrid (OHD). An option to travel into Macedonia is to fly to Thessaloniki (SKG) or to Sofia (SOF) and get a taxi or bus from there. However, crossing the border usually takes extra time. A taxi from Sofia to Skopje should be less than 100 €.
By train
Regular train service connects Macedonia to Greece in the South and Serbia in the North.
By car
Be sure your Green Card (International Insurance Card) has an uncanceled "MK" box. Try to get a good map of Macedonia and/or try to be able to read Cyrillic letters. Although most street signs are printed in Cyrillic and Latin letters it can be helpful to have a little knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet, especially in small towns.
By bus
There are bus connections from Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia and Turkey to Skopje.
In Skopje there are two bus terminals. Most buses come to the new terminal, but some connections (for example to Pristina) are serviced by the old one, which is located at the city center. If you need to change the terminals, you need to walk to the stone bridge over Vardar and cross the bridge (about 2.5 km) or take a taxi.
At both terminals you will be constantly nagged by taxi drivers, who will try to convince you to use their services. Unless you have too much money to throw away, you shouldn't take their advice. The taxi is likely to be heavily overpriced, especially for foreigners, while the buses are cheap, clean and safe.
By boat
Get around
If travelling by car, be sure your tires are good enough. Especially in spring and autumn weather in the mountains (Ohrid, Bitola) can differ significantly from the weather in the areas you're coming from.
National trains are slow, but they are nonetheless a nice alternative to hot and crowded buses in the summer. The main train line runs from Skopje to Bitola and Skopje to Gevgelia. No trains run to Ohrid.
Talk
Languages: Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%.
While many young people speak English, many do not, so a phrasebook is handy if not necessary. Speakers of Bulgarian, Serbian, and Croatian should have no problem getting by. Many older people also speak some Russian. German is also very useful, especially among older Albanians, and Dutch might be useful in Ohrid.
Buy
Macedonia is full of markets and bazaars well worth a visit. The bazaars of Skopje, Tetovo, Ohrid and Bitola are the largest selling anything from dried peppers to fake designer sunglasses. While much of the merchandise may not be worth buying, there is normally a good selection of shoes, fruit, and vegetables of good quality, depending on the season. Merchants are generally pleasant and welcoming, especially to westerners, who remain something of a rarity outside of Skopje and Ohrid.
Ohrid is famous for its pearls and there are dozens of jewelers in the old town that will offer good products at decent prices. The Macedonian Orthodox paintings in old Ohrid are also worth a look.
Eat
If you are on a tight budget, try one of the Skara (grill) places.
There are quite a few up-market restaurants serving better quality food on the waterfront, but these do cater for tourists and don't be surprised at the rather weighted bill at the end of your meal.
General
Typical Macedonian food resembles the food of the southern Balkans, meaning loads of grilled meat (known as skara). Side dishes usually have to be ordered separately. Macedonia is also famous for its shopska salata a mixed salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and grated sirenje. Sirenje is a white cheese similar to feta cheese. Usually Macedonians will translate the English cheese to sirenje. Another local speciality is ajvar, a red paste made from roasted paprika and tomatoes, which is either used as an appetizer or side dish. Another typical local dish is tarator which is comparable to the Greek tzatziki. It is made of yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic and it is served as a cold soup.
Fish
Macedonia, being landlocked, does not offer a great variety of fresh fish. A notable exception is Ohrid, where fresh fish from the local lake can be enjoyed. If you have no objections to eating endangered fish the Ohrid trout is local delicacy.
Drink
Rakija is a strong grape brandy that has the best claim to be Macedonia's national beverage. There are also many breweries which brew surprisingly good-tasting beer. Macedonians boast the biggest winery in the Balkan area—the Tikveš (Tikvesh) winery in Kavadarci. Red wines are usually better than white ones. Try "T'ga za Jug"—Macedonain favorite red wine made from a local grape variety called Vranec.
Sleep
Being the national tourist attraction, Ohrid is obviously more expensive than any other destination in Macedonia. Note that hotel prices are very expensive throughout the country and charge double rates to foreigners. It is therefore advisable to stay in private accommodation. If someone does not ask you at the bus station, you can always consult one of the many travel agencies in and around the center. If you do opt for private accommodation make sure you see the room first and then decide. Payment is normally made in advance and should cost no more than €10-15 per night per person in peak season and half that during the rest of the year. Note: finding suitable accommodation in July and August is not easy, so try and book through a travel agent in advance.
When visiting Lake Ohrid, staying in nearby Struga as opposed to the more popular Ohrid is a wise alternative for the price and tourist-trap conscious.
Stay safe
Macedonia is a relatively safe country. Driving is not il-advised, but it's recommended for foreigners to try and use taxis and public transport wherever possible. As in all countries, keep an eye out for pickpockets and all valuables safe. Hotels and most private accommodation will offer a safe to store valuables and cash in.
Most people are very friendly and hospitable, but beware of over-friendly taxi drivers and strangers (who may target foreign travelers for scams). There is a sizable Roma minority and children will often come to tables and beg. Ignore them and they will go away. If you are fortunate enough, the gypsies at your table will be part of one of Macedonia's Gypsy Brass Bands, which go from restaurant to restaurant—it is common courtesy to leave these more entertaining gypsies a small tip.
Stay healthy
Water is safe to drink and there are public drinking water fountains in most public places. It is advisable to wash all fruit and vegetables.
Respect
It is not advisable to refer to the country as FYROM (fee-ROM) while you are visiting there. Macedonia is directly transliterated from the Cyrillic as Makedonia, and is pronounced roughly how it would appear to an English speaker: "mak-e-DON-ya".
The Republic of Macedonia (Република Македонија Republika Makedonija, Republika e Maqedonisë) , often referred to as Macedonia, is a landlocked country on the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Serbia to the north, Albania to the west, Greece to the south, and Bulgaria to the east. It was admitted to the United Nations in 1993; however, the UN and many other international institutions and countries use the provisional reference the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), pending resolution of a naming dispute with Greece.
The capital is Skopje, with 500,000 inhabitants, and there are a number of smaller cities, notably Bitola, Kumanovo, Prilep, Tetovo, Ohrid, Veles, Štip, Kočani, Gostivar and Strumica. It has more than 50 natural and artificial lakes and sixteen mountains higher than 2,000 meters (6,550 ) above sea level.
The country is a member of the UN and the Council of Europe and a member of La Francophonie, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Since December 2005 it is also a candidate for joining the European Union and has applied for NATO membership.
History
The lands governed by the Republic of Macedonia were previously the southernmost part of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Its current borders were fixed shortly after World War II when the government of the then People's Federal Republic of Yugoslavia established the People's Republic of Macedonia, recognizing the region as a separate nation within Yugoslavia.
The region which forms today the Republic of Macedonia came under a number of ancient states and former empires. The first recorded state on the territory was the Thraco-Illyrian kingdom of Paionia. The region passed to the successive rule of: ancient Macedon (originally centered in todays Greek Macedonia), the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Bulgarian Empires, the Serbian Empire and the Ottoman Empire.
In the late 6th century AD, Byzantine control over the area disintegrated, and the region was invaded by Slavic tribes from the north, assimilating the preexisting Greek, Latin, Illyrian and Thracian-speaking inhabitants in the regions of today's Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, where they formed eventually the First Bulgarian Empire, centered at the city of Ohrid. The Slavic invaders of Byzantine Macedonia organized themselves in autonomous rural societies called by the Greeks Scaviniai. They laid various sieges to key Greek Macedonian cities such as Thessaloniki, but they were unsuccessful at conquering them. The Skaviniai were eliminated by the Byzantine Emperors, who would submit or expel the Slavic invaders from the Greek peninsula in successive waves The majority of its members were however Slavic/Buglarian-speakers
More recently, EU sources have confirmed that the Republic of Macedonia's hope of starting accession talks next year cannot succeed, since its new prime minister Nikola Gruevski has shut out the former Yugoslav republic's ethnic Albanian minority and has politicized many state institutions.
Administrative divisions
In August 2004, the Republic of Macedonia was reorganized into 84 municipalities (opštini; sing. opština), 10 of which comprise Greater Skopje. This is reduced from the previous 123 municipalities established in September, 1996. Prior to this, local government was organized into 34 administrative districts.
Geography
The Republic of Macedonia is a landlocked country that is geographically clearly defined by a central valley formed by the Vardar river and framed along its borders by mountain ranges.
The Republic's terrain is mostly rugged, located between the Šara and Osogovo, which frame the valley of the Vardar river. Three large lakes — Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dojran Lake — lie on the southern borders of the Republic, bisected by the frontiers with Albania and Greece. Ohrid is considered to be one of the oldest lakes and biotopes in the world . The region is seismically active and has been the site of destructive earthquakes in the past, most recently in 1963 when Skopje was heavily damaged by a major earthquake, killing over 1,000.
The Republic of Macedonia also has scenic mountains. They belong to two different ranges: Dinarska and Rodopska. The Dinarska range is the oldest with subsequent erosion; the Rodopska range is younger offering rugged, alpine sceneries.
Ten highest mountains in the Republic of Macedonia:
Ethnicities
The largest ethnic group in the country are the ethnic Macedonians, which are Slavic people. According to the 2002 census, 1,297,981 inhabitants declared themselves to be Macedonians, representing 64.18% of the total population. Approximately 535,000 inhabitants are declared as Albanians, representing 25.2% of the population. Smaller ethnic minorities include Turks (77,959 or 3.85%), Roma (53,879 or 2.66%), Serbs (35,939 or 1.78%), Bosniaks (17,018 or 0.84%), Vlachs (9,695 or 0.48%), and other (20,993 or 1.04%). The Macedonian national census records most ethnic groups, but the smaller ones are not enumerated separately in the final report.
Languages
A wide variety of languages are spoken in the Republic of Macedonia, reflecting its ethnic diversity. The official and most widely spoken language is Macedonian, which belongs to the Eastern branch of the South Slavic language group. Structurally, it is closer to Bulgarian than any other Slavonic language. Its current form was codified after World War II and has accumulated a thriving literary tradition.
Other languages including Albanian, Bulgarian, Romani, Turkish, Serbian, Vlach (Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian), Circassian, Greek and others are spoken roughly in proportion with their associated ethnic groups.
Macedonian is the only language explicitly designated as an official national language in the constitution. It also provides however that languages spoken by over 20% of the total population are also official - at present, only Albanian fulfils this requirement. Additionally, in municipalities where at least 20% of the population is from other ethnic minorities, their individual languages are used for official purposes in local government.
Religion
The majority (64.7%) of the population belongs to the Macedonian Orthodox Church (which declared autocephaly in 1968, that is still not recognized by the Serbian and other Eastern Orthodox Churches, although the Archbishop's Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with Decision No. 06/1959, has recognised the autonomy of the Macedonian Orthodox Church ). Muslims comprise 33.3% of the population and other Christian denominations comprise 0.37%. The remainder (1.63%) is recorded as "unspecified" in the 2002 national census Most of the native Albanians, Turks and Bosniaks are Muslims, as are a minority of the country's ethnic Macedonian population, known as .
Altogether, there are more than 1200 churches and 400 mosques in the country. The Orthodox and Islamic religious communities have secondary religion schools in Skopje. There is an Orthodox theological college in the capital. Percentagewise, the country has the largest Muslim population in Europe after Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Macedonian Orthodox Church is the dominant church in the country. It has 10 provinces (seven in the country and three abroad), 10 bishops, and about 350 priests. Macedonians, who are the majority of the population, are Christian Orthodox. A total of 30,000 people are baptized in all the provinces every year. The church has issues with the Serbian Orthodox Church after the separation and self-declaration of autocephaly (not recognized by any other Orthodox church) in 1967. However, the Archbishop's Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church, with Decision No. 06/1959, has recognised the autonomy (self-dependence) of the Macedonian Orthodox Church). After the negotiations between the two churches were suspended, the Serbian Orthodox Church recognized a group led by Zoran Vranishkovski (also known as Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid, a former Macedonian church bishop, as the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric. The reaction of the Macedonian Orthodox Church was to cut off all relations with the clergy of the Ohrid Archbishopric and to prevent bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church from entering the Republic of Macedonia. Bishop Jovan was jailed for 18 months for "defaming the Macedonian Orthodox church and harming the religious feelings of local citizens" by distributing Serbian Orthodox church calendars and pamphlets. .
The Macedonian State Religion Commission denies the group to be registered as a religious group saying that only one group may be registered for each confession and that the name was not sufficiently distinct from that of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. The Macedonian church had acquired documents confirming direct involvement of the Serbian government in financing the activities of the group, seen as interference in the internal affairs of another sovereign state by the Macedonian President Crvenkovski. . The Macedonian President also rejected the request of the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church for abolition of Zoran Vranishkovski (set as a main condition for resumption of negotiations between two churches by the Serbian Patriarch). Vranishkovski is convicted of misappropriate usage of a large sum of money donated to the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
Macedonian Byzantine Catholic Church
The Macedonian Byzantine Catholic Church (also known as the Macedonian Greek Catholic Church) has approximately 11,000 adherents in the Republic. The Church was established in 1918, and is made up mostly of converts to Catholicism and their descendants. The Church is of the Byzantine Rite and is in communion with the Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its liturgical worship is performed in Macedonian.
Jewish Community
The Jewish community of the Republic of Macedonia, which numbered some 7,200 people on the eve of World War II, was almost entirely destroyed during the War, with only 2% of Macedonian Jews surviving the Holocaust. After their liberation and the end of the War, most opted to emigrate to Israel. Today, the country's Jewish community numbers approximately 200 people, almost all of whom live in Skopje. Most Macedonian Jews are Sephardic - the descendants of 15th century refugees who had fled the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions.
Protestant Community
There is a small Protestant community. The most famous Protestant in the country is the former president Boris Trajkovski. He was from the Methodist Community, which is the largest and oldest Protestant Church in the Republic, dating back to the late nineteenth century. Since the 1980s the small Protestant community has grown, partly through new confidence and partly with outside missionary help.
Education
The Macedonian education system consists of:
The higher levels of education can be obtained at one of the three state universities: Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, St. Clement of Ohrid University of Bitola and State University of Tetovo. There is a number of private university institutions, such as the European University , Slavic University in Sveti Nikole, the South East European University and others.
Culture
The Republic of Macedonia has a rich cultural heritage in art, architecture, poetry, and music. It has many ancient, protected religious sites. Poetry, cinema, and music festivals are held annually.
Macedonian music styles developed under the strong influence of Byzantine church music.
The Republic of Macedonia is amongst one of the countries with the most beautiful preserved Byzantine fresco paintings, mainly from the period between the 11th and 16th centuries. There are several thousands square metres of fresco painting preserved, the major part of which is in very good condition and represent masterworks of the Macedonian School of ecclesiastical painting.
In the Republic of Macedonia the past meets the present. Its age-old architecture and monasteries and churches of exquisite beauty make an interesting contrast to the super modern new architecture.
Most of the Macedonian monasteries, built in various periods, and particularly those built between the 11th and 15th–16th centuries, have been completely preserved until today.
The Macedonian collection of icons, and in particular the Ohrid ones, are among the most valuable collections in the world today. After the Sinai and the Moscow collection of icons, it is third in importance in Orthodoxy. From a Byzanthological aspect, it is unique.
The most important cultural events in the country are the Ohrid Summer festival of classical music and drama, the Struga Poetry evenings which gather poets from more than 50 countries in the world, Skopje May Opera Evenings, International Camera Festival in Bitola, Open Youth Theatre and Jazz festivals in Skopje etc.
Gallery
Image:25092005(025).jpg|Lake Ohrid viewed from the Church of St. John at Kaneo
Image:Bogorodica.jpg|Saint Bogorodica Precista Monastery near Kičevo
Image:Mount Pelister MK.jpg|National park Pelister
Image:BitolaWinter.jpg|The city of Bitola
Image:Panair Korab.jpg|Mount Korab – The highest mountain in the country
Image:MountShara.jpg|Šar mountain
Image:Nerezi.jpg|St. Panteleimon church near Skopje
Image:Architecture.jpg|The city of Bitola
Image:OhridCity.jpg|The city of Ohrid located on the shores of Lake Ohrid
Image:Scupi aqueduct.jpg|Ancient aqueduct near Scupi
Image:Morodvis.jpg| Morodvis (Crkvište - Morobisdon) archeological site near Kocani
Image:AlexanderStatuePrilep.jpg| Alexander the Great statue in the center of Prilep
See also
External links
