 Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia conventional short form:Macedonia local long form:Republika Makedonija local short form:Makedonija note:the provisional designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is the 'former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia' (FYROM) former:People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
name:Skopjegeographic 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
Administrative divisions:
71 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); 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, Grad Skopje, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vrapciste, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
Independence:
8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day
Constitution:
several previous; latest adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended several times, last in 2011 (2011)
Legal system:
civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:President Gjorge IVANOV (since 12 May 2009)head of government:Prime Minister Nikola GRUEVSKI (since 26 August 2006) cabinet:Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the government coalition parties VMRO-DPMNE, DUI, and several small parties elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held on 13 April 2014, second round held on 27 April 2014; prime minister elected by the Assembly following legislative elections; the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister election results:Gjorge IVANOV re-elected president in second-round; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 55.3%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI 41.1%; note - 13 April 2014 first round results - Gjorge IVANOV 51.7%, Stevo PENDAROVSKI 37.5%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (123 seats; all members elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall vote the parties gain in each of the six domestic and three diaspora electoral districts; members serve four-year terms)elections:last held on 27 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2019) election results:percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE 43.0%, SDSM 25.3%, DUI 13.7%, DPA 5.9%, GROM 2.8%, NDR 1.6%, other 4.3%, invalid 3.4%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 61, SDSM 34, DUI 19, DPA 7, GROM 1, NDR 2
| | Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consist of NA 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 legislature for nonrenewable, 9-year terms subordinate courts:Courts of Appeal; Basic Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Positive Macedonia or APM [Ljupco ZIKOV]Citizens Option for Macedonia or GROM [Stevco JAKIMOVSKI] Democratic Party of Albanians or DPA [Menduh THACI] Democratic Union for Integration or DUI [Ali AHMETI] Dosoinstvo (Diginity) [Stojance ANGELOV] Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Nikola GRUEVSKI] Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - People's Party or VMRO-NP [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI] National Democratic Revival or NDR [Rufi OSMANI] Party for a European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI] Party for Democratic Prosperity [Abdyladi VEJSELI] Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Zoran ZAEV]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Federation of Free Trade Unions [Mirjana ANDREVSKA]
International organization participation:
BIS, CD, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (candidate country), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI (since 22 March 2007)chancery:2129 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 667-0501 FAX:[1] (202) 667-2131 consulate(s) general:Chicago, New York, Southfield (MI)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Paul D. WOHLERS (since 11 August 2011)embassy:Str. Samolilova, Nr. 21, 1000 Skopje mailing address:American Embassy Skopje, US Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone:[389] (2) 310-2000 FAX:[389] (2) 310-2499
Flag description:
a yellow sun (the Sun of Liberty) with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of the red field; the red and yellow colors have long been associated with Macedonia
National symbol(s):
eight-rayed sun
National anthem:
name:'Denes Nad Makedonija' (Today Over Macedonia)
lyrics/music:Vlado MALESKI/Todor SKALOVSKI note:adopted 1991; the song, written in 1943, previously served as the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while part of Yugoslavia |