Country name:
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republika Makedonija
abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.
local short form: Makedonija
Government type:
parliamentary democracy
Capital:
Skopje
Administrative divisions:
123 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aracinovo, Bac,
Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bogdanci, Bogomila,
Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska,
Cegrane, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo,
Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dobrusevo,
Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Skopje), Drugovo, Dzepciste,
Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor,
Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste,
Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis,
Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Makedonska
Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila,
Murtino, Negotino, Negotino-Polosko, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo,
Ohrid, Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman,
Rostusa, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnica, Srbinovo,
Star Dojran, Staravina, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Velesta, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica,
Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica, Vrutok, Zajas,
Zelenikovo, Zeleno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci
note: the seven municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
collectively constitute "greater Skopje"
Independence:
8 September 1991 referendum by registered voters endorsing
independence (from Yugoslavia)
National holiday:
Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
Day and Ilinden
Constitution:
adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: in November of 2001, the Macedonian Parliament approved a
series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights
Legal system:
based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris TRAJKOVSKI (since 15 December 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 1
November 2002)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 14 November 1999 (next to be held NA October
2004); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election last held 1
November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round
ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI
46.2%; Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected prime minister by Parliament with
72% of the vote
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 SDSM, LDP, and DUI (or BDI)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - 85 members are elected
by popular vote, 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted
by parties based on the percentage that a party gains from the
overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Together for Macedonia coalition (SDSM and LDP) 60, VMRO-DPMNE 33,
Democratic Union for Integration 16, Democratic Party of Albanians
7, Party for Democratic Prosperity 2, National Democratic Party 1,
Socialist Party of Macedonia 1
elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Constitutional
Court - Parliament appoints the judges; Republican Judicial Council
- Parliament appoints the judges
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president];
Democratic Union for Integration or DUI (also BDI) [Ali AHMETI];
Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH [Arben XHAFERI, president];
Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI,
president]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True
Macedonian Reform Option or VMRO-VMRO [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal
Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV];
Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan
ANDOV]; National Democratic Party or PDK [Kastriot HAXHIREXHA];
Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD [Abdurrahman HALITI];
Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI,
president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV,
president]; Together for Macedonia coalition (including the SDSM and
LDP) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Union of Romanies of Macedonia or SRM
[leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
consulate(s) general: New York
FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Laurence Edward BUTLER
embassy: Bul. Ilinden bb, 91000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] 116-180
FAX: [389] 117-103
Flag description:
a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
the red field