Macedonia

The Republic of Macedonia is one of the Balkan’s land locked states that was formerly a part of what was known as Yugoslavia. It shares borders with Serbia and Kosovo to the north, Bulgaria on the east, Greece to the south and Albania to the west. The capital city of Macedonia is Skopje which holds nearly 25% of the overall 2.1 million people in this country. Despite its rather large population, the entire country is just under 10,000 square miles in total size. Most of those who live here are Macedonian in heritage, but there is also a significant portion of the population with Albanian roots. The Macedonian language that is primarily spoken in this country is very similar to the Bulgarian language and part of the Slavic language group.

In the centuries prior to the year 1 AD, the region today known as Macedonia was inhabited by a range of different tribal groups including Thracians, Illyrians and Molossians. As a result of the different peoples who have inhabited this country, it has developed a lengthy history that intertwines with many of the countries surrounding it today. However, Macedonia is not as mixed as many of its neighbors in terms of cultural variety. It has been heavily influenced by Greek culture and also, its neighbor Bulgaria. Since the country is a major thoroughfare for goods and people coming from Greece to Eastern, Western and Central Europe, it has significant clout from a geopolitical standpoint. 

The geography of Macedonia is marked by a main valley of the Vardar River which is lined by the Osogovo and Sar Mountains. These scenic mountain ranges are a large part of the tourist draw to this land, but the more than 50 lakes here also play a large role in this, as well. Ecotourism is flourishing in Macedonia, due to its offerings of culturally rich museums, numerous theatrical performances each year and restaurants featuring authentic Macedonian cuisine as well as cutting edge culinary offerings. More than 700,000 visitors arrive in the country each year, visiting not only Skopje, but other cities of importance such as Kumanova, Tetovo, Bitola and Prilep. The famed Macedonian Opera, poetry readings at festivals and plenty of live music bring in visitors not just from the Balkan region, but from all across the world.

The fast growing tech infrastructure of Macedonia has made it an increasingly more attractive place for career seekers to move to and helped its population flourish in recent times. It is in partnership with several neighboring countries to become a major player in the world of e-commerce.

Filed Under: The Balkans

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