|RConstitution:|N Republic. Independence proclaimed in January 1992, but so far only recognized by neighbouring Bulgaria.
|RNature and climate:|N Very mountainous and inaccessible landlocked country crossed by several rivers. Highest peak reaches 2540 m.a.s.l.
|RPeople:|N 70% Macedonians, 20% Albanians, 5% Turks. The Macedonians are "ethnic" cousins to the Serbs, the Greeks and to the Bulgars. Their language is Slavic and closer related to the Bulgarian than the Serbo-Croatian.
|REconomy:|N Agriculture is most important for the economy.
Main crops are tobacco, cotton, fruits, vegetables, wheat, rye and corn.
Sheepraizing is extensive.
Macedonia have many minerals such as chromium, lead, silver, antimony, sulphur, lignite, copper and iron.
Main industries are mining, textiles and handicrafts, but steelworks and steelmanufacturing has been developed in recent years.
|RHistory:|N Todays Macedonia is the western part of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia. The eastern part is today incorporated in Greece.
The people of Macedonia was in ancient times a greekspeaking people, but was very little involved in Greek culture.
The Macedonian king Philip II - 359 to 336 BC - conquered Greece in 338 BC and his son Alexander the Great made Macedonia/Greece a world power. When Alexander died the empire was divided between his generals but Macedonia dominated in the Balkans until 168 BC when the whole area was conquered by the Romans.
When the Roman empire was divided in 395 AD Macedonia became a part of the Byzantine empire.
It was occupied by Turkey in 1389 and remained under Turkish rule until 1913 when it was divided between Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria.
After World War I the Bulgarian part was decreased and the Serbian part became a part of Yugoslavia.
In 1991 Macedonia declared independence and was admitted into the UN, but it has not been internationally recognized as an independent country due to a conflict with Greece about the name and the flag.
