Country name:
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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
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy
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Capital:
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name: Skopje
geographic 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
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Administrative divisions:
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84 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer Sandevo, Debar, Debarca, Delcevo, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Dorce Petrov (Gjorce Petrov) (Skopje), Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rostusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
note:
the 10 municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses collectively constitute the larger Skopje Municipality
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Independence:
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8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsed independence from Yugoslavia)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 8 September (1991); also known as National Day
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Constitution:
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adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended November 2001, 2005, and in 2009
note:
amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments strengthening minority rights, in 2005 with amendments related to the judiciary, and in 2009 with amendments related to the threshold required to elect the president
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Legal system:
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civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts
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International law organization participation:
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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, BDI, and several small parties
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); two-round election: first round held on 22 March 2009, second round held on 5 April 2009 (next to be held in March 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 elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Gjorge IVANOV 63.1%, Ljubomir FRCKOSKI 36.9%
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Legislative branch:
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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 six electoral and three diaspora districts; members serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 5 June 2011 (next to be held by June 2015)
election results:
percent of vote by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 39%, SDSM-led block 32.8%, BDI 10.2%, PDSh 5.9%, other 12.1%; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE-led block 56, SDSM-led block 42, BDI 15, PDSh 8, RDK 2
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; Judicial Council
note:
the Judicial Council appoints all basic, appellate, and supreme court judges; Legislative Assembly appoints Constitutional Court Judges
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Political parties and leaders:
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Albanian Democratic Union or BDSh [Bardhyl MAHMUTI]; Democratic League of Bosniaks in Macedonia [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Serbs in Macedonia or DPSM [Ivan STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of the Albanians or PDSh [Menduh THACI]; Democratic Party of Turks of Macedonia or DPTM [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Renewal of Macedonia or DOM [Liljana POPOVSKA]; Democratic Union or DS [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Union for Integration or BDI [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]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Andrej ZENOVSKI]; Liberal Party of Macedonia or LP [Ivon VELICKOVSKI]; Movement for Turkish National Union [Erdogan SARAC]; National Democratic Revival or RDK [Rufi OSMANI]; New Democracy or ND [Imer SELMANI]; New Social-Democratic Party or NSDP [Tito PETKOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Action of Macedonia or SDA [Avdija PEPIC]; Party for the Total Emancipation of Roma or PCER [Samka IBRAIMOVSKI]; Party of United Democrats of Macedonia or PODEM [Zivko JANKULOVSKI]; Party on European Future or PEI [Fijat CANOSKI]; Serbian Progressive Party in Macedonia or SPSM [Dragisha MILETIC]; Social Democratic Union of Macedonia or SDSM [Branko CRVENKOVSKI]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVNAOV DZINGO]; Union of Roma of Macedonia or SR [Amdi BAJRAM]; United for Macedonia or OM [Ljube BOSKOSKI]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Federation of Free Trade Unions [Mirjana ANDREVSKA]; Federation of Trade Unions [Zivko MITREVSKI]; Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture [Jakim NEDELKOV]
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International organization participation:
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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
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Zoran JOLEVSKI
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)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Paul D. WOHLERS
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
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Flag description:
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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
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National symbol(s):
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eight-rayed sun
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National anthem:
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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
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