Country name:
conventional long form: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Republika Makedonija
local short form: Makedonija
abbreviation: F.Y.R.O.M.

Data code: MK

Government type: emerging democracy

Capital: Skopje

Administrative divisions: 34 counties (opstini, singular - opstina) Berovo, Bitola, Brod, Debar, Delcevo, Gevgelija, Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kocani, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Murgasevo, Negotino, Ohrid, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Resen, Skopje-Centar, Skopje-Cair, Skopje-Karpos, Skopje-Kisela Voda, Skopje-Gazi Baba, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Sveti Nikole, Tetovo, Titov Veles, Valandovo, Vinica
note: in September 1996, the Macedonian Assembly passed legislation changing the territorial division of the country; names of the 123 new municipalities are as follows: Aracinovo, Bac, Belcista, Berovo, Bistrica, Bitola, Blatec, Bo Lukovo, Bogdanci, Bogomila, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica, Cair (Skopje), Capari, Caska, Cegrane, Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Delcevo, Delogozdi, Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Djepiste, Dobrusevo, Dolna Banjica, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden, Izvor, Jegunovce, Kamenjane, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda (Skopje), Klecevce, Kocani, Konce, Kondovo, Konopiste, Kosel, Kratovo, Kriva Orasac, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kuklis, Kukurecani, Kumanovo, Labunista, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Lukovo, Mak. Brod, Mak. Kamenica, Mavrovi Anovi, Meseista, Miravci, Mogila, Murtino, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Oblesevo, Ohrid, Opstina Centar (Skopje), Orasac, Orizari, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnia, Podares, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rakovce, Resen, Rosoman, Rostusha, Samokov, Saraj, Sipkovica, Sopiste, Sopotnika, Srbinovo, Star Dojran, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Stravina, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Topolcani, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veleista, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vitoliste, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Vratnica Vrutok, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zileno, Zitose, Zletovo, Zrnovci

Independence: 17 September 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday: 8 September Independence Day

Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991
note: Democratic Party for Albanians (DPA), which is now a member party of the government, is calling for a rewrite of the constitution to declare ethnic Albanians a national group and allow for regional autonomy

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 Ljubco GEORGIEVSKI (since 30 November 1998)
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, DA, and DPA
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 appointed by the president
election results: Boris TRAJKOVSKI elected president on second-round ballot; percent of vote - Boris TRAJKOVSKI 52.4%, Tito PETKOVSKI 46.2%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly or Sobranje (120 seats - 85 members are elected by popular vote; 35 members come from lists of candidates submitted by parties based on the percentage that parties gain from the overall vote; all serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 18 October and 1 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - VMRO-DPMNE 49, SDSM 27, PDP 14, DA 13, DPA 11, LDP 4, Socialist Party 1, Roma Party 1

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected by the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Romas [leader NA]; Alliance of Communists [leader NA]; Civic Liberal Party [leader NA]; Communist Party [leader NA]; Democratic Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic Party for Albanians or DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Macedonia or DPM [Tomislav STOJANOVSK-BOMBAJ]; Democratic Party of Serbs or DPSM [Dragisa MILETIC]; Democratic Party of Turks or DPTM [Erdogan SARAC]; Democratic Progressive Party of Romas [leader NA]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE [Ljubcho GEORGIEVSKI, president]; Labor Party or LP [Krste JANKOVSKI]; League of Democracy [leader NA]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Movement for All Macedonian Action or MAAK [Straso ANGELOVSKI]; Party for Democratic Action-True Path [leader NA]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PDP [Abdurahman HALITI, president]; Party for the Complete Emancipation of Romas or PCER [Bajram BERAT]; Party of Pensioners of Macedonia [leader NA]; Republican Party for National Unity [leader NA]; Social Christian Party of Macedonia [leader NA]; Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or SDSM (former Communist Party) [Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president]; Social Democratic Party of Macedonia or SDPM [leader NA]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]

International organization participation: BIS, CCC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica Z. ACEVSKA
chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 337 3063
FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael EINIK
embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 91000 Skopje
mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
telephone: [389] (91) 116-180
FAX: [389] (91) 117-103

Flag description: a rising yellow sun with eight rays extending to the edges of the red field