NORTH MACEDONIA
Population
Population
Cities in NORTH MACEDONIA
| Skopje |
Population
Demographic data (2017)
The population of North Macedonia is 2,103,721. North Macedonia is a rather sparsely populated country, as the population density is only just over 80 inhabitants per km2.
The natural population growth rate is 0.17
Birth rate per 1000 inhabitants is 11.4
Death rate per 1000 inhabitants is 9.2
Life expectancy is 73.8 years for men and 79.2 for women
Composition by age
0-14 years 17.2%
15-64 years 69.4%
65+ 13,4%
Composition
In 2017, there are in North Macedonia:
Macedonians (64.2%)
Albanians (25.2%)
The Albanians (Gegen in the north and Tosken in the south), explicitly not a Slavic people, are by far the largest ethnic community. They live in the north and west of northern Macedonia along the border of Kosovo and Albania and live mostly in the countryside. All Albanians are Muslims and form a very isolated community with generally few contacts and a certain degree of mutual distrust towards the Slavic North Macedonians.
The Albanians are very underrepresented in government positions and in the police and army. One reason for this is the low level of education, which is caused, among other things, by poor Albanian education.
A concern for the Noth Macedonians is the rapid growth of the Albanian population, which, if it continues, will constitute the majority of the population of North Macedonia within a few decades.
Turks (3.9%)
The Turks are the second largest minority in North Macedonia with approximately 80,000 people. Despite the high birth rate, the number of Turks has declined in recent decades due to increasing emigration.
Roma (2.7%)
The situation of the Roma in North Macedonia is much better than in the rest of South East Europe, yet it is the community with the highest unemployment and poverty rate. They generally speak their own language, Romani. Šuto Orizari, near the capital Skopje, is home to the largest Roma community in the world. Approximately 23,000 Roma of the 54,000 in northern Macedonia live in this city.
Serbs (1.8%)
The approximately 40,000 Serbs used to demand a Serbian autonomous province within North Macedonia, but seem to have reconciled with their fate in the meantime.
Others (2.2%)
This includes a small number of Vlach, a population group that speaks a language related to Romanian.
Sources
Detrez, R. / Macedonië : mensen, politiek, economie, cultuur, milieu
Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen
Evans, T. / Macedonia
Bradt Travel Guides
Zuid-Europa
The Reader's Digest
CIA - World Factbook
BBC - Country Profiles
Copyright: Team The World of Info