Skopje 22:56 2 ° C
Mainly cloudy
Hotels
The choice of hotels in Macedonia is limited. Even in the capital of the country, the city of Skopje, there are no more than 10-15 of them. There is more choice on Lake Ohrid, after all resort place where both townspeople and residents of neighboring countries come to rest.
Tourism in the country is not very developed, so you have to be content with what you have. In cities, hotels are mainly represented by a standard bed and breakfast system. Hotels international networks there is no local service in the country, the local service is a bit sluggish, it works in a convenient "Balkan" rhythm, which can cause certain inconveniences.
There is more choice on Lake Ohrid: there are many private pensions, democratic hostels, apart-hotels and classic hotels for family vacations.
Sights of Macedonia
Macedonia is the most beautiful, cleanest and interesting country Balkan Peninsula. The country has an ancient and interesting story, lot architectural monuments has survived to this day.
The Ohrid Amphitheater is the only surviving monument from Greek times. It has not been badly preserved to this day and still serves as an arena for holidays and festivals. The spectators' seat is facing away famous lake, so watching the show while enjoying the natural beauty is doubly pleasant. Every summer, the famous Ohrid Music Festival is held here, if you want to get in, tickets must be purchased strongly in advance.
The old part of Skopje, the capital, deserves a separate influence. This is a unique, eclectic place where ancient mosques, 12th century houses, Orthodox churches, Turkish hamams, and ancient paving slabs have been preserved. This is the main thing tourist place cities: everywhere there are street cafes with laconic tables, souvenir stalls and hotels for tourists.
The Church of St. John the Evangelist near the city of Ohrid is unusual in its architecture. It combines Armenian and Byzantine heritage. Presumably the church was built in the 15th century, but in the century before last it was slightly rebuilt, so you can see both old and modern frescoes on the walls. The Matka Canyon is located 13 kilometers from the capital of the country. The base of the canyon is the Treska river passing through the mountain range. On the rocks of the canyon there are medieval monasteries and several caves.
Museums
The Skopje City Museum is housed in a former train station, which was severely damaged by an earthquake. The city authorities decided not to restore the station, but to place a museum in the preserved part of the building. Here are kept archaeological artifacts found on the territory of the capital and its environs.
The Museum of Macedonia is the main one in the country. The exhibits are dedicated to its culture, history and everyday life of the people. An interesting exhibition of icons, clay icons of the 6th century were found only on the territory of Macedonia and Tunisia.
Climate of Macedonia :: Warm, dry summers and autumn. Relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls.
Resorts of Macedonia
Macedonia has no access to the sea, but the country has many lakes. The most famous is Lake Ohrid, the largest and deepest in the Balkans. Its age is five million years. average temperature water +21, along the coast +25. The swimming season lasts from late May to September. The country also has ski resorts... The most popular is Popova Shapka near the town of Tetovo.
Leisure
Travelers come to Macedonia for the natural beauty, rich culture and majestic mountains... The fact that the country is not so popular among tourists for travelers is a plus: it is inexpensive, locals love tourists from Russia, surround them with attention and care.
Ecotourism is a new direction of travel around the country. Lot hiking trails on the mountains, organized cycling, sport fishing, skiing or snowboarding.
Excursion tourism is developed, which is closely related to pilgrimage. Many Orthodox monasteries and churches of the Byzantine heritage have survived.
Area Macedonia :: Mountainous territory covered with deep pools and valleys. Three large lakes, each of which is divided into border lines. The country is divided in half by the Vardar River.
Transport
Direct flights to Macedonia from Russia are rare. Only charter flights are possible during the high tourist season (from late May to September). The most convenient way to get to the country is from neighboring Serbia (by train if you fly from Belgrade), and cheaper from Greek city Thessaloniki if you have a Schengen visa.
You can travel between cities by bus or train. There are several international car rental offices. Requires an international driving license and a security deposit or credit card number.
The roads between the cities are quite good, but there are roads that have not been repaired for a long time. Locals drive carefully, speeding fines are high and unmerciful.
Standard of living
Macedonia is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with a low standard of living. Here good climate and fertile lands, therefore, agriculture and animal husbandry are developed. There is a large percentage of unemployment, it is almost impossible to find a job just like that, without the help of friends or relatives.
There are few shops in the country that accept card payments, so it is better to stock up on paper dinars. With regard to security, the situation is ambiguous: in the tourist areas it is calm and you can walk even after dark, but it is better not to go to the Albanian areas, everything is not all right there.
Macedonia has resources such as: Low grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land.
Macedonian cities
The capital of Macedonia is Skopje. Small town with well-preserved historical architecture and Soviet heritage in the form of panel five-story buildings. The city has an unthinkable number of modern monuments and sculptures: all are huge, unsightly and squat. In the center of Skopje there is a monument to Alexander the Great, although it has nothing to do with modern Macedonia. The capital is home to a quarter of the population of the entire country.
Population
Coordinates
Municipality Karpos Kumanovo Oblast Kumanovo 42.13222 x 21.71444 Municipality Bitola 41.03111 x 21.34028 Municipality Prilep 41.34639 x 21.55444 Oblast Tetovo 42.01056 x 20.97139 41.71556 x 21.77556 District Ohrid 41.11722 x 20.80194 Gostivar Municipality Hostivar 41.79722 x 20.90833 District Stip 41.74583 x 22.19583 Strumitsa Municipality Strumica 41.4375 x 22.64333 Kavadarzi 41.43306 x 22.01194 Oblast Struga 41.17806 x 20.67611 Municipality Kotsani Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia- a state in the south-east of Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. In the north it borders on Kosovo and Serbia, in the west - with Albania, in the south - with Greece, in the east - with Bulgaria. There is no access to the sea. In most of the territory, there are the ridges of the medium-high mountain systems Skopska-Crna-Gora, Pindus, Shar (the highest point is Mount Korab (2764 m)) and Pirin, separated by vast intermountain basins. Mountain ranges separate from each other the valleys of the Vardar and Strumitsa rivers flowing through the whole country. In the south-west are located the large lakes Ohridskoye and Prespa, partly belonging to Macedonia, and in the southeast - the large Doiran lake. The region is seismically active, earthquakes are quite strong. As a result of the latter, which happened in 1963, the city of Skopje was severely destroyed. The official designation since 1993, used at the UN at the insistence of Greece, is the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. It is often called simply Macedonia, but it should not be confused with the state of Ancient Macedonia and the historical region of Macedonia in neighboring Greece. The Republic of Macedonia occupies about 35.8% of the area of historical Macedonia (52.4% is located on the territory of modern Greece, and 9.6% is located on the territory of Bulgaria and makes up about 40.9% of its population). The territory of the Republic of Macedonia used to be the southernmost part of Yugoslavia. Its modern borders were established shortly after the Second World War. In August 1947, President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) Josip Tito and Prime Minister of Bulgaria Georgy Dimitrov met in Bled and agreed that all of Macedonia (or at least part of Greek and all of Bulgarian Macedonia) would eventually enter an alliance with Yugoslav Macedonia, provided that Bulgaria becomes part of the Federation of Balkan States. So the Socialist Republic of Macedonia was formed as part of the SFRY - thus the Macedonians were recognized as an independent people within the SFRY. In 1991, during the disintegration of Yugoslavia into separate states, the territory of Macedonia did not undergo changes. At the same time, the emergence of this separate state led to ongoing political disputes with Greece (July 2010) over the use of the names "Macedonia" and "Macedonians". On November 4, 2004, the US administration officially recognized the Republic of Macedonia under this constitutional name. Meanwhile, the European Union has announced that it will use the former name of Macedonia. The European Union also gave Greece guarantees that Macedonia would be able to join this organization only with the addition of the words "the former Yugoslav republic" to the name. Climate in Macedonia depending on the geographic location, it goes from a temperate continental climate to a subtropical one. The southern part of the country is dominated by climatic conditions similar to those of the Mediterranean. In summer, it is hot here, the air is dry, the air temperature is from + 20 ° C to + 23 ° C. However, if you climb the mountains, you will feel that it is noticeably cooler there. In winter, it is mild and humid - the average temperature ranges from -1 ° C to -10 ° C. In the north of the country, the annual rainfall is about 500 mm, and in the west, on the slopes of the mountains, up to 1700 mm in winter. In the mountains, snow lies from November to March. However, already in May, the air temperature often does not drop below zero. The summer holiday season in Macedonia lasts from May to September. The population of Macedonia is 2,057,284 people (2010). Ethnic composition of the population: Macedonians - 64%, Albanians - 25%, Turks - 4%, Roma - 3%, Serbs - 2%, others - 2%. The majority of the country's inhabitants (about 67%) belong to the Macedonian Orthodox Church. In 1967, the church declared its independence from the Serbian Orthodox Church, but its autocephaly is not recognized by other Orthodox churches. Muslims make up 30% of the total number of believers, adherents of other confessions - 3%. There are 1200 Orthodox churches and monasteries and 425 mosques in Macedonia. The official language of Macedonia is Macedonian, which belongs to the group of South Slavic languages. Almost 70% of the country's population speaks it. The second most important language is Albanian, which is used for communication by more than 21% of the country's inhabitants. The fact that there are areas of compact residence of Albanians on the territory of Macedonia gave rise to the assignment of the official status to the Albanian language, however, only in these areas, along with Macedonian. In addition, approximately 3% of Macedonian residents speak Turkish, Serbian, Croatian and other languages. The Macedonian language is controversial around its name. Perhaps it is worth noting this. The fact is that some linguists believe that no Macedonian language exists. And there is only a stable dialect of Bulgarian, which, due to the large number of people who are its speakers, undeservedly received the status of an independent language. The official Macedonian language is the literary Macedonian language, created on the basis of the dialects common on the territory of the country. For a Russian-speaking person, the Macedonian language is quite difficult to understand and even perceive, due to the abundance of solid consonants. Monetary unit of Macedonia: Macedonian denar(MKD), 1 MKD = 100 denis. There are coins in circulation in denominations of 50 denis, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 50 denars; banknotes - 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 denars. Denar is the only legal tender in the country. Currency can be exchanged at banks and numerous exchange offices. Banks usually work from 7:00 to 13:00 on weekdays, some large banks are open until 19:00 on weekdays and until 13:00 on Saturdays. Exchange offices usually work from 7:00 to 19:00. Credit cards are not very common in the country: they can be used to pay only in expensive hotels and shops in the capital, but you can easily withdraw cash from the bank. The denar is a fairly stable currency, however you cannot exchange it outside Macedonia. It is for this reason that it is best to change the currency into denars not all at once, but in the required quantities. Phone code: 389 Internet domain: .mk Police: 92, Fire Department: 93, Ambulance: 94, Roadside Assistance: 987 Telephone area codes Skopje - 2, Ohrid - 46, Bitola - 47 How to call To call from Russia to Macedonia, you need to dial: 8 - dial tone - 10 - 389 - area code - subscriber's number. To call from Macedonia to Russia, you need to dial: 00 - 7 - area code - subscriber number. Fixed connection Telephone cards are used to make calls from a street phone booth, including abroad, and are sold at post offices and kiosks. Calls from hotels are significantly more expensive, and the quality of the connection is usually lower than from a pay phone. mobile connection Cellular communication is represented by the GSM-900 standard. Coverage in cities is quite dense, in mountainous areas there are vast areas where cellular communication is not available. Local SIM cards can be purchased at the offices of Makedonski Telekom operators. Popular souvenirs are a variety of jewelry made from gold, silver and Ohrid pearls. Rakia (local moonshine) is also brought from Macedonia. Ohrid pearls should either be bought in specialized stores or not bought at all, but in no case in souvenir shops, where there is a very high probability of buying a fake. Tourist infrastructure in the Republic of Macedonia is still relatively poorly developed, there are not many hotels, but the prices for accommodation in them in the country as a whole are quite high. In some hotels, foreigners are charged a double rate and often only in foreign currency. It is often more advisable to stay in the private sector (maximum $ 10-20 per person in high season). The territory of modern Macedonia was developed by man in the Neolithic period. The first historically known settlement is a settlement founded by the Illyrian and Thracian tribes. Already in the 5th century BC. e. on the territory of Macedonia a state arose that existed until the 2nd century BC. e. at the same time, cities as centers of handicrafts and trade almost did not exist here. The history of Macedonia since the 6th century AD is literally woven from the conquests of its various tribes, peoples, states. So, in the 6-7th century, Slavic tribes came to the territory of Macedonia, which ethnically and linguistically constituted one group with the tribes that settled on the territory of modern Bulgaria. In the 7th century, the Slavs of Macedonia submitted to Byzantium. At the end of the 7th century, the proto-Bulgarian horde of Khan Kuver invaded here and settled in the area of the city of Bitola. In the 9th century, most of Macedonia was part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. In the 9-10th centuries, the first feudal relations were formed on the territory of Macedonia, Christianity became widespread. At the beginning of the 11th century, Macedonia was completely conquered by the Byzantine Empire. And since the middle of the 13th century, the territory of the country has been part of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In the middle of the 14th century, Macedonia was conquered by the Serbian king Stefan Dusan, and a quarter of a century later - by the Ottoman Empire. Turkish rule facilitated the influx of Albanians into Macedonia, and purely Muslim villages began to appear. At the same time, the liberation struggle of the Greeks, associated with the Greek national liberation revolution of 1821-1829, also covered the Greek population of Macedonia. At the same time, the liberation movement of the Slavic population of Macedonia developed, aimed at overthrowing the Ottoman yoke. As a result, in 1903, a national liberation uprising broke out in Macedonia, during which the so-called Republic of Krushevo was proclaimed and the Provisional Revolutionary Government headed by N. Karev was created. Aggravation at the beginning of the 20th century of the struggle of the European powers, and especially Germany and Austria-Hungary, for domination in Balkan Peninsula turned Macedonia into one of the knots of international controversy. The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 ultimately led to the fact that the territory of Macedonia was divided between Serbia (or sometimes called this part of Vardar Macedonia), Greece (or Aegean Macedonia) and Bulgaria (Pirin Territory). In 1918, Vardar Macedonia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which became Yugoslavia in 1929. At the same time, in economic terms, Vardar Macedonia was one of the most backward regions of royal Yugoslavia. In 1941 Yugoslavia was captured by the Axis Countries (the countries of the Nazi bloc). The territory of Vardar Macedonia was divided between Bulgaria and Albania. Part of the Macedonian Slavs supported the resistance movement, which was led by Josip Broz Tito, who later became president of Yugoslavia. The Bulgarian occupation authorities formed the Independent State of Macedonia, which existed for several months in 1944. At the end of World War II, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was formed from six republics, including the People's Republic of Macedonia. When the association was renamed the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1963, Macedonia was also renamed the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. 1991 - Declaration of sovereignty and a referendum on the independence of Macedonia, which led to a bloodless secession from Yugoslavia. The first president of Macedonia was a native of the local party nomenclature Kiro Gligorov (1991-1999). 1991 - Bulgaria is the first state in the world to recognize the independence of Macedonia. 1992 - the withdrawal of parts of the Yugoslav army. 1993 - The Republic of Macedonia is admitted to the UN as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. 1995 - after the assassination attempt on Kiro Gligorov, Stoyan Andov was acting head of state for a short period. As a result of the 1999 Kosovo war, some 360,000 Kosovar Albanians fled to Macedonian territory. The refugees soon left the country, but a little later the local Albanians, following their example, put forward a demand for autonomy for the regions of the republic with a predominantly Albanian population. 1999 - Joint declaration fixing the principles of good neighborly relations between Bulgaria and Macedonia; confirmed by a joint memorandum in 2008. 1999-2004 - President Boris Traikovsky. 2001 March - August - the Albanian National Liberation Army (leader - Ali Ahmeti) began military partisan actions against the regular army of Macedonia in the north and west of the country (especially in the Tetovo region). The confrontation was ended only by the intervention of NATO, as a result of which the Ohrid Agreement was signed with the Albanian separatists, which provided limited legal and cultural autonomy (the official status of the Albanian language, the amnesty of the rebels, the Albanian police in the Albanian regions). 2002 - sporadic relapses of the Albanian-Macedonian interethnic conflict. Smoking ban announced in Macedonia in public places... It is forbidden to smoke in restaurants, cafes, bars, educational institutions, government agencies, cinemas and other public places. In the Albanian regions of Macedonia, cases of petty fraud are very frequent; the reception of the supposedly suddenly appeared language barrier is especially popular among the local population, so you should be especially careful when discussing financial issues, making purchases and paying for services. One small but very valuable piece of advice: do not give money in advance, before the service is provided. Otherwise, you can be left with nothing. There are no direct regular flights between Macedonia and Russia. Sometimes charters fly from Russia to Macedonia (Moscow-Orchid-Moscow).
When departing from Macedonia, you need to pay tax - 12 US dollars. By train To travel from Russia to Macedonia by train is extremely inconvenient, expensive and time-consuming. This implies the intersection of several states (Hungary, Serbia), which leads to the need to obtain transit visas. Macedonia is connected by rail with Greece and Serbia. Transit trains run 2-3 times a day from the Greek Thessaloniki to Belgrade, through Macedonia and its cities Gevgelija, Gradsko, Kumanovo. In addition, there are regional trains connecting Skopje and Nis (Serbia), Skopje and Thessaloniki. By bus Macedonia is in close cooperation with neighboring and some Western European countries. Therefore, you can get to the country using one of the regular or seasonal bus routes.
Moreover, regular flights are carried out weekly to Budapest, Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Zurich. Flights to Western Europe much more expensive. By car MACEDONIA (Republic of Macedonia) Geographical position... The Republic of Macedonia is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, in the Vardar River basin. It shares borders with Albania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece. Area. The territory of Macedonia is 25,713 sq. km. Main cities, Administrative division... The capital of Macedonia is Skopje. The largest cities: Skopje (563 thousand people), Bitola (138 thousand people), Kumanovo (136 thousand people), Tetovo (180 thousand people). Administratively, Macedonia is divided into 30 districts. Political system Macedonia is a republic. The head of state is the president, the head of the government is the prime minister. The legislature is a unicameral Assembly. Relief. Most of Macedonia is occupied by medium-altitude mountains (up to 2,764 m) with flat peaks and steep slopes. The mountains are separated by tectonic depressions occupied by lakes (Ohrid and Prespa) or river valleys (Vardar river basin, etc.). In the northwest, on the border of Macedonia with Kosovo, is the largest Macedonian mountain Titov vrh (2748 m). There are three large national parks in Macedonia: Pelister (west of Bitola), Galichica (between Ohrid and Prespa lakes) and Mavrovo (between Ohrid and Tetovo). Geological structure and minerals. On the territory of Macedonia there are deposits of lead, zinc, copper, iron ore. Climate. Macedonia has a Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, winters are mild and rainy. In winter, a warm wind in the Vardar River valley softens the continental climate prevailing in the northern part of the country. Average January temperatures -1-3 ° С, July 18-22 ° С. Annual precipitation is 500 mm. Inland waters... Ohrid and Prespa lakes are the most large lakes on the Balkan Peninsula. They are located in the southwestern part of Macedonia on the border with Albania. The Vardar River flows through the center of the country and its capital, Skopje. Soils and vegetation. On slopes up to 2000m. mixed forests and shrubs grow, steppe mountain meadows are located higher. Animal world... The fauna of Macedonia is characterized by a wolf, fox, hare, hedgehog, deer, and wild boar. Pelicans live near the lakes, turtles, snakes, lizards live in karst areas. Population and language Macedonia is home to about 2 million people. About 68% of the population is Macedonian Slavs. Other ethnic groups: Albanians 22%, Serbs 5%, Roma 3.6% and Turks 3.4%. Most of the Albanians are concentrated in the area between Tetovo and Debar in the northwestern part of the country. Demonstrations in defense of the rights to receive education in the Albanian language were held here at one time. The Macedonian Slavs have nothing to do with the Greek Macedonians of the period of antiquity. The Macedonian language is very similar to Bulgarian and Serbian languages. Many ethnographers classify the Macedonians as ethnic Bulgarians. The official position of the Bulgarian government is that the Macedonians are Bulgarians. Among the Macedonians, there are very few supporters of this point of view. Religion Almost all Albanians and Muslim Turks are Orthodox Slavs. A brief historical outline The territory of Macedonia has been inhabited since the Neolithic times. The first historically known settlement was founded by the Illyrian and Thracian tribes. In the V century. BC e. on the territory of Macedonia a state arose (existed until the 2nd century BC). Cities as centers of craft and trade in the early period almost did not exist here. In the VI-VII centuries. n. e. the territory of Macedonia was inhabited by Slavic tribes. It is believed that these tribes, ethnically and linguistically, were one group with the tribes that settled in the territory occupied by modern Bulgaria. In the VII century. Byzantium partially subjugated the Slavs of Macedonia. In 670-675. the proto-Bulgarian horde of Khan Kuvera invaded Macedonia and settled in the area of the city of Bitola. In the IX century. most of Macedonia was part of the First Bulgarian Kingdom. In the IX-X centuries. feudal relations were formed on the territory of Macedonia, Christianity was widely spread. In 1018 Macedonia was conquered by the Byzantine Empire. In 1230 the Macedonian territory becomes part of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In the middle of the XIV century. Macedonia was conquered by the Serbian king Stefan Dusan, and in the last quarter of the XIV century. - Ottoman Empire. During the period of Turkish domination, the influx of Albanians into Macedonia increased, and purely Muslim villages arose. The growing liberation struggle of the Greeks, associated with the Greek national liberation revolution of 1821-1829, also covered the Greek population in Macedonia. The liberation movement of the Slavic population was also unfolding. Nation of Macedonia, aimed at overthrowing the Ottoman yoke and against the policy of Hellenization pursued by the Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 1903, a national liberation uprising broke out in Macedonia, during which the so-called Krushevskaya Republic was proclaimed and the Provisional Revolutionary Government headed by N. Karev was created. With an exacerbation at the beginning of the XX century. the struggle of the European powers (especially Germany and Austria-Hungary) for domination on the Balkan Peninsula Macedonia turned into one of the knots of international contradictions. The struggle of others has also intensified Balkan countries for Macedonia. As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913. Macedonia was divided between Serbia (Vardar Macedonia), Greece (Aegean Macedonia) and Bulgaria (Pirin region). In 1918 Vardar Macedonia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (since 1929 - Yugoslavia). Vardar Macedonia was one of the most backward regions of royal Yugoslavia. The Serbian bourgeoisie, which occupied a dominant position in royal Yugoslavia, pursued a policy of national oppression in Vardar Macedonia. The very name "Macedonia" was deleted from the official lexicon, and violent Serbization was carried out. This aroused active resistance from the Macedonians, Macedonian cultural circles were created, the Macedonian literary language was formed, the foundations of Macedonian national literature were laid, which was facilitated by the vigorous activity of advanced social forces, communists, and progressive intelligentsia. The process of the formation of the Macedonian nation was going on. In 1941, as a result of the occupation of Yugoslavia by Nazi troops, most of Vardar Macedonia was occupied by monarchist-fascist Bulgaria, and the rest of the regions by fascist Italy. In October 1941, the liberation struggle began in Vardar Macedonia, which appeared part of pan-Yugoslav national liberation movement. In 1943, at the 2nd session of the Anti-Fascist Council for the People's Liberation of Yugoslavia, it was decided that the new Yugoslavia would be built as a democratic federation of equal peoples, including the Macedonians. In 1944, Macedonia was finally liberated from the fascist invaders. In April 1945, the first people's government of Macedonia was formed. In November 1945, the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed. The People's Republic of Macedonia became one of its six republics. A new stage began in the formation and development of the Macedonian nation under the conditions of socialist construction, in the process of which the elimination of illiteracy was carried out, the creation of an education system in the native language, the introduction of the working people to the achievements of science and culture, the creation of the intelligentsia, the formation of the Macedonian folk culture, etc. In January 1992, the country declared itself completely independent from Yugoslavia. Brief economic outline Macedonia is an agrarian and industrial country. Extraction of chromites, copper, lead-zinc, iron ores. Enterprises of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine-building, chemical-pharmaceutical, food (tobacco, wine-making, rice-cleaning), light, woodworking industries. Agriculture is dominated by crop production: cereals (rice, wheat, corn). Cotton, opium poppy, peanuts, and anise are cultivated. Macedonia is a significant producer of southern varieties of tobacco. Fruit growing, viticulture. Mountain-pasture sheep breeding. Lake fishing. Forestry. Export: clothing, textiles, machinery and equipment, medicines, furniture, agricultural products. The monetary unit is the Macedonian dinar. A brief outline of culture Art and architecture. On the territory of Macedonia, there are ruins of cities that existed before the IV-VI centuries. - Stoby, Scoopy, Heraclea. The nature of medieval architecture is determined by the influence of Byzantine architecture. Secular architecture before the Turkish conquest is represented by the remains of the Cyclopean walls of Skopje (535), the castle of King Samuel (early 11th century). An early type of church architecture is a three-aisled basilica with a dome and choirs (Basilica of St. Sophia in Ohrid, circa 1037-1050). In the XII-XIV centuries. the type of cross-domed church with one dome (Church of St. Michael and Gabriel in Les-novo, 1341) or five (Church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi, 1164) was established. From the end of the XIII century. the facades of buildings were often decorated with rich patterned masonry of stone and brick. During the era of Turkish rule, domed mosques, minarets, inns, baths and tower-like dwellings were built in cities (Skopje, Bitola, Shtipe, etc.). By the XVIII-XIX centuries. include picturesque ensembles of monasteries (the monastery of Ioann Bigorsky, 1743) and various examples of folk architecture (residential buildings with a symmetrical arrangement of rooms around the entrance and a courtyard isolated from the street). Medieval art in the territory of Macedonia is represented by numerous cycles of frescoes that occupy an important place in the history of Eastern European painting of the 11th-14th centuries. Fresco cycles in the church of St. Sofia in Ohrid (mid-11th century) and the Church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi (1164). Frescoes by the masters Michael and Eutychios in the churches of St. Clement in Ohrid (1295) and St. George in Staro-Nagori-chino (1317-1318), characterized by a variety of plots and an abundance of real details. Republic of Macedonia. The name of the country is formed by the ethnonym of the pre-Slavic population - the Macedonians, whose name, in turn, comes from the ancient Greek "Macedonos" - "tall", "tall", "slender". Capital of Macedonia... Skopje. Macedonia Square... 25333 km2. Population of Macedonia... 2046 K people Location of Macedonia... The Republic of Macedonia is located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, in the Vardar River basin. It borders with in the north, with - in the east, with - in the south and - in the west. Administrative divisions of Macedonia... It is divided into 34 communities and 123 districts. Form of government of Macedonia... Republic. Head of State of Macedonia... President elected for a term of 5 years. Supreme Legislature of Macedonia... Unicameral Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, term of office - 4 years. Supreme Executive Body of Macedonia... Government. Big cities. Bitola, Kumanovo, Tetovo. Official language... Macedonian. Religion. 74% are Orthodox, 26% are Muslims. Ethnic composition of Macedonia... 68% are Macedonians, 22% are Albanians, 5% are Serbs, 3.6%, 3.4% are Turks. Currency of Macedonia... Macedonian denar = 100 days. Sights of Macedonia... The ruins of the ancient Greek city of Hera-Klei, the castle of King Samuel, the fortress in Strumica, the Basilica of St. Sophia in Ohrid, the Church of St. Michael in Lesnovo, the Church of St. Panteleimon in Nerezi, etc. Helpful information for tourists Fabulous beaches alternate on the east coast. Sandy bay near Kalamitsi is a paradise for scuba divers. Surf lovers can sail from Sarti to Agios Nikolaos. In the clear, in the distance, one can see the majestic contours of Agion Oros (Holy Mount Athos) - the third "finger" of the Halkidiki peninsula. Here is the famous Monastic Republic, whose population is exclusively male and is about 2000 people. There are 20 monasteries on Athos, of which 17 are Greek, one Russian, Bulgarian, etc. Time flows here according to the Julian calendar. Women's access to the Holy Mountain is strictly prohibited.Territory and name
Climate in Macedonia
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Helpful information
How to get to Macedonia
You can also get to Macedonia from Moscow by regular flights to Belgrade (Serbia) operated by Aeroflot and Jat Airways, then - domestic flights to Skopje or Orhid. The duration of the flight from Moscow to Belgrade is about 3 hours.
If the tourist has a Greek visa, you can use one of the numerous and relatively inexpensive flights to Thessaloniki, and then get to Macedonia by train (3-4 hours).
Bus routes to Macedonia are carried out regularly from Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Greece, Albania, Turkey.
Distances from Skopje by road: Moscow - 2550 km, Belgrade - 416 km, Thessaloniki - 234 km, Sofia - 190 km, Athens - 710 km.
Last changes: 18.05.2013
The land of Macedonia is home to a proud people and ancient Macedonian civilization, the birthplace of Orthodox writing and one of the cleanest countries in Europe. Tourism is rather poorly developed here, but nevertheless Macedonia is one of the most interesting Balkan states. In all cities of the country, many monuments of antiquity and the Middle Ages are carefully preserved, and wonderful nature makes Macedonia a center active rest- mining and hiking, sport fishing and rafting.
The city of Skopje, which is the capital of the country, has been known since the period of the Roman Empire. Now it is divided into two parts: the new “transverse” city, inhabited by Macedonians, and the Old, in which mainly Muslim Albanians live. After a massive earthquake about half a century ago, the city was destroyed by almost seventy percent, and its architectural appearance has changed markedly: brought back to life under the leadership of the architect Tange, it still has unrecoverable neighborhoods, which are surrounded by ultra-modern buildings towering over winding narrow streets of old districts. From the former capital, only the central part has survived, which is adjacent to the Calais fortress, erected in the eleventh century. It is called Charshia and now it is a very interesting market area, which is rightfully considered one of the best oriental bazaars in Europe. In addition, the traditional Turkish baths built in the second half of the fifteenth century, the temple of St. Spas, the stone bridge erected in the fifteenth century, the Mustafa Pasha Mosque, the Clock Tower and various museums are popular.
In the New City, attractions include the Orthodox Cathedral, located at the intersection of Arm and Paritzanski Odredi boulevards, the Concert Hall, the City Museum, the Parliament building, the Historical Museum and the Art Museum, the Historical Archives, the Art Gallery, the Gypsy suburb and the Culture Gallery. Not far from the capital, you can see the ruins of a Roman settlement Buy it, but on scenic mountain The temple of St. Panteleimon, built in the twelfth century, rises over the water. It is decorated with frescoes of exceptional artistic value. The monasteries Matka, Sveti Andrei, Marko and Sveti Nikita are also located here.
In the southern part of the country there is another Big City- Bitola. Its main attraction can be called the ruins of the ancient Heraclea Lincestis, which was founded in the fourth century BC. Also of great interest are Doiran Lake, the surroundings of which are rightfully considered one of the beautiful places Macedonia, thermal springs Debara, a magnificent canyon - the Radika gorge, as well as the waterfall of the same name, the largest in the Balkan Peninsula, the picturesque canyons of the Treska and Matka rivers, the incredibly beautiful Bistra cave region, the Ubava, Krshtalnia and Vrelo caves and, in addition, many monasteries.
The real pearl of Macedonia is Lake Ohrid, which reaches a depth of 285 meters. This is one of the cleanest and most beautiful lakes in Europe, as well as one of the most ancient lakes in the world. The entire coastline is occupied by a variety of hotels and resorts that offer a wide range of entertainment. According to the composition of the ecosystem, the lake is quite close to the famous Baikal, therefore, a reserve of the same name has been created on the nearby mountain slopes.
Macedonia is a country with truly countless riches - historical, natural and cultural.
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