North Macedonia
Europe Β· Capital: Skopje
How it is run: North Macedonia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
North Macedonia is home to 1.8 million people in Southeast Europe, where people speak Macedonian.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
1.8 million people
That is about 225 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
25,713 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 71 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
34th most people in Europe
35th largest by land in Europe.
π£οΈ Official languages
Macedonian
π° Money
denar (den)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
76.6 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$10,490
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
62.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
16.5% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+389
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.mk
π§ People here are called
Macedonian
π·οΈ Name at home
ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ΅Π΄ΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡΠ°
Also written: The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of North Macedonia, Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of.
π Coast or inland
Landlocked β no coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Eastern European Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
North Macedonia is landlocked β it has no coastline, so anything arriving by sea must cross a neighbour's border first.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Macedonia del Norte
French
MacΓ©doine du Nord
Arabic
Ψ΄Ω Ψ§Ω Ω ΩΨ―ΩΩΩΨ§
Chinese
ει¦¬ε Άι
Japanese
εγγ±γγγ’
Russian
Π‘Π΅Π²Π΅ΡΠ½Π°Ρ ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ΅Π΄ΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
MacedΓ³nia do Norte
German
Nordmazedonien
Put it in perspective π
- Russia β the most populated country in Europe β has about 78.8Γ as many people as North Macedonia.
- North Macedonia covers roughly 245 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in North Macedonia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 910 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: North Macedonia sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of North Macedonia
ποΈ Capital
Skopje
π Region
Europe Β· Southeast Europe
π€ Country code
MK
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about North Macedonia π
π§ Where on the map
41.8Β° N, 22.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+1 β when it is noon in London it is about 13:00 in Skopje.
- North Macedonia is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- North Macedonia sits in Southeast Europe, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- North Macedonia sits in the temperate zone, the belt where most of the world's farms and big cities are.
- North Macedonia is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- North Macedonia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- North Macedonia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Being landlocked means paying neighbours to move goods to the sea. What deal would you offer a neighbour if you led North Macedonia?
- If North Macedonia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of North Macedonia?
Skopje
Which money do people spend in North Macedonia?
denar (den)
How many countries share a land border with North Macedonia?
5 β Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Serbia.
Roughly how many people live in North Macedonia?
1.8 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.