Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, and Bulgaria border it from west to east, clockwise. Greece, on the other hand, marks the southern border. Since ancient times, Macedonia has been known as a mountainous state, a treasure trove of rugged and wild nature, with steep valleys, deep gorges, and sizable lakes, such as Lake Dojran, or the basins of Prespa and Ohrid on the southern side. Although it lacks direct access to the sea, the climate of Macedonia is not among the worst, with dry summers and autumns, pleasant springs, and winters that are not too harsh, despite heavy snowfall on the mountains. Despite being small, afflicted by seismic phenomena and heavy emigration, Macedonia preserves a respectable artistic and cultural heritage, which has reached levels of excellence especially in the fields of painting, music, and architecture. In Macedonia, for example, there are cycles of Byzantine frescoes from the period between the 11th and 16th centuries that are among the best preserved in Eastern Europe. In particular, the icons of Ohrid are considered among the most precious in the world. Skopje, the capital, is located in the north, not far from the border with Serbia; it is a city of about 600,000 inhabitants, which suffered heavy damage during the 1963 earthquake. Other reference centers are Bitola, Prilep, Ohrid, Kumanovo.
The Profile of Macedonia
- Country: Macedonia
- Area: 25,713 Km²
- Capital: Skopje
- Population: 2.1 million inhabitants
- Language: Macedonian
- Religion: Orthodox, Muslim
- Form of Government: parliamentary republic
- Major cities: Skopje, Bitola, Kumanovo, Prilep, Tetovo
Useful information about Macedonia
- Currency: Macedonian Dinar (1 euro = 61.46 MKD)
- International dialing code: +389
- International plate: MK
- Driving side: right
- Entry documents: ID card or Passport
- Required vaccination: NO
- Electric current: 220 volts AC 50 HZ
- Unit of measurement: metric decimal
- Time zone: same as Italy
- Fixed date holidays: Orthodox Holy Monday, whose date varies each year; Orthodox Christmas, January 7; Christian Christmas, December 25. Also Independence Day, September 8; National Day, October 11; Workers’ Day, May 1; Ilinden, or the 1903 Uprising Day, August 2.
- Climate: dry continental climate, with hot dry summers and cold harsh winters with frequent snowfall
- Average temperatures: hot summers with temperatures reaching 40°C, in winter ranges from -8°C to -15°C
- Transport: National airline company MAT (Macedonian Airlines); many others operating flights to and from Macedonia: Adria Airlines, Aeroflot, Austrian Airlines, Cross Air, Olympic Airlines, etc.
- Airports: Skopje, Ohrid
