North Macedonia
Location: North North Macedonia is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It borders Kosovo and Serbia to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, and Albania to the west.
Area: North Macedonia has an area of 25,713 sq km. The country is characterised by a central valley shaped by the Vardar river. Lakes Ohrid, Prespa, and Dojran are found on its south side. This region is known for its major earthquakes. The Sar Mountains and the Osogovo – Belasica mountain ranges run along the borders of the country.
Capital: Skopje (595, 000 inhabitants as of 2020)
Local time: GMT +2
Population: 1.83 million
Major ethnic groups: North Macedonians (64.2%), Albanians (25.2%), Turks (3.9%), Romani (2.7%), Serbs (1.8%), Bosniaks (0.8%)
Religions: Christianity (70.7%), Islam (28.6%)
Languages: North Macedonian, Albanian
Climate: North North Macedonia experiences warm and dry summers, but cold and snowy winters.
Currency: North Macedonian Denar
Government: Unitary parliamentary republic
Country code: +389
Official holidays:
1st January: New Year
6-7 January: Orthodox Christmas
8th March: International Women’s Day
1st-2nd Easter Day (following the Orthodox calendar)
1st May: Labour day
24th May: St Cyrilus and St Methodius Day
2nd August: Ilinden (National Holiday)
8th September: Independence Day
Transportation: There are two airports in north North Macedonia, one in Skopje and the other one being Ohrid Airport. There is 228km of motorways and 699km of railroads.
Taxation: 18% VAT
Electricity: The standard voltage is 230V and 50 Hz frequency. Sockets and plugs are standard European.
Important phone numbers:
112 – Emergency
192 – Police
193 – Fire brigade
194 – Ambulance
Working hours: Typical working hours of shops are from 8:00 to 20:00 Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, working hours are from 8:00 till 15:00, however during the tourist season in the tourist areas working hours are usually extended till 22:00.