North Macedonia

Overview

North Macedonia lies in the interior of the Balkan Peninsula, landlocked, bordered by Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania. The country originally became independent from Yugoslavia in 1991 under the name Macedonia, a name Greece disputed for decades since the neighboring Greek region also carries the name Macedonia; this naming dispute was resolved in 2019, when the country officially adopted the name North Macedonia. The population is ethnically divided, with a Macedonian Slav majority and a significant Albanian minority, a duality reflected in both everyday life and the political system. The official language is Macedonian, written in the Cyrillic alphabet, and Albanian also holds official status in areas where the Albanian community makes up a significant share of the population.

The old town of Ohrid and Lake Ohrid, one of the deepest and oldest lakes in the Balkans, together have formed a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1979/1980, and the town is adorned with numerous medieval Orthodox churches, including the Church of St. John at Kaneo, perched on a cliff above the lake. Skopje, the capital, where the ancient Roman ruins of Skupi and the Ottoman-era stone bridge both reflect the city's layered history, is also home to the monumental Alexander the Great statue unveiled in 2014, a symbol of the country's modern nationalist architectural trend. Bitola, the country's second-largest city, with its Ottoman- and Austro-Hungarian-influenced architecture, is one of the more atmospheric small-town centers in the Balkans. Heraclea Lyncestis, an ancient Macedonian and later Roman city with mosaic floors and an amphitheater, is an archaeological site near Bitola open to visitors.

Mavrovo National Park, in the western part of the country, with its mountainous terrain and ski resort of the same name, is a popular destination for winter sports, while in summer it offers excellent terrain for hiking. Matka Canyon, a short drive from Skopje, is a limestone gorge carved by the Treska River, where a day can be spent kayaking on the artificial lake or exploring caves cut into the canyon walls, including Vrelo Cave. Lake Ohrid, shared with Albania, is home to endemic species, including the Ohrid trout, and the lake's shores offer swimming, sailing, and other water sports. Local cuisine blends Balkan and Mediterranean influences, with ajvar, a roasted pepper spread, and tavče gravče, a bean-based one-pot dish, as signature items, often served with local red wine.