North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a country in the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in September 1991 under the name Republic of Macedonia. A landlocked country, North Macedonia has borders with Kosovo to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, and Albania to the west. It constitutes approximately the northern third of the larger geographical region of Macedonia, and is defined primarily by mountains, valleys, and rivers. The capital and largest city, Skopje, is home to roughly a quarter of the nation’s 2.06 million inhabitants. The majority of the residents are ethnic Macedonians, a South Slavic people. Albanians form a significant minority at around 25%, followed by Turks, Romani, Serbs, Bosnians, and Aromanians.
Tourism in North Macedonia is a large factor of the nation’s economy. The country’s large abundance of natural and cultural attractions make it suitable for tourism. In latest years North Macedonia received more than 1 million tourists per year, most of them foreign visitors. Thanks to low-cost airline WizzAir operating from Skopje International Airport and Ohrid Airport, North Macedonia is becoming wide popular tourist destination.
Skopje has a long history that is evidenced by its many archaeological sites, such as Scupi and the Skopje Aqueduct, and the large number of Ottoman buildings and monuments, particularly in the Old Bazaar.
City of Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in the southwestern part of the country on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid. The town is perhaps the most popular tourist destination in the country, with more than 300,000 per year.
North Macedonia also offers many winter destinations, with many national parks and ski resorts. Popova Shapka (Kodra e Diellit) and Mavrovo ski resort, both located in Shar mountain massif in the North-Western part of the country. Just 1 hour drive from the capital.
Macedonian cuisine reflects Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences and shares characteristics of other Balkan cuisines. The relatively warm climate of the country provides excellent growth conditions for a variety of fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. Macedonian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of its dairy products, wines, and local alcoholic beverages, such as rakija.