Geography
Location:
Southeastern Europe, north of Greece
Geographic coordinates:
41 50 N, 22 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total area:
25,333 sq km
land area:
24,856 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than Vermont
Land boundaries:
total:
748 km
border countries:
Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 228 km, Serbia and Montenegro 221 km (all with Serbia)
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
International disputes:
dispute with Greece over name; in September 1995, Skopje and Athens signed an interim accord resolving their dispute over symbols and certain constitutional provisions; Athens also lifted its economic embargo on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Climate:
hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall
Terrain:
mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; there are three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by the Vardar River
lowest point:
Vardar River 50 m
highest point:
Korab 2,753 m
Natural resources:
chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber
Land use:
arable land:
5%
permanent crops:
5%
meadows and pastures:
20%
forest and woodland:
30%
other:
40%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
air pollution from metallurgical plants
natural hazards:
high seismic risks
international agreements:
party to - Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
Geographic note:
landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe
