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World Measure
Country profile · Europe · Rank #153 by population

North Macedonia

Officially Republic of North Macedonia
Population 2025
1,820,909
#153
in the world
0.02%
of world population
−0.19%
annual growth
Density
72/km²
25,220 km² land area
Median age
41.0 years
Half the population is younger
Life expectancy
76.6 years
At birth
Urban population
62.9%
Living in urban areas

About North Macedonia

With a population of 1.82 million, North Macedonia ranks 153rd globally and is experiencing modest population decline at -0.2% annually. The country spans 25,220 km² across southeastern Europe with a population density of 72 people per km². A median age of 41 years reflects an aging demographic, while life expectancy stands at 76.6 years and the fertility rate is 1.4 births per woman.

Skopje serves as the capital. The nation established independence in 1991 and operates as a parliamentary republic, with the denar as its currency and Macedonian as the official language. Urban areas account for 63% of the population. The economy registers a GDP per capita of $10,490, positioning it as a lower-middle-income country in the region.

This summary is AI-generated from the indicators on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.

Country Facts

Capital
Skopje
Continent
Europe
ISO codes
MK · MKD
Demonym
Macedonian
Currency
denar (MKD den)
Government
Parliamentary republic
State inception
1991
Time zone
UTC+01:00
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+389
Internet TLD
.mk
Land neighbours
5

Languages

  • Macedonian

Demographics

Urban Population132nd of 240
62.9%
World Bank, 2025
Fertility Rate197th of 240
1.40 births per woman
World Bank, 2024
Birth Rate171st of 213
8.8 per 1,000
World Bank, 2024
Death Rate24th of 213
11.1 per 1,000
World Bank, 2024

Economy

GDP per Capita121st of 240
$10,490
World Bank, 2025
GDP Growth97th of 210
+3.5%
World Bank, 2025
Unemployment Rate163rd of 186
12.3%
World Bank, 2025
Inflation Rate60th of 191
4.1%
World Bank, 2025
Poverty Rate85th of 164
21.9%
World Bank, 2023
Gini Index65th of 170
33.5
World Bank, 2019

Health

Infant Mortality19th of 194
2.5 per 1,000 live births
World Bank, 2024
Health Spending77th of 192
7.4% of GDP
World Bank, 2023
Physicians63rd of 206
2.94 per 1,000
World Bank, 2022
Hospital Beds35th of 199
4.74 per 1,000
World Bank, 2021
Maternal Mortality6th of 193
3 per 100,000 live births
World Bank, 2023
Obesity Rate59th of 198
31.2%
Our World in Data, 2024

Education

Literacy Rate74th of 175
96.1%
World Bank, 2002
Education Spending137th of 202
3.3% of GDP
World Bank, 2002
School Enrollment113th of 207
90.1% gross, secondary
World Bank, 2023

Not published for North Macedonia: Mean Years of Schooling.

Environment

Renewable Energy109th of 211
19.5% of final consumption
World Bank, 2021
Forest Coverage76th of 211
39.7% of land area
World Bank, 2023
Protected Areas41st of 211
29.0% of land area
World Bank, 2025
CO₂ Emissions96th of 212
3.63 tonnes per capita
Our World in Data, 2024

Infrastructure

Internet Penetration44th of 211
93.1%
World Bank, 2025
Mobile Subscriptions123rd of 212
108.4 per 100 people
World Bank, 2024

Quality of Life

Human Development Index67th of 192
0.815
Our World in Data, 2023
Happiness Index86th of 164
5.72/ 10
Our World in Data, 2025

Geography

Land Area149th of 240
25,220 km²
World Bank, 2023

Military

Military Spending59th of 163
2.10% of GDP
World Bank, 2024

Age & Gender Distribution

Population by five-year age band, UN World Population Prospects 2024.

Male Female
100+95-9990-9485-8980-8475-7970-7465-6960-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-145-90-465K65KAge
Age 0–14
16.8%
Age 15–64
65.2%
Age 65+
18.0%
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.
North Macedonia population pyramid
Age bandMaleFemale
100+873
95-99153763
90-941,3694,215
85-895,52911,812
80-8413,23222,204
75-7924,70835,950
70-7442,14852,514
65-6953,91859,998
60-6458,32163,172
55-5960,34464,373
50-5459,61463,398
45-4962,64864,340
40-4463,95664,930
35-3962,01162,209
30-3460,49259,365
25-2955,90154,205
20-2453,25452,277
15-1952,17250,755
10-1455,73153,984
5-954,00251,695
0-447,33743,931

Population History & Projection (1950–2100)

Observed population to 2024, then the UN medium-variant projection.

0500K1M1.5M2M1950197520002025205020752100projected →
North Macedonia's population was 1.25M in 1950 and is projected at 863K by 2100. Peak of 2.09M in 2005. Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 (estimates to 2024, medium variant thereafter).
North Macedonia population, 1950 to 2100
YearPopulation
19501,248,683
19601,435,059
19701,664,208
19801,933,038
19902,063,689
20002,057,253
20102,051,505
20201,872,015
20301,762,486
20401,641,908
20501,512,688
20601,371,920
20701,226,952
20801,093,862
2090974,133
2100862,997

How North Macedonia Compares

Population against the ten most populous countries.

  1. India1.46B
  2. China1.41B
  3. United States341.8M
  4. Indonesia285.7M
  5. Pakistan255.2M
  6. Nigeria237.5M
  7. Brazil212.8M
  8. Bangladesh175.7M
  9. Russia143.5M
  10. Ethiopia135.5M
  11. North Macedonia1.82M
Sources as cited on each country page.
North Macedonia compared with the ten largest countries by population
NamePopulation
India1.46B
China1.41B
United States341.8M
Indonesia285.7M
Pakistan255.2M
Nigeria237.5M
Brazil212.8M
Bangladesh175.7M
Russia143.5M
Ethiopia135.5M
North Macedonia1.82M

Largest Cities in North Macedonia

All cities →

36 cities of 15,000 or more in our roster.

The largest cities in this country, by city population
#CityRegionPopulation
1SkopjeGrad Skopje474,889
2KumanovoKumanovo75,051
3PrilepPrilep73,814
4BitolaBitola69,287
5ČairGrad Skopje64,773
6TetovoTetovo63,176
7Kisela VodaGrad Skopje58,216
8VelesVeles57,873

Highest Peaks in North Macedonia

All peaks →

32 notable summits in our mountain dataset. Subsidiary summits — named high points on a larger mountain — are omitted, so ranks may skip.

The highest peaks in this country, by elevation
#PeakRangeElevation
1Golem Korab2,764 m
2Titov VrvŠar Mountains2,748 m
4Bristavec2,675 m
5Bistra2,611 m
6DžinibegŠar Mountains2,610 m
7Pelister2,601 m
8TrpeznicaŠar Mountains2,599 m
9Golema VracaŠar Mountains2,582 m

Countries Bordering North Macedonia

5 land borders.

North Macedonia Population FAQ

What is the population of North Macedonia in 2026?

North Macedonia has a population of 1,820,909 people (2025 estimate), which is 153rd in the world and about 0.02% of the global total.

Is the population of North Macedonia growing or shrinking?

North Macedonia's population is shrinking at −0.19% per year, a change of roughly 3,442 people annually.

What is the capital of North Macedonia?

The capital of North Macedonia is Skopje.

How densely populated is North Macedonia?

North Macedonia has 72/km² across 25,220 km² of land area.

What is life expectancy in North Macedonia?

Life expectancy at birth in North Macedonia is 76.6 years (2024).

What is the median age in North Macedonia?

The median age in North Macedonia is 41.0 years, meaning half the population is younger than that and half older.

Which continent is North Macedonia in?

North Macedonia is in Europe.

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