Boris Trajkovski
President

(pronounced "BAH-riss try-KOFF-ski")

"I believe that we will succeed in making Macedonia a stable and prosperous democratic country with a high level of respect for human rights and freedoms and a high standard of living for all citizens."

The Former Yugoslave Republic of Macedonia spans 25,713 sq km (9,928 sq mi) and is surrounded by Serbia and Montenegro to the north, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, and Greece to the south. The capital is Skopje, (pronounced "SKOPE-jeh") situated on the Vardar River. The population is estimated at 2.05 million, and breaks down as 64.6% Macedonian, 21% Albanian, 4.8% Turkish, 2.7% Roma (Gypsies), 2.2% Serbs, and about 4% others. The Macedonian Orthodox religion, likened to Eastern Orthodox teachings, is practiced by the vast majority of Macedonians. Situated at a strategic crossroads in the Balkan Peninsula, geographic Macedonia has been subject to conquest and territorial disputes for...