North Macedonia People - 2024

Population

2,133,410 (2023 est.)

Nationality

noun: Macedonian(s)

adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups

Macedonian 58.4%, Albanian 24.3%, Turkish 3.9%, Romani 2.5%, Serb 1.3%, other 2.3%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no ethnic affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.)

note: data represent total resident population; Romani populations are usually underestimated in official statistics and may represent 6.5–13% of North Macedonia’s population

Languages

Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no language data was available 7.2% (2021 est.); note - data represent mother tongue; minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where they are spoken by at least 20% of the population; Albanian is co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities; Turkish is co-official in Centar Zupa and Plasnica; Romani is co-official in Suto Orizari; Aromanian is co-official in Krusevo; Serbian is co-official in Cucer Sandevo

major-language sample(s):
Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Macedonian audio sample:

Religions

Macedonian Orthodox 46.1%, Muslim 32.2%, other Christian 13.8%, other and non-believers 0.5%, unspecified 0.2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no religious affiliation data was available 7.2% (2021 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 16.06% (male 177,156/female 165,540)

15-64 years: 68.69% (male 742,990/female 722,359)

65 years and over: 15.25% (2023 est.) (male 143,539/female 181,826)

2023 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 44.6

youth dependency ratio: 23.2

elderly dependency ratio: 21.4

potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 40.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 39.1 years

female: 41.2 years

Population growth rate

0.11% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

10.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.6 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

a fairly even distribution throughout most of the country, with urban areas attracting larger and denser populations

Urbanization

urban population: 59.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

611,000 SKOPJE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.9 years (2020 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 8.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 6.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.1 years (2023 est.)

male: 75 years

female: 79.3 years

Total fertility rate

1.52 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.74 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

59.9% (2018/19)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 99.7% of population

rural: 99% of population

total: 99.4% of population

unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population

rural: 1% of population

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

7.9% of GDP (2020)

Physicians density

2.87 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density

4.3 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 98% of population

total: 99.2% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 2% of population

total: 0.8% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

22.4% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 3.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 1.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

0.9% (2018/19)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

66.5% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 0.3%

women married by age 18: 7.5% (2019 est.)

Education expenditures

N/A

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 98.4%

male: 99.1%

female: 97.6% (2020)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2020)