Geography of the Republic of Macedonia
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With a total area of 25,333 km², the Republic of Macedonia is a country in Southeastern Europe with geographic coordinates . The Republic has some 748 km of boundaries, shared with Serbia (62 km) to the north, Bulgaria (148 km) to the east, Greece (228 km) to the south, Albania (151 km) to the west and Kosovo (159 km) to the northwest. The country represents a major transportation corridor from Western and Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe.
The country is part of the wider region of Macedonia, from which carries its own name. It is a landlocked country, but has three natural lakes: Ohrid Lake, Prespa Lake and Dojran Lake. Therefore, it has a water area of 477 km². The land area is 24,856 km².
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[edit] Map references
[edit] Climate
The Republic of Macedonia has warm, dry summers and autumns compared to the cold winters with heavy snowfall.
[edit] Terrain
The country is situated on a mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line. The Republic of Macedonia is bisected by the Vardar River.
The Republic's terrain is mostly rugged, located between the Šara and Osogovo, which frame the valley of the Vardar river. Three large lakes — Lake Ohrid, Lake Prespa and Dojran Lake — lie on the southern borders of the Republic, bisected by the frontiers with Albania and Greece. Ohrid is considered to be one of the oldest lakes and biotopes in the world [1]. The region is seismically active and has been the site of destructive earthquakes in the past, most recently in 1963 when Skopje was heavily damaged by a major earthquake, killing over 1,000.
The Republic of Macedonia also has scenic mountains. They belong to two different ranges: Dinarska and Rodopska. The Dinarska range is the oldest with subsequent erosion; the Rodopska range is younger offering rugged, alpine scenery. The ten highest mountains in the Republic of Macedonia are:
| Mount Korab | 2,764 m | 9,396 ft |
| Šar Mountain | 2,747 m | 9,012 ft |
| Baba Mountain | 2,601 m | 8,533 ft |
| Jakupica | 2,540 m | 8,333 ft |
| Nidze | 2,521 m | 8,271 ft |
| Deshat | 2,373 m | 7,785 ft |
| Galichica | 2,288 m | 7,507 ft |
| Stogovo | 2,273 m | 7,457 ft |
| Jablanica | 2,257 m | 7,405 ft |
| Osogovo | 2,251 m | 7,383 ft |
| Mount Bistra | 2,163 m | 7,096 ft |
| Plachkovica | 1,754 m | 5,754 ft |
[edit] Elevation extremes
The lowest point is Vardar River (50 m) near Gevgelija, and the highest point is Golem Korab (2,764 m).
[edit] Natural resources
[edit] Nature preservation
Macedonia has three national parks and a few national nature reserves.
- National parks:
- Special nature reservations:
- Ezerani
- Jasen
[edit] Minerals and ores
Macedonia is rich in chromium, lead, zinc, manganese, tungsten, nickel, low-grade iron ore, asbestos, sulfur, timber. Also it's one of possibly two places in the world where the Lorandite mineral is found.
[edit] Land use
- 24% of the country's territory is arable land.
- 2% of permanent crops
- 25% of permanent pastures
- 39% of forests and woodland
- 10% - other. (1993 est.).
According to 1993 estimates, there are 830 km² of irrigated land.
[edit] Natural hazards
There are high seismic risks.
[edit] Ecology
Air pollution from metallurgical plants is the main problem for the environment.
[edit] Environment - international agreements
Macedonia had taken party to agreements on air pollution, biodiversity, climate change, hazardous wastes, law of the sea, ozone layer protection, and wetlands.
