Part 446

Constitution: adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Kiro GLIGOROV (since 27 January 1991) was elected by the Assembly in 1991 and reelected by popular vote in 1994; election last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - percent of vote NA; note - following a failed assassination attempt on the president in October 1995, then Parliamentary Speaker Stojan ANDOV was acting president; GLIGOROV resumed his duties in early 1996 head of government: Prime Minister Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 4 September 1992) was appointed by the president cabinet: Council of Ministers were elected by the majority vote of all the deputies in the Assembly; note - after the withdrawal of the Liberal Party from the ruling coalition in early 1996, the Council of Ministers was reorganized without LP participation

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly (Sobranje): elections last held 16 and 30 October 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) SDSM 58, LP 29, SPM 8, PDP 10, NDP 4, independents 7, other 4

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court, judges are elected by the Judicial Council; Judicial Court of the Republic, judges are elected by the Judicial Council

Political parties and leaders: Social-Democratic Alliance of Macedonia (SDSM; former Communist Party), Branko CRVENKOVSKI, president; Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP), Abdurahman HALITI, president; National Democratic Party (NDP), Ilijas HALINI, president; Alliance of Reform Forces of Macedonia - Liberal Party (SRSM-LP), Stojan ANDOV, president; Socialist Party of Macedonia (SPM), Kiro POPOVSKI, president; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE), Ljupco GEORGIEVSKI, president; Party of Yugoslavs in Macedonia (SJM), Milan DURCINOV, president; Democratic Party (DP), Petar GOSEV, president; Party for Democratic Prosperity of Albanians (PDPA), Arben XHAFFERI, president

Other political or pressure groups: Movement for All Macedonian Action (MAAK); Democratic Party of Serbs; Democratic Party of Turks; Party for Democratic Action (Slavic Muslim)

International organization participation: CCC, CE, CEI, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ljubica ACEVSKA chancery: 3050 K Street, NW, Suite 210, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: (202) 337 3063 FAX: (202) 337 3093

US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Christopher HILL; Charge d'Affaires Victor D. COMRAS embassy: ul. 27 Mart No. 5, 9100 Skopje mailing address: United States Liaison Office Skopje, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: (91) 116-180 FAX: (91) 117-103 note: the US agreed to establish full diplomatic relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in September 1995, and to upgrade the Liaison Office to an Embassy

Flag: a rising yellow sun with 8 rays extending to the edges of the red field

Economy -------

Economic overview: The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, although the poorest republic in the former Yugoslav federation, can meet basic food and energy needs through its own agricultural and coal resources. Its economic decline will continue unless ties are reforged or enlarged with its neighbors Serbia and Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Bulgaria. The economy depends on outside sources for all of its oil and gas and most of its modern machinery and parts. An important supplement of GDP is the remittances from thousands of Macedonians working in Germany and other West European nations. The end of sanctions on Serbia and the lifting of the Greek embargo on Macedonia have reopened its natural trade corridors, but the country has been slow to capitalize on these opportunities. Moreover, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's geographical isolation, technological underdevelopment, and potential political instability place it far down the list of countries of interest to Western investors. An internal commitment to economic reform would encourage foreign investment over the long run.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.9 billion (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate: 4%

GDP per capita: $880 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 24% industry: 44% services: 32%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 14.8% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 591,773 (June 1994) by occupation: manufacturing and mining 40% (1992)

Unemployment rate: 37% (1995 est.)

Budget: revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate: -14% (1993)

Electricity: capacity: 1,600,000 kW production: 6.046 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,941 kWh (1992)

Agriculture: rice, tobacco, wheat, corn, millet, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Illicit drugs: limited illicit opium cultivation; transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin

Exports: $916.2 million (1995) commodities: manufactured goods 40%, machinery and transport equipment 14%, miscellaneous manufactured articles 23%, raw materials 7.6%, food (rice) and live animals 5.7%, beverages and tobacco 4.5%, chemicals 4.7% (1990) partners: principally Serbia and Montenegro and the other former Yugoslav republics, Germany, Greece, Albania