Macedonia¶
- Area
- Europe
- Coins
- 3
Shortly after World War II, Yugoslavia set the borders and recognized the Socialist Republic of Macedonia as a separate nation within Yugoslavia. In 1991, the Republic of Macedonia peacefully seceded from Yugoslavia. However, Macedonia's neighbour to the south, Greece, took issue with the name since there was already a region in northern Greece known as Macedonia. Further, Macedonia is also the name given to a loosely defined geographical (and historical) region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. Because of the naming dispute, the United Nations has agreed to refer to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (or FYR Macedonia for short).
Despite this ongoing name dispute, Greece and Macedonia are cooperating and Greece is the most important foreign investor in the country with over half the total investments. The original name comes from the ancient kingdom of Macedon, which was briefly the most powerful state in the ancient near east after Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world. Because of its ancient history, Macedonia has a rich cultural heritage, particularly in religious architecture and art. Its thousands of square metres of beautifully preserved Byzantine fresco paintings are among the best in the world [example]. The country also features perfectly preserved monasteries and churches, particularly from the 11th and 15th-16th centuries. Macedonia is a candidate for membership in the European Union.
