Makedonia

Makedonia, or Macedonia, is a term used for a geographic region in the Balkans and for historical polities associated with it. The geographic region spans parts of present-day North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria and Albania, and features mountains, lakes and plains. The term also denotes the ancient kingdom of Macedon, centered in the northern Greek region and linked to the era of Alexander the Great.

Ancient Macedon emerged as a major power in the 4th century BCE under kings such as Philip II, who unified the kingdom and laid the groundwork for Alexander the Great’s conquests. The region later became part of the Roman and Byzantine empires, and experienced transformations under successive medieval and Ottoman rule.

In the modern era, the area was part of Yugoslavia as the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. It declared independence in 1991 as the Republic of Macedonia, but the name was contested by Greece. Following the 2019 Prespa Agreement, the country renamed North Macedonia. It joined NATO in 2020 and continues to pursue European Union accession. The capital is Skopje; the official language is Macedonian, with Albanian and other languages spoken. The population is ethnically diverse, including Macedonians (primarily Slavic-speaking), Albanians, Turks and others. Notable cultural and natural sites include Lake Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and various historic towns and archaeological remains that reflect the region’s long history.