Skopje is the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the birthplace of Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Prize winner, posthumously declared a saint by the Roman Catholic Church for her philanthropic work.
Interesting facts about Skopje
1. Macedonia is located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southeast Europe. Although it is one of the poorest countries in Europe, Macedonia has made progress in developing a market economy.
2. The monument to Alexander the Great is located in the very heart of the city. Every time you get lost, ask for the statue and you will know where to go.
3. The official name of this statue is “Warrior on Horseback”. His name is not Alexander the Great.
4. Skopje is the seat of the Macedonian government and parliament.
5. The city was built in the Skopje valley along an east-west axis along the Vardar River, which flows into the Aegean Sea in Greece. The width of the valley is about 20 kilometers, it is limited by several mountain ranges in the north and south.
6. The population density in the capital Skopje averages 5,700 people per square kilometer. At the national level, the population density in Macedonia falls to an average of 83 people per square kilometer.
7. Skopje is located in the Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, the largest river in Macedonia, at an altitude of 240 meters above sea level.
8. This is a city with a 2000 year old tradition.
9. Macedonian export sales in 2016 amounted to USD 4.8 billion.
10. The city is surrounded by several mountain ranges: Skopska Kryna Gora in the north, Vodno and Jakupitsa in the south. The river divides the city into southern and northern parts.
11. The Skopje urban area extends in the Skopje valley for about 30 km and covers 10 municipalities.
12. Skopje lies at an altitude of about 245 m above sea level and covers an area of 571.46 km2.
13. There is a dispute about Alexander the Great and his citizenship between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia.
14. The highest value of Macedonian exports are chemicals, clothing, iron, steel and electrical equipment.
15. Skopje covers an area of 1818 km2, 35 km along the Vardar River and approximately 20 km from south to north.
16. Skopje is located in the northern part of the country, in the center of the Balkan Peninsula, halfway between Belgrade and Athens.
17. Including the boundaries of the city and the surrounding municipalities, the built-up urban area of ??Skopje covers 91 square kilometers and will have a population of 515,000 in 2015.
18. Skopje is a very attractive tourist destination with a fortress, monuments, archaeological sites and sports halls.
19. The urbanized area covers 337 km2.
20. The official language is Macedonian and the official alphabet is Cyrillic.
21. Skopje is becoming an important regional route for international air carriers.
22. A stroll through Skopje’s main square will reveal a collection of statues and structures that are part of a project undertaken in 2008 to recreate an old version of the city that was destroyed by the 1963 earthquakes.
