North Macedonia faces demographic shifts and wage disparities

North Macedonia is experiencing significant demographic imbalances, characterized by urban expansion and rural depopulation. According to 2021 census data, the country has 1,836,713 residents, but 205 settlements have no permanent inhabitants. Approximately one in nine settlements is entirely without a resident population, while 684 locations have fewer than 100 residents and 218 have fewer than ten.

Simultaneously, economic data reveals stark disparities in corporate compensation. An analysis of the 100 most profitable companies shows extreme variations in average salaries. For instance, Casinos Austria International Macedonia DOO reported a profit of 8.7 million euros with only one employee earning an average monthly salary of approximately 4,000 euros. In contrast, other profitable firms show significantly different wage structures, highlighting a concentration of wealth and population in specific urban and corporate sectors.