Western Macedonia economy shrinks by 18% since 2019

According to Eurostat data, the real GDP of Western Macedonia in Greece experienced an 18% contraction between 2019 and 2024. This represents the second-largest decline among all European Union regions, surpassed only by the Yugovizotcen region in Bulgaria, which saw a 20.5% decrease.

While most of Europe has returned to or exceeded pre-pandemic levels of economic activity, Western Macedonia remains significantly below its 2019 baseline. The region's 2024 production corresponds to only 82% of its 2019 output.

Furthermore, Western Macedonia remains among the economically weakest regions in Europe, with a real GDP per capita (in Purchasing Power Standards) at 48% of the EU average. Other Greek regions facing similar challenges include North Aegean, Eastern Macedonia – Thrace, Epirus, and Western Greece, all of which report per capita GDP levels below 50% of the EU average.