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7 clusters · 15 sources · 56 days · First seen · Last updated

North Macedonia institutional and demographic challenges

Overview

North Macedonia continues to navigate institutional and demographic challenges. The country is managing a legal trial concerning the ‘State Lottery’ case involving approximately 8 million euros, while simultaneously addressing a severe demographic decline.

In 2025, the nation recorded a natural population loss of 4,437 people, driven by low birth rates and emigration. This trend persisted into 2026; during the second quarter, deaths outnumbered births by 1,005 people. This crisis is directly impacting the education system, with significant drops in first-grade enrollment and the temporary closure of numerous rural school facilities.

Recent data highlights the scale of the demographic shift. According to the 2021 Census, the population stands at 1,836,713, marking a 9.2 percent decrease of 185,834 people compared to 2002. The decline is most acute in smaller settlements: out of 1,781 inhabited places, 205 have no permanent residents, 684 have fewer than 100 inhabitants, and 218 locations have fewer than ten people.

This migration, primarily driven by young people moving to larger cities or abroad, creates a ripple effect that reduces local commerce and challenges the maintenance of essential services like healthcare and administration. While urban centers like Skopje, Kumanovo, and Bitola serve as population hubs, the rural exodus continues to threaten the long-term viability of regional infrastructure.

Entities

North Macedonia · State Statistical Office · Hristijan Mickoski · Prilep · Kumanovo

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia faces significant demographic decline

    North Macedonia's population fell by 9.2% since 2002, leaving hundreds of settlements with fewer than 100 residents.

  2. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia faces depopulation as 205 settlements lose all residents

    The 2021 Census in North Macedonia shows 205 settlements are now uninhabited, as the population increasingly concentrates in major cities like Skopje while rural areas face depopulation.

  3. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    North Macedonia sees declining marriage rates and rising divorces

    Statistical data from North Macedonia shows a decline in marriage rates and a rise in divorces between 2020 and 2025, while inter-ethnic marriages remain limited to 6–10% of total unions.

  4. [POLITICS] 3 sources
    North Macedonia faces school closures amid demographic decline

    North Macedonia reports a sharp decline in school enrollment, with 3,000 fewer first-graders than last year, leading to hundreds of fewer classes and multiple school closures due to demographic shifts.

  5. [INTERNATIONAL] 8 sources
    North Macedonia faces demographic decline and rising housing costs

    North Macedonia faces a demographic crisis marked by a shrinking population and high housing vacancy rates, even as real estate prices in cities like Skopje continue to rise.

  6. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia prosecutors face significant staffing shortages

    North Macedonia's prosecution system faces a critical shortage, with only 74.3 percent of prosecutor positions filled in 2025, leading to unsatisfactory case resolution rates.

  7. [POLITICS] 2 sources
    North Macedonia faces lottery trial and demographic decline

    North Macedonia faces an 8 million euro legal case regarding the State Lottery and a deepening demographic crisis driven by declining birth rates and natural population loss.

Sources

koha.mk · lajmpress.org · lider.mk · prv.mk · racin.mk · sitel.com.mk · tetova1.mk · tetovasot.com · tocka.com.mk · ts.mk · vecer.mk · vesnik.com · viki.mk · zhurnal.mk · zurnal.mk

This summary has been updated 8 times: see revision history