North Macedonia

Political and Security Environment

Background. Macedonia is one of Europe's youngest countries, gaining international recognition of its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.  

Macedonia came under the control of the Byzantine Empire in the sixth and seventh centuries. Fighting about Macedonian territory developed among Serbs, Bulgarians, and Byzantines over a period of three centuries and continued until the late 14th century, at which time the Ottoman Turks conquered it. The...