Macedonia Facts
| Capital: | Skopje | ||
| Language: | Macedonian, Albanian | ||
| Population: | 2.063.968 | ||
| Currency: | 1 denar=100 deni | ||
| Area: | 9,781 sq mi (25,333 sq km) | ||
| Political system: | Parliamentary democracy | ||
Average temperatures
| JANUARY | JULY | |
| Skopje | +1°C (+33.8°F) | +22°C (71.6°F) |
| Ohrid | 0°C (+32.0°F) | +21.2°C (70.16°F) |
| Strumica | +2°C (+35.6°F) | +24°C (75.2°F) |
Daylight
| JANUARY 1 | JULY 1 | |
| Skopje | 7 hours | 17 hours |
| Ohrid | 9.25 hours | 15.05 hours |
| Strumica | 10 hours | 15 hours |
What to wear
If you are traveling to Macedonia during the summer the weather is warm. For the trip to the mountains or Ohrid pack a few medium-weight sweaters, a light jacket or raincoat because the nights could be quite chilly.
An overcoat is necessary in the autumn and warm clothes for the winter and spring.
Comfortable, low-heeled sport shoes are important for sightseeing along cobblestone streets.
In the restaurants and for business, a jacket and tie are expected for gentlemen. Trousers are acceptable for women on any occasion, including business.
Animals & pets
It is possible to bring pets to Macedonia from other EU and EFTA countries. However, visitors are recommended to start the planning process well in advance since several permissions must be obtained.
Banking & shopping hours
Banking hours
Monday-Friday 8.00 am – 17.00 pm
Saturday 10.00 am – 4.00/5.30 pm
In some cities banks may stay open until 6 pm. All banks are closed on Sundays and on public holidays. Banks at airports, ports and main railway stations might be open longer.
Credit cards
Major credit cards are widely accepted throughout Macedonia(some restriction may apply to American Express).
Please note! In order to pay or withdraw cash with your credit card it requires that you have a card with chip and PIN (Personal Identification Number). The older magnetic-stripe cards won’t work.
You can get cash with your Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus card at any “Bankomat” placed outside the banks or in the shopping centers.
Shopping hours
Monday-Saturday9.00 am – 20.00 pm
Sunday 9.30 am – 4.00 pm
In larger towns, department stores remain open longer. Most of them are also open on Sundays between approx. 10.00 and 18.00 pm.
Foreign exchange
Foreign exchange offices are located all over in the larger cities. We recommend you to have EURO when you travel to Macedonia because you can exchange them even in the shops, restaurants etc.
Phone, post & internet services
Generally the post offices are open during normal shopping hours, but local variations may apply. Look for the yellow postal sign.
Letters and postcards of up to 20 grams cost DEN 16 within Macedonia and DEN32 internationally.
Stamps are available for sale at post offices, most newsstands and supermarkets with postal service.
Telephones/cards
When calling Republic of Macedonia from abroad please dial + 389 followed by the area code (omitting the initial zero) and the number required.
When calling abroad from Republic of Macedonia: dial 00 plus the country code, followed by the area code and phone number.
Pay phones in Sweden require either a prepaid phone card, and Macedonian coins. Phone cards are available almost everywhere from newsagents’ shops or kiosks to supermarkets.
Mobile phone services
Wireless phones are widely used in Macedonia. You can link up to the T-Home Macedonia, One, ViP, GSM networks ( 900 & 1800 Mhz).
Maps showing the coverage of these networks can be found on the internet.
Mobile phones cannot necessarily be used for emergencies everywhere – in the mountains, for example, there is no coverage!
