Changes in the National Structure of the Republic of Macedonia
Changes in the National Structure of the Republic of Macedonia

Author(s): Mirjanka Madzević, Biljana Apostolovska Toshevska
Subject(s): Social history, Social differentiation, Demography and human biology, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Migration Studies, Ethnic Minorities Studies
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: population; ethnic composition; migrations; natural increase; regions; Republic of Macedonia;
Summary/Abstract: In terms of demographic characteristics, the Republic of Macedonia features a heterogeneous ethnic structure that is a result of the socio-historical conditions and the demographic processes that took place in the past. The highlighted changes in the components of the number dynamics of the population, especially in the latter half of the twentieth century up to today, brought to serious changes in the very ethnic structure of the population. The decades of reduction of the overall natural increase among the Macedonians, with simultaneous emigration of the young population of working and reproductive age out of the country, resulted in slower growth rate of the Macedonians. At the same time, with the rest of the ethnic groups, the relative higher natural increase kept their inflow in the total population at a higher level. Here, the migrations and other additional factors should be added, which affected the participation of some of the minorities in the total population, and thus the changes in the ethnic composition. As a result of all of these processes, a permanent reduction of the share of Macedonians in the total population is evident, and on the other side there is an increase in the joint participation of the other nationalities. The stated changes are reflected on the future ethnic composition of the population in the Republic of Macedonia, and to some extent, other demographical structures.

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