Geography and Environment of Macedonia

The Republic of Macedonia is a landlocked mountainous country. It is situated in southern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. Occupying a central geographical position in the Balkans, it is a transportation and communications crossroad linking Europe, Asia, and Africa. Macedonia is a land of sunshine, lakes, valleys and mountains. A country of great history and tradition, it covers an area of 25,713 square kilometers and lies 245 meters above sea level. The Republic of Macedonia has 1,100 water sources. These sources run into three different basins: the Aegean, the Adriatic and the Black Seas. The Aegean basin is the largest. The Vardar River, which runs through Skopje, flows into this basin. Macedonia’s lakes are an important country resource for food and developing of tourism. The largest three lakes are: Ohrid, the largest in the Balkans, situated in the southwestern corner of Macedonia and shared with Albania; Prespa, in the same area; and Dojran in southeastern Macedonia. Twenty-five other small glacial lakes are scattered throughout the country.

Detailed geography