Situated in the heart of Balkan Peninsula, Macedonia is a landlocked country bordered by Serbia and Kosovo to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south and Albania to the west. The country has more than 50 lakes and sixteen mountains higher than 2,000 meters (6,550 ft). Skopje is the capital and largest city in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as its political, cultural, economic, and academic centre. Skopje is the city where the pre-congress will take place between 25. – 28. February 2010.I believe that you will be assured in our hospitality. You will be amazed by the power of our city, and every moment of your stay will be a pleasant surprise with interesting happenings.
It is said that in this city, in our country Macedonia is the navel of the world. And we think that this is true. In the heart of the Balkan Peninsula at the crossroads of the worlds, it connects traditional and modern. It is a city with millennium tradition of existence. From now it is Your city also because the pleasant moments here will be in your memory forever.
Between 1.-5..March 2010 the congress will take place in Ohrid, city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and is referred to as the Macedonian Jerusalem.
According to the historians, Lychnidos (the ancient name of Ohrid, meaning Light giving) was built in the 4th century B.C. According to the myths and legends it was built during the times of other classical civilizations such as Phoenicia and Troy in the 2nd millennium B.C. Whatever the actuality is, Ohrid was and is a secret and sacred land. It is a city where mysterious royal golden masks have been found, where the Goddess of destiny, Isis used to have her cult, where grandiose basilicas were built as Christianity evolved, where the famous scholars Sts. Clement and Naum founded one of the first universities of Europe.
Ohrid Lake is one of Europe’s deepest and according to most experts the oldest lake in Europe and among the oldest in the World , preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance. The importance of the lake was further emphasized when it was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1979.Archaeological finds indicate that Ohrid is one of the oldest human settlements in all of Europe. Everybody who visited Ohrid loved the city immediately. A smart man once said “ There is a place on earth …. With a Lake …Where even Angels come for a holiday”
NAME: Republic of MACEDONIA (Republika Makedonija)
CAPITAL: Skopje
AREA: 25,713 sq. km. (9,928 sq. mi.)
LOCATION: Balkan Peninsula MAPS
POPULATION: 2.1 million
NATIONALITY: Macedonian (s)
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Parliamentary Republic
HEAD OF STATE: President
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Prime Minister
NATIONAL ANTHEM: "Today above Macedonia"
NATIONAL HOLIDAY: 2 August (Ilinden Uprising)
LANGUAGE: Macedonian
RELIGION: Christian Orthodox
CURRENCY: Denar (Den) = 100 deni / 1€ = 61.5 Den
ABBREVIATION: MAK
About Macedonia