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The Land of The Daud
Pasha Baths, The Church of Sveti Spas
& Lake Ohrid
Information on
Relocating to Macedonia
·
The
capital city of Macedonia is Skopje with 500
thousand people. Skopje is also the political
centre. Macedonia has been a republic since 1991.
·
Languages:
Macedonian (a Slavic language using Cyrillic script) is the
predominant language, with Albanian, Turkish and Serbo-Croat in use by
ethnic groups. English is widely
spoken in Skopje, and German and French speakers can be found. TV
programs are in their original languages with subtitles. The cable
system, which can have up to 90 channels in different languages, is
developing and is not widely available. However, cable can be found in most
popular expatriate areas of Skopje.
·
Population:
The population is just over 2 million people - 60% are Macedonian,
30% Albanian, 10% Turkish.
· Expat areas:
The most popular, and the only real area for the expatriate community is
Skopje. Vadno and the city center
are the most popular
districts of Skopje.
·
Housing:
The availability
of housing depends again
on the region. An expatriate may choose to live in an apartment in Skopje or
in a house in the suburbs. Most expatriates rent houses or apartments;
buying is not a popular option.
· Cost of housing: Varies from area to area. Size, location, and standard of renovation
affect the monthly rental price. An expatriate can expect to pay from EURO
700 for a small, Western-standard renovated apartment to EURO 10.000 for a
home with servants and an indoor swimming pool. The local
currency is the Macedonian Denar (MKD).
·
Schools:
Skopje has an American-accredited kindergarten, elementary school and high
school. Instruction is in English, and these schools are popular with the
more well-off Macedonians
·
Transportation:
Plains, Trains and
Skopje
has a bus system, but overcrowding and poor maintenance eliminate the bus as
an option for many Macedonians and expatriates alike. Taxis are
well-regulated and are relatively inexpensive, available and safe. Most taxi
companies have English speaking operators
· Bank: The
banks are open Mondays-Fridays from 7.00
am
-
7.00
pm
and on Saturday
from 7.00 am - 1.00 pm.
The banks are closed on Sundays and Holidays.
·
Shopping:
Is generally done from Monday-Friday from 8.00 am - 8.00 pm and Saturdays
from 8.00 am - 3.00 pm. The shops are mostly closed on Sundays and Holidays.
·
Climate:
Macedonia has warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
heavy snowfall. July and August are the hottest months and are nearly
without rain. January and February are the coldest months, and most of the
snow falls in December and January. Maximum summer temperatures in the
majority of the agricultural areas reach up to 40°C (104°F) and the lowest
winter temperatures drop to about -30°C (-22°F) while the average annual
temperatures are above 10°C (50°F) almost everywhere, which is a
characteristic of semi-arid areas.
·
Culture:
Skopje
is rich in culture, and the expatriate is able to enjoy opera, ballet, and
theater, though the theater is generally in Macedonian. Macedonia has a
strong tradition of folk dancing, and there are numerous museums and art
galleries to explore. Macedonia has numerous historical monasteries and
orthodox cathedrals dating back to the 12th century.
·
Public holidays: January
1st-New Year’s Day; January 6th and 7th-Orthodox Christmas; March
8th-International Woman's Day; May 1st-May Day; May 24th-Sts. Cyrilus and
Methodius Day; August 2nd-Ilinden
(St. Elijah's Uprising Day); September 8th-Independence Day;
December 25th and 26th-Christmas Days.
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