North Macedonia Population
North Macedonia (also known as Macedonia) had an estimated population of 1,820,909 in mid-2025 (World Bank), making it the 151st most populous of 217 countries and territories, with 0.02% of everyone alive. The counter above projects that figure forward at the current growth rate of −0.19% a year.
North Macedonia at a glance
How North Macedonia's population is changing
North Macedonia's population is roughly stable: −0.19% a year, which works out to about −3,447 people per year, or −9 a day. Births (8.8 per 1,000) and deaths (11.1 per 1,000) alone would give −0.23% a year; net migration removes about 5,645 people a year (−0.31%). Roughly one in every 4,512 people on Earth lives in North Macedonia.
Population of North Macedonia since 1960
In 1960, North Macedonia had 1,435,059 people. By 2025 that was 1,820,909 — 1.3× larger. The population peaked in 1990 at 2,063,689 and has declined since. The fastest growth came between 1965 and 1975, when the population rose by 17%.
| Year | Population | Change vs previous row |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1,435,059 | — |
| 1970 | 1,664,208 | +16.0% |
| 1980 | 1,933,038 | +16.2% |
| 1990 | 2,063,689 | +6.8% |
| 2000 | 2,026,350 | −1.8% |
| 2010 | 1,946,298 | −4.0% |
| 2020 | 1,856,124 | −4.6% |
| 2025 | 1,820,909 | −1.9% |
North Macedonia from 1800 to 2100
Modelled estimates put North Macedonia at about 391,865 people in 1800; the UN estimates 1,813,792 in 2025 (5× 1800) and projects 863,000 for 2100 in its medium scenario. The population is projected to peak around 2005 at 2,089,809 and decline afterwards.
| Year | Population | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 391,865 | modelled estimate |
| 1850 | 509,765 | modelled estimate |
| 1900 | 802,202 | modelled estimate |
| 1950 | 1,248,682 | UN estimate |
| 2000 | 2,057,254 | UN estimate |
| 2025 | 1,813,792 | UN projection |
| 2050 | 1,512,685 | UN projection |
| 2075 | 1,158,432 | UN projection |
| 2100 | 863,000 | UN projection |
Country live/base figures use World Bank estimates; this historical/future chart uses a separate UN series and need not match the World Bank base in overlapping years. Before 1950: HYDE 3.3 / Gapminder reconstructions via Our World in Data — historical modelling, not censuses. 1950–2023: UN World Population Prospects 2024. 2024–2100: UN medium projection. Open the time machine to see the whole map in any year.
Largest listed places in North Macedonia
10 records sorted by displayed base population. Definitions vary (province/administrative unit, UN urban centre or GeoNames settlement); this is not a harmonised city ranking. Shares use World Bank 2025 country population 1,820,909. Dates and boundaries may differ. Overlapping entities are not summed.
| # | Place | Population | Definition | Share | Source / reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skopje | 352,624 | UN urban centre | 19.37% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 2 | Prilep | 73,814 | GeoNames settlement | 4.05% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 3 | Kumanovo | 62,033 | UN urban centre | 3.41% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 4 | Veles | 57,873 | GeoNames settlement | 3.18% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 5 | Tetovo | 57,160 | UN urban centre | 3.14% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 6 | Bitola | 52,023 | UN urban centre | 2.86% | UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; 2025 annual estimate |
| 7 | Gostivar | 50,974 | GeoNames settlement | 2.80% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 8 | Shtip | 48,279 | GeoNames settlement | 2.65% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 9 | Centar Župa | 45,412 | GeoNames settlement | 2.49% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
| 10 | Ohrid | 42,033 | GeoNames settlement | 2.31% | GeoNames settlement record; Population reference date not supplied in local record |
How North Macedonia compares
North Macedonia has almost the same population as Latvia (1,847,785).
| Rank | Country | Population | vs North Macedonia | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #149 |  Equatorial Guinea | 1,938,431 | +6% | compare → |
| #150 |  Latvia | 1,847,785 | +1% | compare → |
| #152 |  Bahrain | 1,600,366 | −12% | compare → |
| #153 |  Kosovo | 1,576,876 | −13% | compare → |
Compare North Macedonia with any country →
Same region (Europe & Central Asia): Russia, Türkiye, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy.
Explore around North Macedonia
Land neighbours (5)
Greece 10,413,962 · 5.7× the population · compare
Serbia 6,549,143 · 3.6× the population · compare
Bulgaria 6,433,302 · 3.5× the population · compare
Albania 2,349,580 · 1.3× the population · compare- Kosovo 1,576,876 · 1.2× smaller · compare
North Macedonia's 5 neighbours together hold 27,322,863 people — 15.0× North Macedonia's population. The most populous is Greece (10,413,962).
In its region
North Macedonia is the 43rd most populous of the 58 economies in Europe & Central Asia, holding 0.2% of the region's 932,525,035 people.
Rankings featuring North Macedonia
Cities
Skopje, Prilep, Kumanovo, Veles, Tetovo, Bitola, Gostivar, Shtip — all North Macedonia's cities on the map.
World population history · The world when you were born · North Macedonia when you were born · Time machine · Embed this live counter on your site
About these numbers
Population, growth, birth and death rates, migration, density, age structure, life expectancy, fertility and GDP per capita come from the World Bank Indicators API (latest available year shown beside each figure). The live counter applies the annual growth rate continuously from 1 July 2025 — a model, not a measurement. City populations are the latest census or official estimate held by GeoNames and are not projected. Sub-city units are folded into their parent city.
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Read this country carefully
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.