Demographic features of the population of North Macedonia include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Total population Year Resident population Growth rate Population density per km2 1921 808,724 - 31.5 1931 949,958 +17.46% 36.9 1948 1,152,986 +21.37% 44.8 1953 1,304,514 +13.14% 50.7 1961 1,406,003 +7.78% 54.7 1971 1,647,308 +17.16% 64.1 1981 1,909,136 +15.89% 74.2 1991 2,033,964 +6.54% 79.1 1994 1,945,932 -4.33% 75.7 2002 2,022,547 +3.94% 78.7 2021 1,836,713 -9.19% 71.4 Source: State Statistical Office, North Macedonia
International statistics and estimates According to statistics from the European Union, the actual population has been reduced by at least 230,000 people who emigrated into European Union member states between 1998 and 2011. Further Albanian news sources estimated at October 2012 that the real population is closer to the sum of 1,744,237 people who are accounted within all of the health funds of the country. According to Bozhidar Dimitrov, the Bulgarian authorities have granted 87,000 to many of those emigrants a Bulgarian passport, as of 2012, which requires that they declare to be ethnic Bulgarians. Since Bulgaria's entry into the European Union, and under pressure from fellow European Union members, Bulgaria imposed more stringent rules and measures for the acquisition of a Bulgarian citizenship and passport.
The provisions of the Ohrid agreement to elevate any minority language if the minority in question is above 20% of the population of any municipality into a co-official language for that municipality has created friction within the government, and between officials of different political and ethnic interests, resulting in the indefinite postponement of the census for almost twenty years until it was finally conducted in 2021.
Vital statistics
Source: State Statistical Office of the Republic of North Macedonia
Population Data for period 2003-2020 was revised by the Statistical Office of the Republic of North Macedonia /
Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Total fertility rateFemale fertile population (15–49 years)19501,229,00049,56018,02331,53740.314.725.75.70294,93119511,262,00045,32920,74724,58235.9 16.419.55.14301,08919521,280,00051,05417,97833,07639.914.025.85.64307,24719531,310,00049,66519,31230,35337.914.723.25.26313,40519541,338,00050,98416,72234,26238.112.525.65.27317,45719551,355,00049,09317,91931,17436.213.223.04.95321,50919561,357,00047,48615,38632,10035.011.323.74.63325,56119571,364,00046,10717,34128,76633.812.721.14.21341,92319581,375,00044,61913,91730,70232.510.122.34.27324,02319591,382,00044,63814,99829,64032.310.921.44.21326,69719601,391,92744,05914,00730,05231.710.121.64.11330,66619611,408,30242,18213,14129,04130.09.320.63.87334,63619621,427,77140,61516,15524,46028.411.317.13.68339,20719631,449,93241,28413,22928,05528.59.119.33.70346,81519641,473,99642,89713,28629,61129.19.020.13.79355,91519651,499,72942,43312,75829,67528.38.519.83.67364,76219661,525,84141,43412,30729,12727.28.119.13.55374,06719671,550,45340,76312,52328,24026.38.118.23.44385,64919681,575,71440,12312,46127,66225.57.917.63.35385,96619691,602,99340,34213,11127,23125.28.217.03.24407,43819701,629,06137,86212,43025,43223.27.615.62.98414,46619711,647,30837,90412,44725,45722.97.515.42.93421,22719721,679,45638,18713,09625,09122.77.814.92.85433,92219731,704,60237,47812,21725,26122.07.214.82.72441,85819741,729,93538,38212,14326,23922.27.015.22.70449,16619751,756,33539,57912,62926,95022.57.215.32.70459,15819761,783,51839,80912,37727,43222.36.915.42.68460,43019771,810,14838,93212,89926,03321.57.114.42.54471,19119781,836,27038,79012,57726,21321.1 6.814.32.49477,74319791,863,72839,40712,65326,75421.16.814.42.49485,71719801,891,31939,78413,54226,24221.07.213.92.46493,69119811,909,13639,48813,38326,10520.67.013.62.48491,23619821,941,91439,78913,51026,27920.57.013.52.45494,34219831,967,55639,21014,39124,81919.97.312.62.40506,96119841,992,42438,86114,06624,79519.57.112.42.35510,61319852,016,94238,72214,40824,31419.27.112.12.32516,22619862,041,06438,23414,43823,79618.77.111.72.27521,08419872,065,00538,57214,64423,92818.77.111.62.27529,02119882,088,65137,87914,56523,31418.17.011.22.22530,32119892,070,91235,92714,59221,33517.37.010.32.09538,16819902,053,17235,40114,64320,75817.27.110.12.06547,74919912,033,96434,83014,78920,04117.17.39.82.30512,25419922,017,69433,23816,02217,21616.57.98.52.20507,57519931,999,95532,37415,59116,78316.27.88.42.15502,89619941,945,93231,42115,64915,77216.18.08.12.09501,78819951,966,03329,88616,16913,71715.28.27.01.98505,34919961,983,00928,94615,88213,06414.68.06.61.90511,94119971,996,86926,83016,37310,45713.48.25.21.75517,39219982,007,52326,63916,62810,01113.38.35.01.73520,86219992,017,14224,96416,6228,34212.48.24.11.61523,68720002,026,35026,16817,0859,08312.98.44.51.68526,56320012,034,88224,18316,7907,39311.98.33.61.55529,37420022,022,54724,15417,8666,28812.08.83.11.59522,01620032,022,72523,59617,8135,78311.78.82.91.55523,04420042,016,18623,36117,9445,41711.68.92.71.54520,69620052,005,33022,48218,4064,07611.29.22.01.49516,9602006 1,994,28722,58518,6303,95511.39.32.01.51513,24320071,982,93322,68819,5943,09411.49.91.61.53509,07220081,971,49322,94518,9823,96311.69.62.01.56504,13920091,958,78223,68419,0604,62412.19.72.41.63498,13020101,946,29824,29619,1135,18312.59.82.71.70490,75120111,937,39822,77019,4653,30511.810.01.71.62483,44120121,929,82123,56820,1343,43412.210.41.81.71476,63520131,922,71623,13819,2083,93012.010.02.01.70469,37120141,917,55723,59619,7183,87812.310.32.01.76461,76920151,912,43023,07520,4612,61412.110.71.41.76454,39820161,906,31323,00220,4212,58112.110.71.41.78447,44320171,898,65721,75420,3181,43611.510.70.81.72440,27120181,889,05121,33319,7271,60611.310.40.91.73432,64020191,876,26219,84520,446 -60110.610.9 -0.31.65424,65820201,856,12419,03125,755 -6,72410.313.9 -3.61.62416,74120211,836,71318,64828,516 -9,86810.215.5 -5.41.62410,91220221,830,083 18,073 22,459 -4,3869.912.3 -2.41.59407,93420231,826,63316,73720,187 -3,4509.211.0 -1.91.48404,62420241,822,612 16,061 20,201 -4,1408.811.1 -2.3 1.44 401,83420251,818,056 15,850 20,287 -4,437 1.42 (e) 20261.40 (e)
Current vital statistics
+ Period Live births Deaths Natural increase January-June 2025 7,322 10,113 –2,791 January-June 2026 7,187 10,031 –2,844 Difference –135 (-1.8%) –82 (-0.8%) –53 Source:
Marriages and divorces Average populationMarriagesDivorcesCrude marriage rate (per 1000)Crude divorce rate (per 1000)Divorces per 1000 marriages19501,229,00014,12398311.50.869.619511,262,00013,65195110.80.869.719521,280,00012,75883210.00.765.219531,310,00011,7399909.00.884.319541,338,00012,0967729.00.663.819551,355,00012,0039838.90.781.919561,357,00011,7519568.70.781.419571,364,00011,4321,0798.40.894.419581,375,00012,2389708.90.779.319591,382,00011,8461,0138.60.785.519601,391,92711,9411,0138.60.784.819611,408,30211,8817968.40.667.019621,427,77111,9419078.40.676.019631,449,93211,8276858.20.557.919641,473,99613,4726109.10.445.319651,499,72913,4677549.00.556.019661,525,84112,9605988.50.446.119671,550,45313,1413928.50.329.819681,575,71413,5504468.60.332.919691,602,99314,3764489.00.331.219701,629,06114,5934539.00.331.019711,654,07614,7394638.90.331.419721,679,45614,9035808.90.338.919731,704,60215,1051,0538.90.669.719741,729,93515,1181,0718.70.670.819751,756,33515,5541,2708.90.781.719761,783,51815,0231,0668.40.671.019771,810,14815,6048228.60.552.719781,836,27015,7027768.60.449.419791,863,72816,1228168.70.450.619801,891,31916,1458908.50.555.119811,916,71316,3039118.50.555.919821,941,91416,6069118.60.554.919831,967,55616,4047478.30.445.519841,992,42416,0548868.10.455.219852,016,94216,3358178.10.450.019862,041,06416,3261,0178.00.562.319872,065,00516,7998118.10.448.319882,088,65116,3808617.80.452.619892,070,91215,8429517.60.560.019902,053,17215,6887497.60.447.719912,035,43315,3114967.50.232.419922,017,69415,3545787.60.337.619931,999,95515,0806367.50.342.219941,982,21515,7366127.90.338.919951,964,47615,8237108.10.444.919961,981,54314,0897057.10.450.019971,996,86914,0721,0217.00.572.619982,007,52313,9931,0277.00.573.419992,017,14214,1721,0457.00.573.720002,026,35014,2551,3257.00.792.920012,034,88213,2671,4486.50.7109.120022,020,15714,5221,3107.20.690.220032,026,77314,4021,4057.10.797.620042,032,54414,0731,6456.90.8116.920052,036,85514,5001,5527.10.8107.020062,040,22814,9081,4757.30.798.920072,043,55915,4901,4177.60.791.520082,046,89814,6951,2097.20.682.320092,050,67114,9231,2877.30.686.220102,055,00414,1551,7206.90.8121.520112,058,53914,7361,7537.20.9119.020122,061,04413,9911,9266.80.9137.720132,064,03213,9822,0456.81.0146.320142,067,47113,8132,2106.71.1160.020152,070,22614,1862,2006.91.1155.120162,072,49013,1991,9856.41.0150.420172,074,50213,7811,9946.61.0144.72018 2,076,21713,4941,6206.50.8120.120192,076,69413,8141,9906.71.0144.1
Ethnic groups The process of industrialization and urbanization after the Second World War that caused the population growth to decrease involved the ethnic Macedonians to a greater extent than Muslims. Rates of increase were very high among rural Muslims: Turks and Torbesh (Macedonian Muslims) had rates 2.5 times those of the Macedonian majority, while Roma had rates 3 times as high. In 1994, Macedonians had a TFR of 2.07, while the TFR of others were: Albanian (2.10), Turkish (3.55), Roma (4.01), Serb (2.07), Vlachs (1.88) and Others (3.05). The TFR by religions was: Christian (2.17, with 2.20 for Catholics and 2.06 for Orthodox), Islam (4.02) and others (2.16).
However, it is unlikely that this high minority TFR has continued since then in North Macedonia, as Balkan fertility elsewhere (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo) has dropped sharply toward the European average. A more recent survey pegs Muslim fertility in North Macedonia at 1.7, versus 1.5 for non-Muslims.
+ Population of North Macedonia according to ethnic group 1948–2021 Ethnicgroup census 1948 census 1953 census 1961 census 1971 census 1981 census 1991 census 19941 census 2002census 2021 Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %Number% Macedonians 789,648 68.5 860,699 66.0 1,000,854 71.2 1,142,375 69.3 1,281,195 67.0 65.3 1,295,964 66.6 1,297,981 64.18 1,073,299 58.44 Albanians 197,389 17.1 162,524 12.5 183,108 13.0 279,871 17.0 377,726 19.8 441,987 21.7 441,104 22.7 509,083 25.17 446,245 24.30 Turks 95,940 8.3 203,938 15.6 131,481 9.4 108,552 6.6 86,691 4.5 77,080 3.8 78,019 4.0 77,959 3.85 70,961 3.86 Romani 19,500 1.7 20,462 1.6 20,606 1.5 24,505 1.5 43,223 2.3 52,103 2.6 43,707 2.2 53,879 2.66 46,433 2.53 Serbs 29,721 2.6 35,112 2.7 42,728 3.0 46,465 2.8 44,613 2.3 42,775 2.1 40,228 2.1 35,939 1.78 23,847 1.30 Bosniaks 6,829 0.3 17,018 0.84 16,042 0.87 Aromanians 9,511 0.8 8,668 0.7 8,046 0.6 7,190 0.4 6,392 0.3 7,764 0.4 8,601 0.4 9,695 0.48 8,714 0.47 Torbeši 4,174 0.23 Bulgarians 889 0.1 920 0.1 3,087 0.2 3,334 0.2 1,984 0.1 1,370 0.1 1,682 0.1 1,417 0.07 3,504 0.19 Ashkali 2,406 0.13 Croats 2,090 0.2 2,770 0.2 3,801 0.3 3,882 0.2 3,349 0.2 2,878 0.1 2,248 0.1 2,686 0.13 2,145 0.12 Muslims 1,560 0.1 1,591 0.1 3,002 0.2 1,248 0.1 39,555 2.1 31,356 1.5 15,418 0.8 2,553 0.13 1,187 0.06 Montenegrins 2,348 0.2 2,526 0.2 3,414 0.2 3,246 0.2 3,940 0.2 3,225 0.1 2,318 0.1 2,003 0.10 1,023 0.06 Yugoslavs 1,260 0.1 3,652 0.2 14,240 0.7 344 0.02 other/unspecified 4,390 0.4 5,304 0.4 4,616 0.3 22,988 1.4 6,228 0.3 45,239 2.2 9,814 0.5 14,8872 0.74 136,3893 7.42 Total 1,152,986 1,304,514 1,406,003 1,647,308 1,909,136 2,033,964 1,945,932 2,022,5471,836,713 1 Since 1994 residents who were permanently living abroad were no longer included