Which Countries Border Macedonia?

Officially known as the Republic of Macedonia, Macedonia is a country that is located in the southeastern region of Europe in the Balkan Peninsula. The country was once part of the former Yugoslavia until it proclaimed its independence back in 1991. The landlocked country has an area of about 9,928 square miles and a population of about 2.1 million people. Macedonia is bordered by five countries namely Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania. Serbia and Kosovo border the regions to the north and the northwest of the country respectively while Bulgaria binds the region to the east. The west and the southern regions of Macedonia are bordered by Albania and Greece respectively.

Macedonia–Serbia Border

The border between Macedonia and Serbia can be crossed at a number of places such as Luke in Macedonia, Tabanovce in Macedonia, and Preševo in Serbia. To improve the transport of people, goods, and services, the two government have recently agreed on a plan to connect the two nations better. The border project, which is known as the One-Stop Shop, will make sure that there will be only one single customs office for both countries until others are constructed.

Macedonia–Kosovo Border

Macedonia has a 98.6-mile long border along the disputed territory of Kosovo, a partially recognized state that declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Due to the political instability in Kosovo and its fight for international recognition, Macedonia only recognized the Kosovar passport recently in 2008. However, citizens of Kosovo are free to cross over to Macedonia without a visa for a duration not exceeding 90 days. The same condition also applies to Macedonian citizens who cross to Kosovo. The border between the two is defined by a deal signed by the two nations in October 2009.

Macedonia–Bulgaria Border

Bulgaria and Macedonia have a number of border crossings including the towns of Melnik, Novo Selo-Petrich, Delčevo, and Luke. Luke is a unique town since it is also the border town between Macedonia and Serbia. Generally, the two countries share good relations although there have been hiccups in the past. These relations apply to things like the military, economics, and politics. Currently, the government of Bulgaria is supporting Macedonia’s push of joining NATO and the European Union.

Macedonia–Greece Border

The border between Macedonia and Greece is marked by a barrier that was built by Macedonia in order to stop illegal migration. Work on the barrier started in November 2015 and as of the early stages of 2016, had a length of about 19 miles. Border crossings between the two countries exist at a number of places such as Doiran Lake, Dobro Pole, Lake Prespa, and the Voras Mountains. Despite having bilateral relations, Greece has perpetuated the Macedonia name dispute, referring to the country as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and opposing the country's entry into NATO and the European Union.

Macedonia–Albania Border

The border between Macedonia and Albania can be crossed at a number of places such as the Tushemisht–Sveti Naum crossing and the Qafë Thanë–Ќafasan crossing (the main crossing), and others. The relations between the two countries have been rocky over the years and were made even worse by negative utterances in 2017 by the Macedonia president. Despite this, Albania already recognized the sovereignty of Macedonia.