Why did the Republic of Macedonia change its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019?

The Republic of Macedonia changed its name to the Republic of North Macedonia in 2019 to resolve a long-standing and contentious dispute with Greece regarding the use of the name "Macedonia."12

Following its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the country faced strong opposition from Greece, which claimed a monopoly on the term "Macedonia" due to its own northern region of the same name and its historical connection to Alexander the Great and ancient Hellenic heritage. Because of this conflict, Greece blocked the country's efforts to join the European Union and NATO.123

In 2018, the two nations signed the Prespa Agreement, which mandated the name change to "Republic of North Macedonia" for both domestic and international use. In exchange, Greece agreed to support the country's integration into international organizations. The change officially took effect on February 12, 2019, following ratification by the legislatures of both countries.123