history of North Macedonia

North Macedonia is a landlocked country in the Balkan Peninsula, bordered by Kosovo, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Albania. The region of Macedonia, where North Macedonia is located, has been a crossroads of cultures and civilizations for millennia, with evidence of Neolithic settlements and later migrations of Indo-European peoples, including Thracians, Illyrians, Celts, and Greeks.12

Historically, the area was part of ancient kingdoms, including that of Philip II and Alexander the Great, before coming under Roman rule. During the medieval period, Slavic tribes settled in the region, and it became a significant area for the development of Christianity and the Cyrillic alphabet through the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The region was contested by various empires, including the Byzantine Empire, the First and Second Bulgarian Empires, and the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty, before falling under Ottoman control for about 500 years.32

The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 led to the partition of Macedonia among Serbia, Bulgaria, and Greece. The Serbian portion eventually became part of Yugoslavia and, after its collapse, the Republic of Macedonia declared independence in 1991. A significant challenge was the dispute with Greece over the name "Macedonia," which was resolved in 2019 when the country officially became the Republic of North Macedonia. The nation also navigates complex relationships with its ethnic Albanian minority and strives for integration into European and international organizations.14