Tag Archives: Macedonia

According to allcountrylist, Northern Macedonia is a small country in the Balkans with an economy that is largely driven by services. The primary sector of the Northern Macedonian economy consists of agriculture, forestry, fishing, and mining. Agriculture is an important part of the economy, accounting for around 13% of Northern Macedonia’s GDP and providing employment for more than 40% of its labor force. Major crops include wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and grapes. Livestock production also plays an important role in this sector as livestock products are a major source of income in rural areas. The secondary sector accounts for around 20% of Northern Macedonia’s GDP and includes manufacturing activities such as textiles and clothing production as well as food processing. The tertiary or service sector accounts for about 67% of Northern Macedonia’s GDP and includes activities such as banking and financial services; transportation services such as shipping and air transport services; communication services such as telephone; health care; education; real estate; hospitality services; retail trade; tourism etc. This sector has experienced significant growth over the years due to increasing demand from both local consumers and foreign investors. In addition to this, Northern Macedonia has developed a number of special economic zones in order to attract foreign investment into the country. The history of agriculture in North Macedonia dates back to the early Neolithic period, where the first evidence of crop farming and animal husbandry can be found. During this time, farmers cultivated wheat, barley, millet and rye as well as raising pigs, sheep and goats. It is believed that these crops were used for both food production and trade. In the Iron Age, agriculture in North Macedonia was characterized by an increase in crop cultivation with evidence of grape cultivation being found during this period. In addition to this, there is also evidence of the use of ploughs to cultivate land more efficiently. This increased productivity allowed for more surplus production which could then be used for trade purposes or stored for later use. In the early Middle Ages, North Macedonia saw a decline in agricultural productivity due to political instability and frequent invasions from neighboring countries. However, during this period some advances were made in agricultural technology such as the introduction of new crops such as maize which was brought from South America by Spanish settlers in the 16th century. The 19th century saw a revival of agricultural production in North Macedonia with increased mechanization resulting in higher yields. Additionally, improved irrigation systems enabled farmers to increase their crop production even further leading to an increase in economic activity overall. Furthermore, livestock breeding became an important sector as well with sheep and cattle being raised for both milk and meat production. Today agriculture continues to play a major role in North Macedonia’s economy accounting for around 17% of its total GDP (as per 2017 figures). The government has implemented various policies aimed at improving agricultural productivity such as subsidies on inputs like fertilizers and improved access to credit through state-owned banks like “Land Credit Bank” (2009). Additionally, infrastructure improvements have helped improve distribution networks allowing produce from rural areas to reach urban centers more easily resulting in greater economic development overall.