The terrain of Macedonia is mostly mountainous, and encompasses deep valleys and basins along with large lakes – the Vardar River also cuts across the length of the country. The nation was once a part of Yugoslavia (the clue is in the name!) and the break up of the republic in 1991 saw Macedonia emerge as the least-developed of all the Yugoslav states. Whilst economically the country was poor when it gained independence the mid-nineties saw large and fast growth of the GDP, and whilst the economy went into recession somewhat around 2001 things have been picking up again. This little hideaway has been the unfortunate focal point for ethnic tensions for a while, and troubles still persist in certain regions today – nevertheless, most visits to the country are more than pleasant and trouble is rare, and as a result Macedonia is making a name for itself on the tourist and international property markets.

What was ancient Macedonia is now located largely in Northern Greece – this is the reason why the Greeks have such issue with modern day Macedonia using the name, as they believe the Macedonians will at some point lay claim to their ‘rightful’ land. The country has been invaded and occupied by numerous empires through ancient times and passed hands through the Greeks, Romans, Bulgarians, Byzantines and the Serbs before ending up in the control of the Ottoman Turks, who held the country in their grasp until the beginning of the 20th century. As the Turks were forced out in the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, Macedonia was carved up between the Greeks, the Serbs and the Bulgarians, who received just a small area. The following years saw Macedonia struggling for an identity of its own, and when it was lumped in with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes it seemed like there would never be a true state of Macedonia. Political change and pressure from the people during the Second World War meant that the state of Yugoslavia that emerged post-war recognised Macedonia as an individual state within the nation, though neighbouring countries did not recognise it.

Decades of relatively quite Communist Yugoslavian rule followed until 1991 and the collapse of the Communist regime, when Macedonia held a referendum on independence – 74 percent voted in favour and by 1992 the country declared itself autonomous. Whilst other former Yugoslav nations saw periods of conflict following their independence, Macedonia was different – Belgrade ordered its forces out of the country and a relative quite followed. Efforts for Macedonia to be recognised on an international level were hampered by Greece, which demanded the country change its name before entry to the UN could be allowed – regardless of these protests, the world recognised Macedonia as an independent state in 1993 (with America following shortly after in ’94). Squabbles with Greece did not let up however, and the Greeks placed trade embargos on Macedonia, which were only lifted in 1995 when talks between the two countries began. Macedonia’s economy was on the up and the country seemed to be experiencing a level of stability, until 2001 when Albanians living in Macedonia were involved in clashes with Macedonian security forces. This trouble lead borders with Albania being closed and a UN peacekeeping force was sent in, which was replaced by an EU peacekeeping force in 2003. Whilst tensions are still present, the situation has been generally stable since.

The Macedonian nation has faced a lot of struggles in its existence, from the struggle to achieve a true identity (which still hasn’t been fully realised, thanks to the rather silly prefix of ‘Former Yugoslav Republic’) to the ongoing attempts to placate Albanian nationalist tensions, but things are beginning to finally look up. A 500 million dollar aid package was authorised by the World Bank in 2002 and the economy has been recovering in slow but sure steps. Property in the country is cheap, and though the market isn’t as huge as in other nearby nations it is still worth at least a look from the potential off plan investor.

Standards of healthcare in Macedonia are generally of a poor standard. A reciprocal agreement with the UK is in place meaning British citizens receive free treatment for emergencies, but the standards of treatment force the recommendation of seeking help elsewhere. Full health insurance is strongly advised.

Mobile phone coverage extends to the main towns – elsewhere it is either weak or non-existent. Landlines are widely available but are of a poor standard. Internet cafes are springing up in the main towns.

General banking hours in most areas are from 0700 to 1900 Mondays to Fridays and from 0700 to 1300 on Saturdays. Regular office hours are from 0730 to 1530 Mondays to Fridays. Normal shopping hours are generally from 0800 to 2000, Mondays to Fridays and 0800 to 1500 on Saturdays.

A welcoming handshake along with formal business etiquette applies to Macedonian business meetings, and smart attire is required. English, French and German are the most widely used ‘business languages’. Business dealings in the country have a tendency to be bogged down in bureaucracy and can be carried out very slowly.

Tipping is down to personal discretion, though some restaurants do include service charges.