Islam in the Republic of Macedonia

Muslims in the Republic of Macedonia form roughly one-third of the nation's total population.^[1][2] It has the fifth largest Muslim population in Europe by percentage after Turkey (99%), Kosovo (90%),^[3] Albania (70%),^[4][5][6] and Bosnia-Herzegovina (47%).^[7][8][9] Some northwestern and western regions of the country have Muslim majorities. Almost all of the Muslims in the country are Albanian, Turkish or Roma.

Population

Ethnicity

Albanian Muslims, forming roughly 25% of the nation's total population and most of the Muslim population, live mostly in the Polog and western regions of the country. The Turks, who make up about 4% of the country's total population, are scattered throughout the country, but mostly in major cities, as are Roma Muslims. Bosniaks are mostly concentrated within Skopje. Muslims of Macedonian ethnicity number roughly 40,000 to 100,000 and can be found in western Macedonia in the Centar Župa, Debar, Struga and Plasnica areas.^[10]

Historical population

The following table shows the Muslim population and percentage for each given year. The Muslim percentage in Macedonia consistently decreased from 1904 to 1961 but began to rise again, reaching 33.33% in 2002.^[11] The Muslim population is projected to continue growing, comprising an estimated 40.3% of the Macedonian population by 2030. ^[12]

See also

• Albanians in the Republic of Macedonia
• Turks in the Republic of Macedonia
• Macedonian Muslims
• Mosques in Macedonia

References