North Macedonia voters will return to the polls Wednesday, with the right-wing nationalists riding high in the run-up to key presidential and parliamentary elections that could direct the country's future path to European Union membership.
Here are five facts about the small Balkan nation that emerged from Yugoslavia's breakup in 1991:
Since independence, the country has tussled over the name Macedonia with Greece, which has a northern province bearing the same name.
In 2018, the neighbors sealed a historic deal to end their row by adding "North" to Macedonia's name in exchange for Athens promising to stop blocking its bid to join NATO and the EU.
In 2020, the country was welcomed into NATO, but its path toward the EU was blocked by eastern neighbor Bulgaria due to a dispute over linguistic and historical issues.
While EU membership talks opened in 2022, the essential negotiations are on hold until the country includes the small Bulgarian minority in the constitution.
North Macedonia is home to 1.8 million people, mostly Orthodox Christian Macedonians and a mostly Muslim ethnic Albanian minority that makes up more than a quarter of the population.
It is known for a mixture of ethnic nationalities, cultures and religions. Apart from Macedonians and ethnic Albanians, it is also home to Roma, Vlachs, Turks and Bosnians.
After avoiding an inter-ethnic war during Yugoslavia's bloody collapse in the 1990s, North Macedonia faced a crisis when ethnic Albanian rebels launched an insurgency in 2001.
An internationally brokered deal in August of the same year, which provided greater rights for Albanians and other minorities, halted the fighting.
With 280 sunny days annually, North Macedonia is one of Europe's sunniest spots but has yet to fully capitalize on its potential for substantially increasing renewable energy production.
The mix of the Mediterranean and continental climate enables grape cultivation, especially in the south, which boasts endless vineyards.
Mountains cover nearly 80% of the territory. The rest is either plains or three major natural lakes. Of 40 mountains, 12 are above 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) above sea level.
Mass emigration – In one of Europe's poorest nations, where 13% of the population is unemployed, the average monthly salary is 640 euros ($680).
The weak economy has fuelled a large exodus abroad, especially among young people.
From 2002 to 2021, the population decreased by more than 200,000, official figures show.
In 2022, North Macedonia had 11% fewer inhabitants than a decade ago – the biggest population fall in Europe, according to the EU's statistics agency Eurostat.
The capital, Skopje, is known for its kitsch. The previous government erected grandiose neo-classical statues and facades around the city, lending it a theme-park-like atmosphere.
The building spree was part of the former nationalist government's battle with Greece over who could claim the heritage of historical figures such as Alexander the Great.
The architectural revamp was part of a Skopje 2014 project that was left unfinished when the government changed in 2017.
The half-complete structures in and around the city center add a touch of the bizarre to the bewildering project.
