The Pelagonia Statistical Region (Macedonian:Пелагониски Регион,romanized:Pelagoniski Region or Pelagonija) is one of eight statistical regions of North Macedonia. It is located in southwestern part of the country along the eponymous plain, bordering Greece to the south and Albania to the west. Internally, it borders the Southwestern and Vardar statistical regions.

Economy

Pelagonia (Macedonian Pelagonija)

Tobacco: Prilep is internationally renowned as one of the world's leading producers of premium Oriental tobacco. The region's distinctive climate and soil produce high-quality leaf that is extensively cultivated, processed, and graded locally before being exported to major international tobacco manufacturers and global cigarette companies.[citation needed] locally the Company that Prilep is home to is Tutunski kombinat Prilep.

Processed foods and grain: Companies like ZK Pelagonija AD export wheat, barley, and sunflower oil seeds. Additionally, finished gourmet products like jarred Ajvar (pepper spread) are exported to supermarket chains across the UK and Europe.

Sivec Marble: Extracted from the massive quarries near Prilep, this pure white dolomite marble is exported globally for luxury hotels, religious monuments, and other architecture

REK Bitola is a large coal mining and energy complex that produces most of the country's electricity.[citation needed] It includes a surface lignite coal mine and a thermal power plant with three units.[citation needed]

Controversies

Pelagonia essentially functions as the economic and energy muscle of North Macedonia, but it inherits all of the severe environmental, medical, and financial downsides while the capital city, Skopje, reaps the rewards.

Residents rely on deteriorating regional roads and aging public infrastructure, while significantly greater public investment has been directed toward major capital projects in Skopje, including government buildings, urban redevelopment initiatives, transport infrastructure, and other high-value developments.[citation needed]

Municipalities

Map of the municipalities of the region

Pelagonia statistical region is divided into 9 municipalities:

Demographics

Map of the majority ethnic groups in the region

Population

The population of the Pelagonia Statistical Region is 238,136 citizens, or 11.8% of the population of the Republic of North Macedonia, according to the census of 2002.

Census YearPopulationChange
1994214,709N/A
2002238,136+10.91%
2021210,431-11.7%

Ethnicities

The largest ethnic group in the region are Macedonians.

20022021
Number%Number%
TOTAL238,136100210,431100
Macedonians204,47185.86164,59678.22
Albanians11,6894.9112,7766.07
Roma7,2683.057,2053.42
Turks7,5273.166,6793.17
Bosniaks2,6271.12,2931.09
Vlachs2,3410.982,1661.03
Serbs8690.365830.28
Others / Undeclared / Unknown1,3440.581,4940.71
Persons for whom data are taken from administrative sources12,6396.01

See also

External links

  • Media related toPelagonia Statistical Regionat Wikimedia Commons

41°21′36″N 21°33′36″E/41.36000°N 21.56000°E/ 41.36000; 21.56000