The country was recognised by the UN on 8 April 1993 with the name Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). The name was intended to appease Greece’s reservations, fearing irredentist reprisals in the Greek region of the same name. Following the agreement on 17 June 2018, the official name of the country became the “Republic of North Macedonia”. However, the EU postponed negotiations over joining the bloc (its status as a candidate has been recognized since 2005), while on 6 February 2019, an agreement was formalized for the country to join NATO. In 2001, armed conflict broke out between ethnic Kosovar Albanian insurgents of the UCK and government forces, which ended with new constitutional guarantees being granted to the Albanian minority. On 17 December 2005, the EU Council accorded the country the status as a candidate for joining the EU. According to the Constitution of 17 November 1991, the President of the Republic is elected by direct suffrage for five years. The Assembly (between 120 and 140 members elected for four years) chooses the Prime Minister and the members of the government.

Following stagnation in 2017, economic growth in 2018 stopped at around 2.7% and should accelerate to above 3% by 2020 thanks to a better climate for investments. The main crops are cereals (wheat, barley and maize), sugar beet and tobacco, which is an important export commodity. The lignite reserves in Pelagonia guarantee the country with a mixture of energy, including copper, lead and zinc reserves. An oil pipeline connects Skopje to Greece. Much of the heavy industry is obsolete (chemical and mechanical plants). In Skopje there is an oil refinery. Other important sectors are textiles, tobacco-processing, cement, paper and sugar. A tax-free technical and industrial zone is active at Bunardžik (electronics and automotive components), near Skopje.
Air connections between Skopje and Athens resumed.