
Population growth in North Macedonia
From 1960 to 2021 the population of North Macedonia increased from 1.49 million to 2.07 million people. This is a growth of 38.7 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in North Macedonia was recorded in 1967 with 1.68 percent. The biggest decrease in 2002 with -0.72 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in North Macedonia rose by 2.21 years from 2012 to 2020 from 36.79 to 39.00 years (median value).
Around 59 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 0.2 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: North Macedonia
Population development in North Macedonia since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants) On average, 3.6 people live together per household in North Macedonia.Year | Population North Macedonia | Change North Macedonia | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | 1.51 M | 1.27 % | 29.1 ‰ | 10.1 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
1962 | 1.53 M | 1.29 % | 28.7 ‰ | 9.7 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
1963 | 1.55 M | 1.33 % | 28.3 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
1964 | 1.57 M | 1.40 % | 28.0 ‰ | 9.0 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
1965 | 1.59 M | 1.48 % | 27.7 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
1966 | 1.62 M | 1.59 % | 27.4 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
1967 | 1.64 M | 1.68 % | 27.0 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
1968 | 1.67 M | 1.67 % | 26.5 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
1969 | 1.70 M | 1.54 % | 25.9 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
1970 | 1.72 M | 1.33 % | 25.2 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
1971 | 1.74 M | 1.09 % | 24.5 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
1972 | 1.75 M | 0.89 % | 23.8 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
1973 | 1.77 M | 0.80 % | 23.2 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
1974 | 1.78 M | 0.87 % | 22.7 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
1975 | 1.80 M | 1.04 % | 22.2 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
1976 | 1.83 M | 1.25 % | 21.9 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
1977 | 1.85 M | 1.40 % | 21.7 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
1978 | 1.88 M | 1.44 % | 21.5 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
1979 | 1.90 M | 1.33 % | 21.3 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
1980 | 1.92 M | 1.13 % | 21.2 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
1981 | 1.94 M | 0.90 % | 21.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
1982 | 1.96 M | 0.71 % | 20.8 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
1983 | 1.97 M | 0.54 % | 20.5 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
1984 | 1.97 M | 0.43 % | 20.2 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
1985 | 1.98 M | 0.36 % | 19.8 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
1986 | 1.99 M | 0.30 % | 19.4 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
1987 | 1.99 M | 0.24 % | 19.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
1988 | 2.00 M | 0.16 % | 18.6 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
1989 | 2.00 M | 0.07 % | 18.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
1990 | 2.00 M | -0.03 % | 17.7 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
1991 | 1.99 M | -0.15 % | 17.3 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
1992 | 1.99 M | -0.23 % | 16.8 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
1993 | 1.98 M | -0.23 % | 16.3 ‰ | 7.9 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
1994 | 1.98 M | -0.12 % | 15.7 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
1995 | 1.98 M | 0.08 % | 15.2 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
1996 | 1.99 M | 0.31 % | 14.7 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
1997 | 2.00 M | 0.37 % | 14.2 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
1998 | 2.01 M | 0.53 % | 13.7 ‰ | 8.2 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
1999 | 2.02 M | 0.48 % | 13.3 ‰ | 8.3 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
2000 | 2.03 M | 0.46 % | 13.0 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
2001 | 2.03 M | 0.42 % | 12.7 ‰ | 8.4 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
2002 | 2.02 M | -0.72 % | 12.4 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
2003 | 2.03 M | 0.33 % | 12.1 ‰ | 8.6 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
2004 | 2.03 M | 0.28 % | 11.8 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
2005 | 2.04 M | 0.21 % | 11.6 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
2006 | 2.04 M | 0.17 % | 11.4 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
2007 | 2.04 M | 0.16 % | 11.2 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
2008 | 2.05 M | 0.16 % | 11.1 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
2009 | 2.05 M | 0.18 % | 11.1 ‰ | 9.4 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
2010 | 2.06 M | 0.21 % | 11.1 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
2011 | 2.06 M | 0.17 % | 11.2 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
2012 | 2.06 M | 0.12 % | 11.2 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
2013 | 2.06 M | 0.14 % | 11.2 ‰ | 9.7 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
2014 | 2.07 M | 0.17 % | 11.4 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
2015 | 2.07 M | 0.13 % | 11.1 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
2016 | 2.07 M | 0.11 % | 11.1 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
2017 | 2.07 M | 0.10 % | 10.5 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
2018 | 2.08 M | 0.08 % | 10.3 ‰ | 9.5 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
2019 | 2.08 M | 0.02 % | 9.6 ‰ | 9.8 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
2020 | 2.07 M | -0.20 % | 9.2 ‰ | 12.4 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
2021 | 2.07 M | -0.36 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |

Birth and death rate in North Macedonia
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in North Macedonia decreased by about 4,160 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 12.4 per 1,000 people (~ 25,800 deaths) and the birth rate was 9.2 per 1,000 people (~ 19,100 births). As a result, around 2,540 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 20,613 in North Macedonia. The number of births was 22,089 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate