Islam in North Macedonia
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Muslims in North Macedonia represent a third of the nation's total population according to the census of 2002,[2][3] making Islam the second most widely professed religion in the country. Muslims in North Macedonia follow Sunni Islam of the Hanafi madhhab. Some northwestern and western regions of the country have Muslim majorities. A large majority of all the Muslims in the country are ethnic Albanians, with the rest being primarily Turks, Romani, Bosniaks or Torbeš.
Population[edit]
Ethnicity[edit]
Albanian Muslims, forming roughly 25% of the nation's total population (2002 census), 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 (2002 census), 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 the western part of North Macedonia in the Centar Župa, Debar, Struga and Plasnica areas.[citation needed]
Ethnic group | Population 1981 | Population 2002 |
---|---|---|
Albanians | 377,208[4][5] | 509,083[5][6] |
Turks | 86,591[4][5] | 77,959[5][6] |
Romani | 43,125[4][5] | 53,879[5][6] |
Macedonian Muslims | 39,513[5] | 2,553[5][7] |
Bosniaks | 17,018[5][6] |
Historical population[edit]
The following table shows the Muslim population and percentage for each given year. The Muslim percentage in Macedonia generally decreased from 1904 to 1961 but began to rise again due to high fertility rate among Muslim families, reaching 33.33% in 2002. But according to a survey done by Pew Research Center, Muslims represented 28.6% of the nation's total population in 2011
Year | Muslim population | Muslim percentage |
---|---|---|
1904 | 634,000[8] | 36.76% |
1912 | 384,000[8] | 33.47% |
1921 | 269,000[8] | 31.43% |
1948 | 314,603[8] | 27.29% |
1953 | 388,515[8] | 29.78% |
1961 | 338,200[8] | 24.05% |
1971 | 414,176[8] | 25.14% |
1981 | 546,437[8] | 28.62% |
1991 | 611,326[8] | 30.06% |
1994 | 581,203[8][9] | 30.04% |
2002 | 674,015[8][10] | 33.33% |
2011 | 592,731 [11] | 28.6%[11] |
- Geographical distribution
(according to the 2002 census)
Municipality | Population (2002) | Muslims (2002) | Percentage (%) |
---|---|---|---|
Tetovo | 70,841 | 49,927 | 70.5% |
Gostivar | 49,545 | 36,045 | 72.8% |
Centar | 82,604 | 34,325 | 41.6% |
Čair | 68,395 | 32,877 | 48.1% |
Kumanovo | 103,205 | 31,758 | 30.8% |
Lipkovo | 27,058 | 26,351 | 97.4% |
Želino | 24,390 | 24,210 | 99.3% |
Saraj | 24,253 | 22,768 | 93.9% |
Tearce | 22,454 | 19,508 | 86.9% |
Struga | 36,892 | 18,967 | 51.4% |
Debar | 17,952 | 17,083 | 95.2% |
Studeničani | 17,246 | 16,828 | 97.6% |
Negotino-Pološko | 16,813 | 16,720 | 99.4% |
Gazi Baba | 72,222 | 15,968 | 22.1% |
Šuto Orizari | 17,357 | 15,231 | 87.8% |
Bogovinje | 14,555 | 14,445 | 99.2% |
Kamenjane | 14,442 | 14,365 | 99.5% |
Kičevo | 30,138 | 13,703 | 45.5% |
Čegrane | 12,310 | 11,967 | 97.2% |
Zajas | 11,605 | 11,303 | 97.4% |
Kondovo | 11,155 | 11,047 | 99.0% |
Aračinovo | 11,992 | 10,925 | 91.1% |
Oslomej | 10,425 | 10,260 | 98.4% |
Veles | 57,602 | 9,786 | 17.0% |
Brvenica | 15,855 | 9,781 | 61.7% |
Rostuša | 9,451 | 8,940 | 94.6% |
Velešta | 8,156 | 8,072 | 99.0% |
Labuništa | 8,935 | 8,061 | 90.2% |
Dolna Banjica | 9,467 | 7,847 | 82.9% |
Džepčište | 7,919 | 7,789 | 98.4% |
Šipkovica | 7,820 | 7,783 | 99.5% |
Delogoždi | 7,884 | 7,724 | 98.0% |
Ohrid | 54,380 | 7,684 | 14.1% |
Vrapčište | 8,586 | 7,525 | 87.6% |
Bitola | 86,408 | 7,043 | 8.2% |
Dolneni | 11,583 | 6,688 | 57.7% |
Centar Župa | 6,299 | 6,215 | 98.7% |
Vrutok | 5,999 | 5,159 | 86.0% |
Kisela Voda | 125,379 | 4,654 | 3.7 |
Plasnica | 4,545 | 4,465 | 98.2% |
Prilep | 73,351 | 4,393 | 6.0% |
Radoviš | 24,498 | 4,341 | 17.7% |
Resen | 16,825 | 3,927 | 23.3% |
Đorče Petrov | 41,490 | 3,792 | 9.1% |
Srbinovo | 3,709 | 3,593 | 96.9% |
Petrovec | 8,255 | 3,564 | 43.2% |
Štip | 47,796 | 3,555 | 7.4% |
Karpoš | 59,810 | 3,107 | 5.2% |
Strumica | 45,087 | 3,038 | 6.7% |
Kruševo | 9,684 | 2,514 | 26.0% |
Јegunovce | 7,227 | 2,511 | 34.7% |
Sopište | 9,522 | 2,310 | 24.3% |
Kočani | 33,689 | 2,273 | 6.7% |
Vasilevo | 12,122 | 2,196 | 18.1% |
Vratnica | 3,563 | 2,181 | 61.2% |
Čučer-Sandevo | 8,493 | 1,954 | 23.0% |
Žitoše | 2,128 | 1,917 | 90.1% |
Zelenikovo | 4,077 | 1,491 | 36.6% |
Vinica | 17,914 | 1,489 | 8.3% |
Valandovo | 11,890 | 1,355 | 11.4% |
Bistrica | 5,042 | 1,320 | 26.2% |
Kavadarci | 38,391 | 1,161 | 3.0% |
Čaška | 2,878 | 1,006 | 35.0% |
Murtino | 6,544 | 953 | 14.6% |
Negotino | 19,212 | 912 | 4.7% |
Topolčani | 2,923 | 859 | 29.4% |
Gradsko | 3,760 | 815 | 21.7% |
Delčevo | 17,505 | 773 | 4.4% |
Ilinden | 15,894 | 748 | 4.7% |
Karbinci | 4,012 | 729 | 18.2% |
Pehčevo | 5,517 | 702 | 12.7% |
Bosilovo | 12,457 | 618 | 5.0% |
Berovo | 13,941 | 556 | 4.0% |
Kriva Palanka | 20,820 | 530 | 2.5% |
Konče | 3,536 | 521 | 14.7% |
Star Dojran | 3,426 | 483 | 14.1% |
Drugovo | 3,249 | 448 | 13.8% |
Mavrovi Anovi | 984 | 415 | 42.2% |
Demir Kapija | 4,545 | 409 | 9.0% |
Capari | 1,424 | 320 | 22.5% |
Vraneštica | 1,322 | 287 | 21.7% |
Demir Hisar | 7,178 | 280 | 3.9% |
Lozovo | 2,858 | 253 | 8.9% |
Dobruševo | 2,174 | 218 | 10.0% |
Kukliš | 4,449 | 203 | 4.6% |
Makedonski Brod | 5,588 | 182 | 3.3% |
Kratovo | 10,441 | 173 | 1.7% |
Mešeišta | 2,567 | 163 | 6.3% |
Sveti Nikole | 18,497 | 159 | 0.9% |
Kukurečani | 2,511 | 69 | 2.7% |
Bogdanci | 8,707 | 60 | 0.7% |
Gevgelija | 20,362 | 51 | 0.3% |
Probištip | 12,765 | 49 | 0.4% |
Bogomila | 1,252 | 48 | 3.8% |
Novaci | 2,478 | 48 | 1.9% |
Mogila | 4,536 | 48 | 1.1% |
Lukovo | 1,509 | 43 | 2.8% |
Rankovce | 4,144 | 26 | 0.6% |
Makedonska Kamenica | 2,567 | 23 | 0.9% |
Podareš | 3,746 | 13 | 0.3% |
Krivogaštani | 6,007 | 8 | 0.1% |
Novo Selo | 11,966 | 8 | 0.1% |
Rosoman | 4,141 | 6 | 0.1% |
Belčišta | 2,940 | 4 | 0.1% |
Konopište | 350 | 3 | 0.9% |
Vevčani | 2,433 | 3 | 0.1% |
Staro Nagoričane | 4,258 | 3 | 0.1% |
Staravina | 316 | 1 | 0.3% |
Bač | 755 | 1 | 0.1% |
Izvor | 1,049 | 1 | 0.1% |
Orašac | 1,252 | 1 | 0.1% |
Sopotnica | 2,319 | 1 | 0.0% |
Miravci | 2,626 | 1 | 0.0% |
Orizari | 4,403 | 1 | 0.0% |
Obleševo | 5,071 | 1 | 0.0% |
Zletovo | 3,428 | 0 | 0.0% |
Zrnovci | 3,264 | 0 | 0.0% |
Češinovo | 2,419 | 0 | 0.0% |
Blatec | 2,024 | 0 | 0.0% |
Klečevce | 1,609 | 0 | 0.0% |
Samokov | 1,553 | 0 | 0.0% |
Kosel | 1,369 | 0 | 0.0% |
Vitolište | 494 | 0 | 0.0% |
Macedonia (total) | 2,022,547 | 674,015 | 33.3% |
The Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje stated in 2012 that "religion is primary importance to North Macedonia's Muslims." The University conducted a survey of 1.850 Muslims in North Macedonia, which found that 81.6% described themselves as religious, 60.5% of which were very religious. Approximately 22% never went to a mosque(48,6% attend mosque at least once a week) and 17.3% did not pray at home(42,1% pray five times a day). About 28,6% believed that disputes should be resolved using Islamic Sharia law(41,7% say that should be resolved using North Macedonia's laws,29,7% didn't know or refused to answer), and 27,8% said that wearing a veil in school was "unacceptable." 16,4% of the respondents said cohabitation without marriage was "acceptable"(74,2% said " non acceptable" and 9,3% refused to answer), 13,6% ate pork and 24,8% drank alcohol. Also 94% of respondents said they circumcised their boys and 98% observed Muslim burial practices for their relatives.[12]
According to a 2017 Pew Research Center survey, 64% of Macedonian Muslims responded that religion is "very important" in their lives.[13] The same survey found that 43% of Macedonian Muslims pray all five salah,[14] 51% attend mosque at least once a week,[15] and 46% read Quran at least once a week.That makes Macedonian muslims the most religious muslim community between the Balkan countries with the muslim communities in Montenegro and Serbia.[16]
Gallery[edit]
The Monastir (Bitola) bazaar in 1914.
See also[edit]
- Demographics of North Macedonia
- Religion in North Macedonia
- Rumelia
- Albanians in North Macedonia
- Macedonian Muslims
- Turks in North Macedonia
- Romani in North Macedonia
- Bosniaks in North Macedonia
- Category:Mosques in North Macedonia
References[edit]
- ^ "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050". Pew Research Center. 12 April 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ "naslovna-10PUB" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-06-22.
- ^ "Macedonia country profile". 22 February 2018 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- ^ a b c Ortakovski, Vladimir T. "Interethnic Relations and Minorities in the Republic of Macedonia" (PDF). Southeast European Politics. 2 (1): 25–45.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2016, p. 67" (PDF). Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office. 2016. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Census of Pupulation, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Macedonia, 2002, p. 591" (PDF). Republic of Macedonia, State Statistical Office. 2002. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Macedonia, 2014, p. 67, Retrieved 11 December 2016
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kettani, Houssain (2010). "Muslim Population in Europe: 1950 – 2020" (PDF). International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 1, no. 2, p. 156. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
- ^ Coughlin, Kathryn M. (2006). Muslim Cultures Today, A Reference Guide. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut, London. p. 16. ISBN 9780313323867.
- ^ Census of Pupulation, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Macedonia, 2002, p. 518
- ^ a b "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2050" in: Pew Research Center, Retrieved 10 November 2016
- ^ "Bulgaria's Muslims not deeply religious: study". Hürriyet Daily News. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe: Final Topline" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 10 May 2017. p. 121. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe: Final Topline" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 10 May 2017. p. 154. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe: Final Topline" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 10 May 2017. p. 118. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ "Religious Belief and National Belonging in Central and Eastern Europe: Final Topline" (PDF). Pew Research Center. 10 May 2017. p. 122. Retrieved 22 October 2017.