Agricultural Land
North Macedonia has 1,259,996 hectares of agricultural land, including 516,733 hectares of cultivable land. These categories include arable land, gardens, orchards, vineyards, meadows. Pastures cover an area of about 742,760 hectares.
Agricultural land
1,2
million ha
Over two decades, various livestock populations significantly declined, with horses, sheep, and poultry facing substantial reductions. However, goat populations increased during the same period.
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Forest and Forest land
North Macedonia’s forests and forest land cover 1,159,926 hectares (44,35% of the total country area), with 1,049,300 hectares designated as forested areas. Approximately 90,14% of this forested land is state-owned, while the remaining 9,86% is privately owned, divided among around 220,000 small properties.
The forests include deciduous, coniferous, mixed, and degraded forest types. The majority of the forested area is dominated by deciduous broad-leaved species, accounting for 65% of the total. Coniferous forests cover approximately 7.3% of the overall area, while mixed forests occupy a substantial 33%. Beech and oak species dominate, accounting for 85% of native species. These forests have seen a 5% increase in cover between 2010 and 2018, primarily composed of native beech and oak species.
Despite challenges like deforestation and illegal logging, government efforts have aimed to conserve forests. Most forests in North Macedonia are categorized as coppice forests and thickets, accounting for 65.6% of forest stands. The total forest growing stock is about 74,343,000 cubic meters, with an annual increment of about 1,830,000 cubic meters, resulting in an average annual increment of approximately 2.02 cubic meters per hectare in coppice and about 4 cubic meters in high forest stands.
Forest area
1
million ha
Forest cover type in North Macedonia represented in pie (source: State statistical office 04.02.2023)
Land Use Changes
According to CORINE Land cover data from 2000 to 2018, land use changes in North Macedonia show a shift towards urbanization. Major changes include an increase in artificial areas and a decrease in agricultural land. Other minor changes include water bodies, swamps, and a slight decrease in total forest and semi-natural areas.
Notably:
- Agricultural lands, particularly near urban areas, are vulnerable to transformation and spread.
- Changes in land use patterns, partly due to industrial shifts and uncultivable areas, can result in land transformation, including afforestation.
- Reductions in forest land result from infrastructure development, primarily state roads, with efforts to mitigate environmental impacts.
- Land use in North Macedonia presents diverse challenges, including the impact of agriculture, urban expansion, and infrastructure development on landscape fire risks. These factors emphasize the importance of effective landscape fire management strategies in the region.
Land use in North Macedonia presents diverse challenges, including the impact of agriculture, urban expansion, and infrastructure development on landscape fire risks. These factors emphasize the importance of effective landscape fire management strategies in the region.
