Kiro Gligorov (b.1917) has been the president of Macedonia since January 1991 and was reelected in 1994. Branko Crvenkovski was made prime minister in September 1992. Mother Teresa (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, 1910–1997) was from Skopje but left at age 17 to join a convent in Calcutta, India. In 1948, Mother Teresa left the convent to found the Missionaries of Charity. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

Phillip II (382 BC –336 BC ) was the father of Alexander the Great. During Philip II's reign of 359–336 BC , he established a federal system of Greek States. Macedonian Alexander the Great (356 BC –323 BC ) founded an enormous empire that extended from Greece to northern India. Cassandar (353 BC –297 BC ) succeeded Alexander the Great, and was king of Macedonia between 316 BC and 297 BC . To consolidate his power, Cassandar murdered Alexander's mother, widow, and son. Philip V (237 BC – 179 BC ) warred against the Romans and tried to rebuild the kingdom.

As of 1997, there were 408,000 main line telephones in use and 12,362 mobile cellular phones. Though most media are government owned, an independent television station, A-1, broadcasts from Skopje. As of 1998, there were 29 AM and 20 FM radio stations. There were 31 television stations as of 1995. In 2000 there were about 205 radios and 282 television sets for every 1,000 people. About six Internet service providers served 100,000 users in 2001.

Several daily newspapers are published in Skopje, as well as a number of periodicals. Newspapers in Albanian and a Turkish language paper are available nationally and subsidized by the government, including the Albanian-language Flaka e Vlazermit ( Flame of Brotherhood ) and the Turkish language Birlik. In 1994 Delo, a new weekly with reportedly nationalistic leanings, began publication. As of 2002, the leading newspapers were Nova Makedonia (circulation 25,000) and Vecer (29,200).

The constitution forbids censorship and the government is said to respect this in practice. However, the government has restricted certain parts of the media during civil conflicts.

The Chamber of Economy of Macedonia coordinates trade and commerce with the world. The Macedonian Academy of Science, founded in 1967, coordinates and finances scientific research conducted in Macedonia. The country has 26 learned societies and 13 natural and social scientific institutions. There are youth organizations affiliated with major political parties. There is also an active scouting association. National women's organizations include Journalism About Women's and Children's Rights and Environment in Macedonia and the Union of Women's Organizations of the Republic of Macedonia. The Red Cross is active in the country.

During the years of the former Yugoslav SFR, there was a chronic shortage of housing in Macedonia and the other republics. Since independence, the ability to find an available apartment or condominium has improved. Federal banks have begun loan programs making it now possible to finance the construction of seasonal homes in the country or by resort areas. In the 1994 census, there were about 580,342 dwellings supporting about 501,963 households. There was an average of 3.85 people per household.

Public education at the primary level is compulsory for eight years, between the ages of 7 and 15. In 1997, there were 260,917 students enrolled in 1,086 primary schools, with 13,394 teachers. The student-to-teacher ratio stood at 19 to 1. There are also many secondary-level schools. In 1997, 83,746 students were enrolled in secondary schools, with 5,136 teachers. As of 1999, approximately 95% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school. At the postsecondary level, there are two universities: the Bitola University, which was founded in 1979, and the University of Skopje, founded in 1949. The language of instruction is Macedonian, and there are faculties of law, engineering, medicine, arts, science, physical education, architecture, and agriculture. In 1997, institutions of higher learning had a combined enrollment of 30,754 students; teaching staff totaled 2,462. In the latter half of the 1990s, expenditure on education accounted for 5.6% of GNP and approximately 20.0% of public expenditures.

The Kliment Ohridski National and University Library in Skopje(1944) holds 2.5 million volumes and is the largest collection in the country. The District of Skopje Public Library has 953,000 volumes.

In Skopje are the Fine Arts Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Museum of the City of Skopje. There are also several archaeological and historical museums. The National Museums, specializing in archeology and ethnology, are in Ohrid and Stip, and there is an Islamic Art museum in Bitola. In Strumica is the Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments, Natural Rarities, and Museum.

Macedonia, historically the poorest of the former Yugoslav republics, has suffered further from the imposition of international sanctions against Serbia, the rising tide of refugees, and increasing unemployment. Social care is funded by the government to assist the disabled, elderly, unemployed and poor. Maternity benefits are available for nine months, and women are guaranteed the right to return to work within two years after childbirth.

Although women have the same legal rights as men, the traditional cultures of both Christian and Muslim communities have limited their advancement in society. There are some professional women but generally women are not represented in the higher levels of professional or public life. A few women's advocacy and support groups, including the Union of Macedonian Women, now exist. Widespread violence against women in the home remains unpunished by authorities, and it is extremely rare for criminal charges to be filed against abusive husbands. Children, like adults, have been victims of internal conflict and ethnic violence. Resources are scarce to fund programs to benefit children.

Ethnic minorities, including Albanians and Turks, complain of widespread discrimination. Restrictive naturalization policies have left many Albanians without Macedonian citizenship, and therefore without voting rights. Abuse by police of prisoners and suspects is widespread, with most cases involving Roma, ethnic Albanians, or Kosovar refugees.