Macedonia declared itself independent from Yugoslavia in 1991. Although the nation has a fierce independent spirit, its small size and landlocked location has meant that it has been colonised and annexed by larger powers for centuries.

In the late 19th century, a desire for an autonomous Macedonia was galvanised, but it would take another century before this was realised. Macedonia by Thammy Evans is a general tourist guide to the country.

Film is very important in Macedonia. The most notable Macedonian director is Milčo Mančevski, whose debut feature film Before the Rain was nominated for an Academy Award.The country’s highest grossing feature film was Bal-Can-Can,which was seen by over 500,000 people in its first year alone.

One of the best-known writers of prose in the post-1945 period is Zivko Congo.His collections of stories Paskvelija (1962) and Nova Paskvelija (1965) are about an imaginary land where clashes and interactions between old traditions and revolutionary consciousness are enacted.

Macedonia has an impressive music scene with many orchestras, a national ballet and an opera house. Some of the most famous musicians in the world are Macedonian including the pianist Simon Trpčeski.