North Macedonia , like most countries in Eastern Europe , has a developing economy . Under Yugoslavia , North Macedonia saw the establishment of many factories and the significant modernisation of the country , especially after the devastating Skopje earthquake of 1963 . Since independence in 1991 , it has suffered the transition to market economy . Greece , which believed that the republic was monopolising the cultural and historical heritage of Macedonia , imposed a temporary embargo in 1993 and had prevented the country 's accession to organisations like the European Union and NATO , until the implementation of the Prespa agreement in 2019
Skopje earthquake of 1963
1963 Skopje earthquake
Geography of North Macedonia