The northern areas are the poorest . This is especially true for Topaana , in Čair municipality , and for Šuto Orizari municipality , which are the two main Roma neighbourhoods . They are made of many illegal constructions not connected to electricity and water supply , which are passed from a generation to the other . Topaana , located close to the Old Bazaar , is a very old area : it was first mentioned as a Roma neighbourhood in the beginning of the 14th century . It has between 3,000 and 5,000 inhabitants . Šuto Orizari , located on the northern edge of the city , is a municipality of its own , with Romani as its local official language . It was developed after the 1963 earthquake to accommodate Roma who had lost their house
1963 earthquake
1963 Skopje earthquake
Skopje