Macedonian Slavs

The Macedonian Slavs (also known as Macedonians) are an ethnic group of whom forms about a third of the population of the geographical region of Macedonia in southeastern Europe and about two thirds of the population of the Republic of Macedonia¤. They speak the Slavic Macedonian language and are generally associated with the Macedonian¤ Orthodox Church. The Macedonian Slavs are primarily the descendants of the Slavic and Bulgar tribes which settled Macedonia during the Middle Ages, but it is likely that their ancestry includes an element of autochthonous groups such as the Thracians and Illyrians. The Macedonian Slavs call themselves "Macedonians", and most foreign sources also refer to them by that term.

Related Topics:
Macedonia - Southeastern Europe - Republic of Macedonia - ¤ - Slavic - Macedonian language - Macedonian - Orthodox Church - Slavic - Bulgar - Middle Ages - Thracians - Illyrians

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However, because of objections from Greece (whose northernmost province of Macedonia claims rights to the name "Macedonia" for political and historical reasons), the official name of the state has not been yet standardized by the United Nations, and therefore the use of a neutral name for the nationality can be still a matter of dispute. The plain name "Macedonians" is ambiguous, and as two thirds of the inhabitants of Macedonia belong to other ethnic groups who also call themselves Macedonians; for the sake of clarity this article uses the term "Macedonian Slavs".

Related Topics:
Greece - Macedonia - United Nations - Macedonia - Macedonians

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