Gevgelija

Gevgelija (; ) is a border town located in the very southeast of North Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border crossing with Greece (Bogorodica-Evzoni), the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three regional capitals, Belgrade, Zagreb, and Sofia with Thessaloniki in Greece. The town is the seat of the Gevgelija Municipality.

Name In Macedonian the town is called Gevgelija (Гевгелија). In other languages, it is known as Yevyeli (Γευγελή) in Greek, Gevgeli () in Bulgarian, Đevđelija (, ) in Serbian and Gevgeli in Turkish. Furthermore, in Megleno-Romanian, the city is known as .Megleno-Romanians in Gudurica: Language and Identity

Gevgelija is known as the "Balkan Las Vegas" for its wide number of casinos.

History In the late 19th and early 20th century, Gevgelija was part of the Salonica Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire. According to the statistics of the French geographer Alexandre Synvet, the town had a total Christian population of 290 families (1.740 people) in 1878, consisting of 35 Bulgarian Christian ones and 255 Greek Christian families.Synvet, A., Les Grecs de l'Empire ottoman: Etude statistique et ethnographique, Constantinople ("L Orient illustre") 1878, p. 50, ΑΡΒ 1366 The town had also 4 Greek schools. According to Bulgarian Exarchate secretary Dimitar Mishev (D. M. Brancoff), in 1905 the town had a population of 4,375 Christians, consisting of 2.240 Patriarchist Bulgarians (Grecomans), 1.840 Exarchist Bulgarians, 80 Serbian Patriarchist Bulgarians (Serbomans), 8 Uniat Bulgarians, 90 Roma people, 72 Vlachs (Megleno-Romanians), 30 Albanians and 15 Greeks.Dimitri Mishev and D. M. Brancoff, La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne, p. 194

From 1929 to 1941, Gevgelija was part of the Vardar Banovina of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Transport The town is served by Gevgelija railway station, outside the city limits on its eastern edge.

Demographics

According to the 2002 census, the town of Gevgelija had 15,685 residents, most of whom were ethnic Macedonians.Macedonian census, language and religion Ethnic group Number Macedonians 15,060 (96.22%) Serbs 292 (1.9%) Vlachs (Megleno-Romanians) 201 (1.3%) Others 132 (0.8%) Total 15,685

As of 2021, the town of Gevgelija has 15,156 inhabitants and the ethnic composition was the following:

Macedonians – 13,621 Aromanians – 260 Serbs – 196 Turks – 53 Romani – 21 Albanians – 8 Bosniaks – 8 others – 134 Person without Data – 855

Geography

Located between the mountains Kožuf and Pajak only from Thessaloniki and from Skopje, the town acts as a rail depot between the two countries, making it a central location in its region. Its position in the southeast of the country gives it a warm Mediterranean climate (Csa classification), making it the optimal location in North Macedonia for cultivation of fruits and vegetables such as figs, lemons, and grapes. The town is also a centre for raising silkworms, an integral part of the country's silk trade. Alongside its agriculture, Gevgelija's economy consists of a light industry sector. Tourism is growing, with a spa located in a nearby village.

Climate Gevgelija has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), making it one of North Macedonia's warmer towns.

Sports Local football club FK Kožuf have played in the Macedonian First Football League.

International relations

Twin towns – Sister cities Gevgelija is twinned with: Sevlievo, Bulgaria Inđija, SerbiaStalna konferencija gradova i opština . Retrieved on 2007-06-18. Sežana, Slovenia Kotka, Finland

Notable people

Gallery

Gevgelija

Bron en licentie