North Macedonia is a landlocked country located in the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Kosovo to the north, Bulgaria to the east, Greece to the south, and Albania to the west. North Macedonia has a diverse landscape that ranges from high mountains to pristine lakes and rivers. The country's climate varies, with warm summers and cold winters in the interior and mild winters and hot summers in the south. North Macedonia has a rich cultural heritage influenced by its location at the crossroads of various empires and civilizations throughout history. The country has a mix of ethnic groups, with Macedonians being the largest group, followed by Albanians, Turks, and Roma. North Macedonia has a developing economy that is based on industry, agriculture, and tourism. North Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and became a UN member in 1993. The country has a parliamentary democracy with a mixed presidential-parliamentary system of government. The president is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government. North Macedonia has made significant progress in its democracy and economy since the early 2000s, but it still faces challenges, such as political instability, corruption, and high unemployment rates. The country has a strong relationship with the European Union and NATO and is currently in the process of joining the EU. North Macedonia's rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and friendly people make it a fascinating destination for tourists.

Since 2014, North Macedonia has developed into the flagship country for FAO support to land consolidation in Europe and Central Asia. The first small technical assistance project began in 2014. During 2017–2022, support to the national land consolidation programme was scaled up with European Union IPA funding through the FAO-implemented MAINLAND project. In August 2022, a second EU IPA-funded and FAO-implemented project “Enhancing land consolidation in North Macedonia” was launched and will continue until 2026 in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy. From the beginning, the Government of North Macedonia’s vision has been to build up and implement a fully operational national land consolidation programme. In addition to the mentioned core land consolidation activities and projects, FAO has in North Macedonia in the same period provided technical assistance to a number of land policy-related activities, including to the privatization of state-owned agricultural land, addressing land abandonment and supporting the development of agricultural land markets. This publication aims to document the lessons learned from the introduction of a land consolidation instrument in North Macedonia during the period 2014–2023. The purpose is to share the experiences with land consolidation, which will also be of great relevance for other countries in Europe and Central Asia and beyond that are in the process of introducing land management instruments such as land consolidation and land banking. The structural problems in agriculture with small average farm sizes, excessive land fragmentation, water scarcity, need for modern irrigation systems and weak agricultural land markets are also present in several countries in North Africa, the Near East and South East Asia. In some of these countries, there is also an increased interest in the introduction of land consolidation instruments.

Provides concise, up-to-date overviews of key topics, a variety of staggered tasks, and 18 case studies for in-depth discussions and more.

Albania is a small country located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country is bounded by the Adriatic Sea to the west, Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south. Albania's history is rich and complex, reflecting its position as a crossroads between East and West, and its interactions with numerous empires and nations throughout the centuries. The country has a population of approximately 2.9 million people and covers an area of 28,748 square kilometers. Albania is known for its stunning natural beauty, breathtaking mountains, and clear turquoise waters. The country boasts a mix of traditional and modern influences, reflecting a rich cultural heritage that includes music, art, cuisine, and traditional crafts. Traditionally, the Albanian economy relied on agriculture, which remains an important sector to this day. However, other industries such as tourism, manufacturing, and services have grown in recent years, contributing to the country's economic diversification and growth. Despite challenges, such as political instability and corruption, Albania is slowly emerging as a potential travel destination and investment opportunity in the Balkans.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential drivers of sustainable economic growth in the Western Balkans and Turkey, where they make up 99% of all firms, generate 65% value added and account for 75% of employment. Nevertheless, SMEs across the region continue to face obstacles such as difficulties accessing financing, low levels of digital uptake, regulatory barriers and relatively low participation in international trade.

This book presents the proceedings of the 10th Central European Congress on Food (CEFood), held on June 11-13, 2020, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It reports on recent advances in the area of food science and food technology, and is divided into 5 major topical sections: food analysis, food energy systems, food trends and competitiveness, food and feed chain management, and modern challenges. Offering a timely snapshot of cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research and developments in modern food science and technology, these proceedings facilitate the transfer of these findings to industry. As such, the book will appeal to researchers and professionals in the food and agricultural industries, as well as those at regulatory and food safety agencies.

This volume features chapters by international experts in education, sociology, and theology who consider a range of challenges faced by educators in primary and secondary schools that are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of the ethnic and religious backgrounds of pupils. From the non-religious, to the refugee, to student fundamentalism and even radicalization—these multiple, fresh approaches analyze the dynamics of the changing pedagogical landscape in an age of ever increasing globalization and cultural plurality. Today’s classrooms are often the most crucial spaces where children and adolescents encounter new cultural, religious, and other worldviews. Increasingly, teachers are called on to empower their pupils with the tools and competencies necessary to reflect on and process this plurality in ways that are productive for their intellectual growth and moral maturation. Regional case studies provide extensive data while offering insights into developments in school settings across Europe, in Turkey, and in the United States. In addition, a number of the contributions address the delivery, content, and policies of Islamic Religious Education in European contexts, the educational strategies employed in multi-religious societies, and interreligious dialogue in schools, whether intentional or spontaneous.

The future sustainable economic development and well-being of citizens in South East Europe depend on greater economic competitiveness. Reinforcing the region’s economic potential in a post-COVID-19 context requires a holistic, inclusive and growth‐oriented approach to policy making.

This roadmap is designed to aid North Macedonia’s government in establishing a solid policy foundation for a successful transition to a circular economy.