Gevgelija

Gevgelija (Macedonian: Гевгелија; [ɡɛvˈɡɛlija] (listen)) is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the North Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border 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 Gevgelija municipality.

Gevgelija

Гевгелија (Macedonian)
Town
Gevgelija town centre
Flag
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
Macedonian Las Vegas[1]
Gevgelija
Location within North Macedonia
Coordinates: 41°8′25″N 22°30′10″E
Country North Macedonia
Region Southeastern
Municipality Gevgelija
Government
 • MayorSasho Pockov (SDSM)
Elevation
60 m (200 ft)
Population
 (2002)
 • Total15,685
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
1480
Area code(s)+389 34
Car platesGE
WebsiteOfficial Website

Name

In Macedonian the town is called Gevgelija (Гевгелија). It is known as Gevgeli (Гевгели) in Bulgarian, Gevgeli in Turkish, Đevđelija (Ђевђелија, IPA: [dʑeʋdʑělija]) in Serbian and Gevgelí (Γευγελή) in Greek. Gevgelija is often referred to as "Macedonian Las Vegas", particularly because of the number of casinos in and around the city.

The Greek Tsouflidion School of Gevgeli

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 the rest Greek Christian.[2] The town had also 4 Greek schools.[2] According to Geographers Dimitri Mishev and 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, 30 Albanians and 15 Greeks.[3]

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

Demographics

According to the 2002 census, the town of Gevgelija had 15,685 residents, most of whom were ethnic Macedonians.[4]

Ethnic group Number
Macedonians 15,060 (96.22%)
Serbs 292 (1.9%)
Vlachs 201 (1.3%)
Others 132 (0.8%)
Total 15,685

Geography
Gevgelija former passport stamp.

Located between the mountains Kožuf and Pajak only 70 kilometres (43 miles) from Thessaloniki and 165 km (103 mi) 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 south 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).

Climate data for Gevgelija
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 9.6
(49.3)		 11.3
(52.3)		 16.4
(61.5)		 20.8
(69.4)		 26.7
(80.1)		 31.9
(89.4)		 35.0
(95.0)		 35.2
(95.4)		 30.1
(86.2)		 23.0
(73.4)		 15.3
(59.5)		 10.6
(51.1)		 22.2
(71.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.1
(37.6)		 5.7
(42.3)		 11.4
(52.5)		 15.7
(60.3)		 20.5
(68.9)		 25.8
(78.4)		 28.0
(82.4)		 27.9
(82.2)		 23.1
(73.6)		 17.7
(63.9)		 10.3
(50.5)		 5.1
(41.2)		 16.2
(61.2)
Average low °C (°F) 1.4
(34.5)		 3.2
(37.8)		 7.4
(45.3)		 10.1
(50.2)		 15.5
(59.9)		 19.8
(67.6)		 21.5
(70.7)		 21.2
(70.2)		 18.5
(65.3)		 13.4
(56.1)		 8.4
(47.1)		 2.6
(36.7)		 11.9
(53.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 33
(1.3)		 33
(1.3)		 37
(1.5)		 35
(1.4)		 50
(2.0)		 26
(1.0)		 19
(0.7)		 15
(0.6)		 28
(1.1)		 40
(1.6)		 53
(2.1)		 45
(1.8)		 414
(16.4)
Source: Climate-Data.org [5]

Sports

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

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in North Macedonia

Twin towns – Sister cities

Gevgelija is twinned with:

  • Postcard of Gevgelija, 1930's
  • Postcard of Gevgelija, Primary School in 1930's
  • The construction of the bridge near Malosiste, Gevgelija. The bridge connects the motorway Ljubljana-Gevgelija (1950s).

See also

References
  1. Makedonski Las Vegas (in Serbian). Politika. Mile Radenković; 21-01-2008
  2. Synvet, A., Les Grecs de l'Empire ottoman: Etude statistique et ethnographique, Constantinople ("L Orient illustre") 1878, p. 50, ΑΡΒ 1366
  3. Dimitri Mishev and D. M. Brancoff, La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne, p. 194
  4. Macedonian census, language and religion
  5. "Climate: Gevgelija". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  6. Stalna konferencija gradova i opština Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 2007-06-18.
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