North Macedonia, the only state to secede from Yugoslavia without bloodshed, finally fell victim to the Balkan curse in 2001. The country's ethnic Albanian minority, which increased with the influx of refugees from neighboring Serbia and Kosovo, took up arms against the North Macedonian government and demanded greater autonomy. Most of the clashes took place in the northern part of the country, though there were bombings in the capital, Skopje, as well.
Since a Western-brokered peace deal in 2001, however, the situation in North Macedonia has been relatively stable and visitors should not experience any troubles. As the country grows economically, its capital of Skopje has seen a number of urban developments, including the addition of office complexes, shopping malls and international hotels.
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