Southwestern Statistical Region
Statistical region in North Macedonia
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The Southwestern Statistical Region (Macedonian: Југозападен Регион, romanized: Jugozapaden Region; Albanian: Rajoni jugperendimor) is one of eight statistical regions of North Macedonia. Southwestern, located in the western part of the country, sharing Ohrid Lake with its westerly border Albania. Internally, it borders the Pelagonia, Polog, Skopje, and Vardar statistical regions.
Southwestern Statistical Region
| |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,280 km2 (1,270 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | |
• Total | 177,398 |
| • Density | 54.1/km2 (140/sq mi) |
| HDI (2017) | 0.758[1] high · 4th of 8 |
| Website | southwestregion |
Municipalities
Population
The current population of the Southwestern statistical region is 177,398 citizens, according to the last population census in 2021.
| Census Year | Population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 211,046 | N/A |
| 2002 | 221,546 | +5.0% |
| 2021 | 177,398 | -19.9% |
Ethnicities

The largest ethnic group in the region are the Macedonian followed by the Albanians and Turks.
| 2002 | 2021 | |||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| TOTAL | 221,546 | 100 | 177,398 | 100 |
| Macedonians | 107,387 | 48.47 | 83,757 | 47.21 |
| Albanians | 81,896 | 36.97 | 52,849 | 29.79 |
| Turks | 21,433 | 9.67 | 17,832 | 10.05 |
| Roma | 2,899 | 1.31 | 3,570 | 2.01 |
| Vlachs | 1,059 | 0.48 | 882 | 0.5 |
| Serbs | 629 | 0.28 | 428 | 0.24 |
| Bosniaks | 144 | 0.07 | 145 | 0.09 |
| Others / Undeclared / Unknown | 6,099 | 2.75 | 5,161 | 2.91 |
| Persons for whom data are taken from administrative sources | 12,774 | 7.2 | ||
Religions
Religious affiliation according to the 2002 and 2021 North Macedonia censuses:
| Religion | 2002 | 2021 | ||
| Number | % | Number | % | |
| TOTAL | 221,546 | 100 | 177,398 | 100 |
| Orthodox | 103,013 | 46.5 | 67,108 | 47.2 |
| Christians/Protestants | 7 | 0.13 | 16,304 | |
| Catholics | 296 | 0.00 | 271 | |
| Islam | 116,395 | 52.5 | 80,612 | 45.4 |
| Others | 1,840 | 0.83 | 329 | 0.19 |
| Refused/Undeclared | 12,774 | 7.20 | ||
