Velmej

Velmej is located at Dolna Debarca region, 13 km. east from the Ohrid-Kicevo high road.

On the western slopes of mountain Ilinska Bigla, from the north and the east side, the village is surrounded with the mountain massifs of Ilinska Bigla, (to the east is Kilaec peakat 1068 m, to the north is Čuki at 1303 m) and in the west and south sides is the Velmej field.

The village's altitude is 860 m. The area of the village Velmej takes 39.3 km² or 10% of the territory of Debarca.

The closest airport to Velmej is OHD-Ohrid, located 18.7 km southwest of Velmej. Other nearby airports include SKP-Skopje 95.0 km to the northeast and TIA-Tirana Rinas 99.7 km to the west.

Places near Velmej, Macedonia: 3.2 km to Grko Pole, 3.5 km to Sošani, 4.1 km to Lešani, 4.1 km to Gorno Sredoreče, 4.7 km to Dolno Sredoreče, 6.3 km to Kuratica, 5.4 km to Ozdoleni, 6.3 km to Slatino, 5.8 km to Brežani, 6.0 km to Belčišta, 6.2 km to Zlesti, 7.6 km to Izdeglavje, 8.5 km to Sirula, 10.1 km to Arbinovo, 10.7 km to Plakje.

During the Second World War in Yugoslav Macedonia, after the capitulation of Italy in 1943, Karaorman Mountain, about 30 km. from Ohrid, became the centre of partisan activity. A free territory was established by the Macedonian Partisans in that area, then part of the Kingdom of Albania. The first National Liberation Committees were set up in Debarca in the spring of 1943. The first schools with classes on the Macedonian language were opened in October and November 1943 in Velmej, Vrbjani, Belciste, Botun and other Ohrid villages.

According to the 2002 census, the village had a total of 511 inhabitants.^[1] Ethnic groups in the village include:^[1]

• Macedonians 511

55.3% of the surface area of Velmej is forest and mountains, 22.4% is farmland, and 22.3% is in the moorland.