Skopje
2 km around Skopje
Air quality now
AQI 75
23.1%
tree cover
21.7K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Europe · air quality report · 5 cities
North Macedonia air quality today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now the 5 cities Airleaf measures in North Macedonia average AQI 88 (moderate). The worst air is in Bitola, at AQI 118, and the cleanest in Prilep, at AQI 60.
At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 88 across 5 cities. 40% of the 5 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups.
Average right now
AQI 88
Moderate
US EPA index, across 5 cities
- cities measured
- 5
- worst air: Bitola
- 118
- cleanest air: Prilep
- 60
- average tree cover
- 18.8%
Updated . Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf.
North Macedonia · average AQI 88
Air quality right now in all 5 cities in North Macedonia
Moderate
Kumanovo
2 km around Kumanovo
Air quality now
AQI 75
13.1%
tree cover
53.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Prilep
2 km around Prilep
Air quality now
AQI 60
7.4%
tree cover
71.0K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Bitola
2 km around Stara Charshija
Air quality now
AQI 118
18.5%
tree cover
51.8K more trees would reach 35% tree cover
Tetovo
2 km around Tetovo
Air quality now
AQI 114
32.0%
tree cover
9.4K more trees would reach 35% tree cover
Across the country
How clean is the air across North Macedonia today?
40% of the 5 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
5 measured cities
- Moderate3 (60%)
- Unhealthy for sensitive groups2 (40%)
Every measured city, including model estimates where no ground station is near.
Against everywhere else
How does North Macedonia compare with other countries?
Right now the cities of North Macedonia average cleaner air than 9% of the 171 countries Airleaf has enough cities to average, and more tree cover than 38%.
Cleaner air than…
- North Macedonia
- Beats 9%
More tree cover than…
- North Macedonia
- Beats 38%
See the most polluted and cleanest air rankings for every country.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has North Macedonia lost?
Since 2001, North Macedonia has lost about 52,900 hectares of forest (about 74,000 football pitches): 6.6% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 1,810 hectares (3.4%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 52,900 haabout 74,000 football pitches
- Share of its forest
- 6.6%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 1,810 hadeforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 134 ha | 1,930 ha | 2,070 ha |
| 2002 | 26 ha | 875 ha | 901 ha |
| 2003 | 48 ha | 859 ha | 906 ha |
| 2004 | 100 ha | 2,140 ha | 2,240 ha |
| 2005 | 58 ha | 1,280 ha | 1,330 ha |
| 2006 | 56 ha | 2,030 ha | 2,080 ha |
| 2007 | 75 ha | 3,840 ha | 3,910 ha |
| 2008 | 94 ha | 3,880 ha | 3,970 ha |
| 2009 | 100 ha | 4,280 ha | 4,380 ha |
| 2010 | 121 ha | 2,120 ha | 2,240 ha |
| 2011 | 101 ha | 2,070 ha | 2,170 ha |
| 2012 | 95 ha | 2,920 ha | 3,020 ha |
| 2013 | 53 ha | 1,140 ha | 1,200 ha |
| 2014 | 85 ha | 1,770 ha | 1,850 ha |
| 2015 | 61 ha | 738 ha | 799 ha |
| 2016 | 79 ha | 1,450 ha | 1,530 ha |
| 2017 | 34 ha | 1,130 ha | 1,160 ha |
| 2018 | 58 ha | 1,500 ha | 1,560 ha |
| 2019 | 87 ha | 1,720 ha | 1,810 ha |
| 2020 | 50 ha | 1,820 ha | 1,870 ha |
| 2021 | 46 ha | 2,270 ha | 2,320 ha |
| 2022 | 81 ha | 2,370 ha | 2,450 ha |
| 2023 | 84 ha | 2,740 ha | 2,830 ha |
| 2024 | 51 ha | 2,060 ha | 2,110 ha |
| 2025 | 36 ha | 2,200 ha | 2,230 ha |
Forest loss is speeding up: about 2,390 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 1,590 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2009, when about 4,380 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in North Macedonia?
- Loggingcan grow back73% · 38,400 ha
- Wildfirescan grow back21% · 11,300 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good1.4% · 736 ha
Also: towns and roads, mining and energy, storms, floods and other natural causes, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
North Macedonia as a whole
40.8% of North Macedonia was forested as of 2024, against a 30% benchmark. That already clears the benchmark — the city reports above show where cover is still thin locally. Source: World Bank (FAO).
Build your own
Compare North Macedonia with another country
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North Macedonia
Clean-air buying guides
Cleaner air at home in North Macedonia
Picked by tested clean-air delivery rate (CADR), noise and running cost, from independent test labels. No brand pays to be listed.
- The best air purifiers for wildfire smoke and smog
Air purifiers that keep up with wildfire smoke and winter smog, ranked by verified smoke CADR, with the room each one clears on a smoky day.
- The best air purifiers under $200
Good HEPA air purifiers under $200 at the makers' own prices, compared on verified clean air, room size and what the filters cost each year.
- NIOSH-approved N95 masks for smoke and smog
NIOSH-approved N95 masks and P100 respirators for smog and smoke, and how to get the fit right. Cloth and surgical masks do little against PM2.5.
Frequently asked
Air quality in North Macedonia: your questions answered
What is the air quality in North Macedonia today?
Right now the 5 cities Airleaf measures in North Macedonia average AQI 88 (moderate). The worst air is in Bitola, at AQI 118, and the cleanest in Prilep, at AQI 60. At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 88 across 5 cities. 40% of the 5 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups.
Which city in North Macedonia has the worst air right now?
Bitola, at AQI 118 (Unhealthy for sensitive groups) on the US EPA index. Sensitive groups should limit long or intense outdoor activity.
Which city in North Macedonia has the cleanest air right now?
Prilep, at AQI 60 (Moderate). Both lists rank current readings, from ground stations wherever North Macedonia has at least three cities with one.
Is the air in North Macedonia safe to breathe today?
It depends on the city. 3 cities are Moderate, 2 cities are Unhealthy for sensitive groups. At the national average of AQI 88: Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
How much forest has North Macedonia lost since 2001?
About 52,900 ha from 2001 to 2025, 7% of the forest it had in 2000, from the University of Maryland's yearly satellite maps of forest loss. 1,810 ha of it was cleared for good, for farms, mines or towns.
How does Airleaf measure air quality in North Macedonia?
Each city's reading is the US EPA air quality index, from ground monitoring stations where one has reported recently nearby, and from the CAMS atmospheric model elsewhere; each city's report says which. Tree cover is measured over the same 2 km radius in every city, so the cities compare like for like.
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