Čair municipality

Infobox Municipality in the Republic of Macedonia
municipality_name=Čair municipality
municipality_name_mkd=Општина Чаир
Komuna e Çairit
population=64,773
density=18,400
status=
area_code=
mayor=|izet mexhiti car_plates=
website=cair.gov.mk/mk/index.php
municipality_location=MKD_muni_nonn(Skopje_Chair).png coa_pic=
coa_px=
flag_pic=
flag_px=
municipality_center=Skopje
postal_code=
area=3.52

Čair (Macedonian: Чаир, Albanian: "Çairi") is one of the 10 municipalities that make up the city of Skopje, the capital of the Republic of Macedonia. Skopje's old town is located in Čair.

Geography

Čair is located along the eastern bank of the Vardar River, opposite the modern city center. It borders Centar municipality to the south-west, Karpoš municipality to the west, Butel municipality to the north, and Gazi Baba municipality to the east.

History

Skopje's old town, or Stara Čaršija, had been the city's main center at least since the 12th century. The Turkish influence is dominant in the Stara Čaršija. When the Ottomans took over, they built many Islamic buildings here, such as Mustapha Pasha Mosque. The old town has not changed much over time; it is still filled with narrow cobblestone walkways and most of the Ottoman monuments are still standing.

Demographics

According to the last National census from 2002 Čair has 64,773 inhabitants. ref|census

Ethnic groups in the municipality include:
*Albanians = 36,921
*Macedonians = 15,628
*Turks = 4,500
*Roma = 3,083
*Bosniaks = 2,950
*others.

Notes

# [http://msed.stat.gov.mk/msed.nsf/cd549cc3f96284dbc1256f2b0026e546/5db5887c1be3440ac1256f3900547f34/$FILE/I1%20Population%2015%20C2002%20123.pdf Macedonian census data of 2002] ]

ee also

* Greater Skopje
* Republic of Macedonia
* Municipalities of the Republic of Macedonia

External links

* [http://www.makedonija.name/municipalities.php Municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia]