Fewest people identifying as Yugoslavs live in North Macedonia; most in Serbia
Census figures across ex‑Yugoslav republics show sharp variation — North Macedonia 344, Serbia 27,143.
Official census figures show that the smallest number of people who declared themselves as Yugoslavs lives in North Macedonia, while Serbia records by far the largest self‑identified Yugoslav population among the former Yugoslav republics.
North Macedonia: 344 residents declared themselves Yugoslavs. Serbia: 27,143 (census 2022). Bosnia and Herzegovina: 2,570 (census 2013). Montenegro: 1,103 (census 2023). Croatia: 942 (census 2021). Slovenia: 527 (census 2002).
Breakdown by country
The numbers above come from national censuses in the listed years. An infographic titled "Number of Yugoslavs in the ex‑Yugoslav republics" cites the state statistical institutions of each country as the basis for these figures.
The distribution highlights a persistent variation in how citizens in the region choose to record their identity on official forms. In some countries the Yugoslav option appears only rarely on census forms and is selected by very small groups, while in Serbia the count is substantially higher.
Whether the designation reflects a political identity, a cultural affiliation or a personal sense of belonging varies between individuals; the published counts reflect only the number of people who chose that option at the time of each national census.
Photo: press material from the event
