Municipality of Makedonski Brod
Ancient river ford turned hydroelectric municipality, where the Kozjak dam created North Macedonia's largest artificial lake.
Makedonski Brod—"Macedonian Ford"—exists where the Treska River demanded crossing on the road between Prilep and Kičevo. This municipality of 5,889 residents occupies 889 square kilometers of mountainous western Macedonia at 757 meters elevation, encompassing the historical Poreče region tied to the Treska's upper waters. Roman tomb inscriptions at Krapa village confirm ancient settlement in territory that still hosts only 50 villages alongside the municipal seat.
The formation era established the ford crossing that gave the town its name, while the surrounding mountains—Suva Gora, Karadžica, Dautica—limited development to the valley floors. The Treska's hydroelectric potential attracted Yugoslav-era infrastructure investment culminating in the Kozjak Hydro Power Plant and its reservoir, now North Macedonia's largest artificial lake.
Today Makedonski Brod represents the contradictions of hydroelectric development: the Kozjak facility provides significant generating capacity but flooded productive valley land. The municipality remains one of North Macedonia's smallest towns despite its strategic water resources. The mountainous terrain limits agriculture while creating tourism potential in the dam, lake, and surrounding peaks. The Southwestern Statistical Region's development pressures concentrate in Ohrid and Struga, leaving interior municipalities like Makedonski Brod relatively isolated.
By 2026, Makedonski Brod's hydroelectric infrastructure provides revenue potential if regional energy policy values domestic generation. The largest artificial lake creates recreation possibilities that could supplement the limited economic base, though connecting remote highland territory to tourism markets requires infrastructure investment.