Stip is a significant cultural, educational, and economic center in the eastern part of Macedonia that houses a campus of St. Kliment Ohridski University and many small textile factories. Situated between the river Bregalnica and river Otinja, the town is 86km away from the capital and has a population of 47,796. The town was initially called Astibo (this name was first mentioned by historiographer Polien in the 3rd century B.C.) and an archeological site just a few kilometers away from the town still carries that name.