The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006.
Location
Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
Geographic coordinates
42 30 N, 19 18 E
Map references
Europe
Area
total
14,026 sq km
land
13,812 sq km
water
214 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Land boundaries
total
625 km
border countries
Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km
Coastline
293.5 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
continental shelf
defined by treaty
Climate
Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
Terrain
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point
Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
Natural resources
bauxite, hydroelectricity
Land use
arable land
13.7%
permanent crops
1%
other
85.3%
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes
Environment - current issues
pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
Environment - international agreements
party to: Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution
Geography - note
strategic location along the Adriatic coast
Population
684,736 (July 2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-1% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
11.18 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
8.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Nationality
noun
Montenegrin(s)
adjective
Montenegrin
Ethnic groups
Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12%
Religions
Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic
Languages
Serbian (official; Ijekavian dialect), Bosnian, Albanian, Croatian
Country name
conventional long form
Republic of Montenegro
conventional short form
Montenegro
local long form
Republika Crna Gora
local short form
Crna Gora
former
People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro
Government type
republic
Capital
name
Podgorica (administrative capital)
geographic coordinates
42 26 N, 19 16 E
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note - Montenegro is currently writing a new constitution set to be presented to Parliament in spring 2007
Legal system
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)
head of government
Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 13 November 2006)
cabinet
Ministries act as cabinet
elections
president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly
election results
Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8%
Legislative branch
unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)
elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 40.6%, Serbian List 15.3%, Coalition SNP-NS-DSS 14.8%, PZP 13.9%, Liberals and Bosniaks 3.8%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 11.6%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Serbian List 12, Coalition SNP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Albanian minority parties 5
Judicial branch
Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)
Political parties and leaders
Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Coalition for European Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DUKANOVIC] (includes DPS and SDP); Coalition SNP-NS-DSS (bloc) (includes SNP, NS, and DSS); Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Liberals and the Bosniak Party (bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes LP and BS); Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko SEKULIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC]; Serbian List (bloc) [Andrija MANDIC] (includes SSR, NSS, and SNS); Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]
a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered
Economy - overview
The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, used the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On 18 January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.
Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2006)
Imports
$601.7 million (2003)
Imports - partners
Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
NA
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
177,663 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
543,220 (2005)
Telephone system
general assessment
modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites
domestic
GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly
international
country code - 382 (the old code of 381 used by Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use until Feb 2007); 2 international switches connect the national system
Radio broadcast stations
31 (station types NA) (2004)
Television broadcast stations
13 (2004)
Internet country code
.me
Internet users
50,000 (2004)
Airports
5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
3
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
2
914 to 1,523 m
1
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Railways
total
250 km
standard gauge
250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)
Roadways
total
7,353 km
paved
4,274 km
unpaved
3,079 km (2005)
Merchant marine
total
4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT
by type
cargo 4
registered in other countries
4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Bar
Military service age and obligation
compulsory national military service abolished August 2006
Military - note
Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces
