Montenegro

Region: Europe

Official language: Montenegrin

Population: 599,849 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Montenegrin(s) (noun), Montenegrin (adjective)

Land area: 13,452 sq km (5,194 sq miles)

Water area: 360 sq km (139 sq miles)

Capital: Podgorica

National anthem: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May), by Sekula Drljevic/Unknown, Arranged By Zarko Mikovic

National holiday: National Day, July 13 (1878)

Population growth: -0.44% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +1

Flag: The flag of Montenegro features a golden-bordered red field with the country’s coat of arms (a golden, double-headed eagle with a shield featuring a lion on its chest) centered in the middle.

Independence: June 3, 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)

Government type: parliamentary republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: civil law

Montenegro is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is bordered in the east by Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania, and on the west by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and the Adriatic Sea. The country formed one half of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. However, Montenegro and Serbia each declared independence in June 2006.

• Former name(s): People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro
• Region: Europe
• Nationality: Montenegrin(s) (noun), Montenegrin (adjective)
• Official language: Montenegrin
• Population: 599,849 (2024 est.)
• Population growth:-0.44% (2024 est.)
• Currency (money): Euro
• Land area: 13,812 sq km (5,332 sq miles)
• Water area: 360 sq km (139 sq miles)
• Time zone: UTC +1
• Capital: Podgorica
• Flag: The flag of Montenegro features a golden-bordered red field with the country’s coat of arms (a golden, double-headed eagle with a shield featuring a lion on its chest) centered in the middle.
• Independence: June 3, 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
• Government type: parliamentary republic
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal system: civil law
• National anthem: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May), by Sekula Drljevic/Unknown, Arranged By Zarko Mikovic
• National holiday: National Day, July 13 (1878)

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography. 

People and Culture

Population

Montenegro, which is divided into twenty-five municipalities, is home to a variety of ethnic groups. The capital of Podgorica had a population of about 177,000 in 2018. Montenegrins (about 45 percent of the population) make up the majority in the center of the country, in the cities of Cetinje, Danilovgrad, and Podgorica. The majority of Montenegro's Serbs (28.7 percent of the population) lives in the northern municipalities and along the Adriatic Sea. Other ethnic groups include Bosniaks (8.7 percent), Albanians (4.9 percent), and smaller numbers of Croats and Romani (2011 estimates).

Most Montenegrins (about 72.1 percent according to 2011 estimates) are Orthodox Christians. However, all religions in Montenegro have established rights and are considered separate entities from the state. Other religions present in the country include Islam (19.1 percent) and Roman Catholicism (3.4 percent).

Montenegro's HDI value for 2022 is 0.844— which put the country in the Very High human development category—positioning it at 50 out of 193 countries and territories.

Indigenous People

First populated by Illyrians, the region now known as Montenegro was inhabited by Romans beginning in 9 CE. The area was colonized in the fifth century by Slavs. In the seventh century, the Unknown Archon established what became an early Serbian empire in the Balkans. "Unknown Archon" or "Serb Archon" is the term given by historians to the Serbian leader that helped to establish this early regime. "Archon" is a Greek word that means "ruler."

Education

Elementary education in Montenegro is mandatory and provided by the government. Children attain their elementary education beginning at age six and lasting for nine grades. The next level of education, known as secondary education, is based upon how students fare in the elementary level.

There are three types of secondary education in Montenegro. Gimnazija ("gymnasium") is widely considered to be the type of secondary education pursued by those interested in later attending college. Students take general courses and receive a broad education. The other two levels of secondary education are comprised of stručna škola ("professional schools") and zanatska škola ("vocational schools"). These are focused more on specific occupational pursuits.

College level education, known as visoko obrazovanje ("high education") and više obrazovanje ("higher education"), typically lasts four to six years.

Health Care

Montenegro has attempted to reform its health system, publicly financed by the National Health Insurance Fund as of 2020, following years of internal and regional strife in the 1990s. The disorder and economic collapse of that decade, coupled with an outdated socialist health care system, has created public health challenges. One area of focus has been the health of children and women, including the need for better vaccination programs and early childhood care. The country has successfully eradicated polio.

Food

Traditional Montenegrin food is very robust, and includes such dishes as kacamak, cicvara, and popara. Kacamak is a mushy combination of wheat, barley and cornflower that is sometimes also made with potato. It is served with cheese and sour milk and stirred with a wooden spoon. Kacamak is essentially the national dish of Montenegro and can be found in restaurants throughout the country.

Cicvara combines potatoes, flour and cheese into a thick, energy rich stew. Popara, which mixes bread and cheese, is a Montenegrin take on pizza. Sausage and lamb dishes are also extremely popular elements of traditional Montenegrin cuisine. Local wines and beer compliment these dishes.

Western restaurants, pizza parlors, and fast food locations are located throughout Podgorica.

Arts and Entertainment

The major cultural attractions in Montenegro are located in Podgorica. The city is home to the Montenegrin National Theatre. Several museums and galleries are also located in the city. Several other museums are located in the city of Cetinje.

Environment and Geography

Topography

Montenegro is mountainous, with a small section of coastal plain along the Adriatic Sea. The Zeta is Montenegro's major river, and is used to generate hydroelectric power. Montenegro's highest mountains include Bobotov Peak in the Durmitor Mountains. Bobotov measures 2,523 meters (8,277 feet) in height.

Much of Montenegro's land consists of flat farmland, which is used for vineyards, growing grain, and for livestock. The eastern and northernmost section of the country is forest. The land in southwestern Montenegro, bordering the Adriatic Sea, is used to grow olives, grapes, and citrus fruits.

Natural Resources

Montenegro has large resources of coal. Montenegro is also known for its bauxite and lignite. Montenegro also has large quantities of antimony, a metal that is used in an alloy for casting purposes, as a flame retardant, and in automobile parts. The country's navigable rivers have been important for trade and transportation, and also for hydroelectric power generation. In 2018—in accordance with a plan to become a net energy exporter—Montenegro began building an underwater cable to Italy. It was turned on by the end of the following year.

Wildlife

Montenegro has extensive forests of oak and beech trees. Cyprus forests can also be found in parts of southern Montenegro. While there is evidence that the region was once heavily forested, erosion and agriculture have destroyed many of the trees. Most of the mountain country is still covered with forest, but many areas within southern Montenegro do not have enough soil cover to support the trees. Instead, Mediterranean vegetation known as maquis has grown in their place.

Animals that are commonly found in Montenegro include bears, deer, martens, and wild pigs. The region is also home to predators like wolves and foxes. The region's many bird species include the pygmy cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmeus), the ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca), the long-legged buzzard (Buteo rufinus), and the saker falcon (Falco cherrug).

Climate

Montenegro has a seasonal continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. The weather tends to be cooler and drier in the mountains, while the plains and valleys experience warmer and more humid conditions. In the southern regions, the average summer temperature reaches 22° Celsius (71° Fahrenheit), while the mountainous north has an average temperature of 18° Celsius (64° Fahrenheit).

Parts of Montenegro, especially in the southern regions, have a Mediterranean climate; summers are dry and winters mild. Temperatures tend to be warmer in these areas than in the rest of the country, and can average 27° Celsius (81° Fahrenheit). Winter temperatures in the south average 8° Celsius (46° Fahrenheit), and typically remain around -3° Celsius (27° Fahrenheit) at higher altitudes in the north.

During the winter, the country experiences an average of forty days of snow in the lowlands; the mountains can receive three times as much snow. Montenegro averages 5 meters (around 200 inches) of precipitation per year. Much of this rain falls in the mountains during the colder parts of the year. At the same time, ongoing climate change meant that the country, like others, had seen increasing temperatures as well as weather events such as droughts.

Economy

The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia faced serious economic problems beginning in 1998. These problems were due in part to high inflation, economic sanctions, and widespread military conflict. The country also faced difficulties in privatizing companies that had been socially owned during the years of communist rule. These factors contributed to the breakup of Yugoslavia.

Foreign investment in Montenegro continued to be slow in the early twenty-first century but began to pick up in the 2010s, and economic reforms, including privatization, have helped to stabilize the country's markets. The country's gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) was an estimated US$17.173 billion in 2023. The GDP per capita was US$27,900.

Industry

Montenegro's industry continued recovering from the effects of the breakup of Yugoslavia and has slowly been transitioning to a market-based system. Sanctions by the United Nations (UN), combined with the disparity with which financial relief efforts were dispersed throughout the former Yugoslavia, had a widespread negative impact on the population of Montenegro.

Economic reform laws and privatization efforts have helped to stabilize the country's economy in the early twenty-first century. Montenegro has also made the euro its legal currency and opened negotiations to join the European Union.

Iron, steel, and various textiles continue to be produced in Montenegro.

Agriculture

Agriculture, particularly livestock, is a mainstay of the Montenegrin economy. Some of the major agricultural products of Montenegro include potatoes, tobacco, olives, grapes, and citrus fruits. Sheep are prominent among livestock.

Tourism

Montenegro's tourism industry has grown in the years following the political turmoil and violence of the 1990s. Though somewhat disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated travel restrictions, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the travel and tourism sector directly or indirectly employed 50,000 people in 2022, accounting for about 22.7 percent of total employment in the country. The industry’s total direct, indirect, and induced impact accounted for 24.5 percent of the country’s GDP in 2022.

Tourist attractions in Montenegro include beach resorts along the Adriatic Coast and the historic city of Ulcinj.

Government

Throughout the nineteenth century, modern-day Montenegro existed as either an independent Serbian principality or as a Serbian kingdom, under which Serbs, Croats and Slovenes lived.

In 1941, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was occupied by the Nazis. The Nazis held sway in Yugoslavia until 1944. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) existed from 1945 until 1992, led by Josip Broz Tito for the majority of that time. This republic was a communist state that included modern day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Under Tito's leadership, Yugoslavia remained a neutral actor in the Cold War and helped to form the Non-Aligned States.

In the late twentieth century, ethnic tension simmered throughout the SFRY. The Serbian population held power politically, and this situation was less than desirable for the region's Croatian and Bosnian populations.

Following Tito's death in 1980 the SFRY was held together, though it was not recognized by the international community. Communist leaderships were established in each republic. Beginning in 1981 in Serbia, ethnic conflicts would eventually lead to the dismantling of the republics. The wrenching apart of the former Yugoslav provinces, including Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia, was not peaceful. Various ethnic groups that at one time comprised the federation expressed their dissent in both widespread demonstrations and all out warfare. It is important to note that certain segments of the population of Bosnia and Croatia were against the separation of Yugoslavia. Ethnic tensions further complicated these divisions.

In 1991, the Serb-controlled Yugoslav army went to war with the Croatian government of Franjo Tudjman. The ensuing Croatian War of Independence lasted four years; nearly 11,000 Croatians were killed, while more than 500,000 were displaced. The Ten-Day War between Yugoslavia and Slovenia took place following Slovenia's declaration of independence in 1991. In 1992 the SFRY, including Montenegro, became the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Slobodan Milošević, president of the state of Serbia from 1989 to 1997 and president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000, is one of the more widely known figures of this period in Balkan history. Milošević, a Serb, followed a nationalist platform that advanced the interests of ethnic Serbs in Yugoslavia and other Balkan states. However, Milošević's critics accused him of being corrupt and interested only in shoring up more power for himself.

The Kosovo War, which occurred between 1996 and 1999, was fought between Serbian and Yugoslav forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The KLA, an Albanian guerilla organization, supported an independent Kosovo. A fourth player in the conflict was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which became involved in late March of 1999. NATO forces aimed to end the violence in the region, which had resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands. Targets within Montenegro were bombed by NATO forces.

By the end of 1999, major military conflict had ended. Milošević and several of his colleagues were tried at The Hague for war crimes and human rights abuses, including genocide and crimes against humanity, for persecution and military action against ethnic Albanians.

In 2003 the relationship between Montenegro and Serbia, which had been strained by the wars of the 1990s, was loosened as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia became the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006 Montenegro held a referendum on independence, and a narrow majority voted to end ties with Serbia. The country officially became independent on June 3, 2006. In 2012 Montenegro began accession talks with the European Union, and in 2017 it joined NATO.

Montenegro operates as a parliamentary republic, with a popularly-elected president as head of state and an appointed prime minister as head of government. The legislative branch consists of a unicameral Skupstina (Assembly), with eighty-one seats elected for four-year terms by proportional representation. The country's highest courts are the Vrhovni Sud (Supreme Court) and Ustavni Sud (Constitutional Court).

Interesting Facts

One of the first recognitions of Montenegro as an independent state occurred when Ivana Knežvić of Bar, Montenegro, won the 2006 Miss World pageant.

Montenegro was granted the internet domain name extension .me in 2007, and the country licenses it for use by non-government parties due to the popularity of the "me" domain name.

Montenegro was ruled by the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty from 1696 to 1916; in 2011 the country recognized an official role for the royal house, headed by Nikola II Petrović-Njegoš, Crown Prince of Montenegro: that of promoting Montenegrin identity, culture, and traditions through nonpolitical activities.

In 2017, the Venetian Works of Defence between the 16th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra—western Stato da Mar, which consists of six components located across Montenegro, Italy, and Croatia, was named Montenegro's fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 2019, Montenegro competed in the FIBA World Cup for the first time.

A lying down contest is held annually; in 2023, a new record of fifty days was set by the two winning participants.

Bibliography

"Montenegro." The World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/montenegro. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Montenegro." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 16 Jan. 2025, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/montenegro/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

"Montenegro." World Health Organization, 2023, www.who.int/countries/mne/en/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.

Montenegro: 2023 Annual Research; Key Highlights. World Travel and Tourism Council, 2023, assets-global.website-files.com/6329bc97af73223b575983ac/645a742b66f3e50a845ea3ef‗Montenegro2023‗.pdf. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports 2022, United Nations Development Programme, 13th March 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.