Page last updated on January 31, 2014
The use of the name Crna Gora or Black Mountain (Montenegro) began in the 13th century in reference to a highland region in the Serbian province of Zeta. The later medieval state of Zeta maintained its existence until 1496 when Montenegro finally fell under Ottoman rule. Over subsequent centuries Montenegro managed to maintain a level of autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro was a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it transformed into a secular principality. Montenegro was recognized as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. After World War I, during which Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies, 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, creating the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, shifting to a looser State 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 barely exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally restore its independence on 3 June 2006.
Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
total: 13,812 sq km
country comparison to the world: 162
land: 13,452 sq km
water: 360 sq km
slightly smaller than Connecticut
total: 625 km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: defined by treaty
Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
bauxite, hydroelectricity
arable land: 12.45%
permanent crops: 1.16%
other: 86.39% (2011)
pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
strategic location along the Adriatic coast
noun: Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Montenegrin
Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)
Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified (includes Croatian) 3.7% (2003 census)
Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)
653,474 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
0-14 years: 15.3% (male 48,670/female 51,379)
15-24 years: 11.4% (male 35,750/female 38,516)
25-54 years: 47% (male 164,913/female 142,372)
55-64 years: 12.6% (male 40,618/female 41,398)
65 years and over: 13.8% (male 35,573/female 54,285) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 46.7 %
youth dependency ratio: 27.5 %
elderly dependency ratio: 19.2 %
potential support ratio: 5.2 (2013)
total: 38.7 years
male: 37.6 years
female: 40.1 years (2013 est.)
-0.56% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 226
10.75 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
urban population: 61% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
PODGORICA (capital) 144,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
8 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 161
9.3% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 39
2.03 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
4 beds/1,000 population (2010)
degree of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2013)
22.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 79
2.2% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 114
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98.5%
male: 99.4%
female: 97.6% (2011 est.)
total number: 8,520
percentage: 10 % (2005 est.)
total: 41.1%
country comparison to the world: 11
male: 42.3%
female: 39.7% (2012)
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Montenegro
local long form: none
local short form: Crna Gora
former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro
name: Podgorica; note - the Old Royal Capital is Cetinje mentioned in the constitution
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
21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak
3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
National Day, 13 July (1878)
several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007; note - in early 2013, Montenegro's parliamentary constitutional committee began debate on proposed amendments (2013)
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICC jurisdiction
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 4 December 2012)
cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet
elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly
election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.2%, Miodrag LEKIC 48.8%%
unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held on 14 October 2012 (next to be held by 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for European Montenegro 45.6%, Democratic Front 22.8%, SNP 11.1%, Positive Montenegro 8.2%, Bosniak Party, 4.2%, other (including Albanian and Croatian minority parties) 8.1%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Democratic Front 20, SNP 9, Positive Montenegro 7, Bosniak Party 3, Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president and 6 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 6 judges)
judge selection and term of office: president of Supreme Court proposed jointly by the president of Montenegro, the speaker of the Assembly, and the prime minister; other judges elected by the Judicial Council; court president term is 5 years; term of other judges is 9 years; Constitutional Court judges proposed by the president of Montenegro and elected by the Assembly; court president elected among its members; term of judges is 9 years; court president term is 3 years
subordinate courts: Administrative Court; Court of Appeal; regional and first instance courts
Albanian Coalition (includes Democratic Alliance in Montenegro [Mehmed BARDHI], Democratic Party [Fatmir DJEKA], and Albanian Alternative [Djerdj DAMAJ])
CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Srdjan DARMANOVIC (since 30 November 2010)
chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108
FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109
consulate(s) general: New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Sue K. BROWN (since 27 April 2011)
embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [382] (0) 20 410 500
FAX: [382] (0) 20 241 358
a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered; the arms consist of a double-headed golden eagle - symbolizing the unity of church and state - surmounted by a crown; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the breast shield over the eagle shows a golden lion passant on a green field in front of a blue sky; the lion is symbol of episcopal authority and harks back to the three and a half centuries that Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy
name: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May)
lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC
note: adopted 2004; the anthem's music is based on a Montenegrin folk song
Montenegro's economy is transitioning to a market system, but the state sector remains large and additional institutional changes are needed. The economy relies heavily on tourism and the export of refined metals. Unprofitable state-owned enterprises weigh on public finances. Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, adopted the deutsch mark, then the euro - rather than 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. In January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro became the 156th member of World Trade Organization in December 2011. The European Council (EC) granted candidate country status to Montenegro at the December 2010 session. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EC in June, 2012, having met the conditions set down by the European Council, which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. Unemployment and regional disparities in development are key political and economic problems. 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. The global financial crisis had a significant negative impact on the economy, due to the ongoing credit crunch, a decline in the real estate sector, and a fall in aluminum exports. In 2012, real GDP growth slipped to 0.5%, reflecting the general downturn in most of Europe.
$7.219 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$4.157 billion (2012 est.)
-0.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
$11,600 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
household consumption: 84.4%
government consumption: 22.1%
investment in fixed capital: 18.4%
investment in inventories: 1.1%
exports of goods and services: 40.2%
imports of goods and services: -66.2%
agriculture: 0.8%
industry: 11.3%
services: 87.9% (2011)
tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheep
steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism
251,300 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
agriculture: 6.3%
industry: 20.9%
services: 72.8% (2011 est.)
19.1% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
24.3 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 134
revenues: $1.68 billion
expenditures: $1.58 billion (2012 est.)
40.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
2.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
52.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
4% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 124
9.69% (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$749 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
$1.982 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
$3.29 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 122
$3.322 billion (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 90
$-1.938 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
$489.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Croatia 22.7%, Serbia 22.7%, Slovenia 7.8% (2012 est.)
$2.4 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Serbia 29.3%, Greece 8.7%, China 7.1% (2012 est.)
$400 million (31 December 2011)
country comparison to the world: 149
$1.7 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
3.945 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
3.279 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
730 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
732 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
868,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
24.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
75.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
0 bbl (1 January 2012 es)
country comparison to the world: 161
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
4,446 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
369.3 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
3,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 168
2.166 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
163,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 131
1.126 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 154
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites
domestic: GSM mobile-cellular service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing
international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system (2011)
state-funded national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 public TV stations and some 20 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations and more than 40 private radio stations (2007)
10,088 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 135
280,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 133
5 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 181
total: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
total: 250 km
country comparison to the world: 124
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (169 km electrified) (2010)
total: 7,763 km
country comparison to the world: 142
paved: 5,365 km
unpaved: 2,398 km (2010)
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 141
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Honduras 1, Slovakia 1) (2010)
Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army of Montenegro (includes Montenegrin Navy (Mornarica Crne Gore, MCG)), Air Force (2011)
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
males age 16-49: 149,159
females age 16-49: 131,823 (2010 est.)
male: 3,120
female: 3,677 (2010 est.)
1.87% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 134
