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 it was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocratic state ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and, 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. Following a three-year postponement, Montenegro held an independence referendum in the spring of 2006 under rules set by the EU. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded the 55% threshold, allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006.

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

42 30 N, 19 18 E

total: 14,026 sq km
land: 13,812 sq km
water: 214 sq km

slightly smaller than Connecticut

total: 625 km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km

293.5 km

NA

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: 13.7%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 85.3%

NA

destructive earthquakes

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

630,548 (2004)

3.5% (2004)

12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)

noun: Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Montenegrin

Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12%

Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic

Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian, Albanian, Croatian

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

republic

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
note: Cetinje (capital city)

21 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Andrijevia, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pluzine, Pljevlja, Podgornica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro); note - a referendum on independence was held 21 May 2006

National Day, 13 July

12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly)

based on civil law system

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 11 October 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%

unicameral Assembly (81 seats, elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats at the time of the elections)
elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Coalition for a European Montenegro 41, SNS 12, Coalition SPP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Democratic League-Democratic Prosperity 1, Democratic Union of Albanians 1, Albanian Alternative 1

Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)

Albanian Alternative or AA; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Coalition for a European Montenegro (Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS and Social Democratic Party or SDP) [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Coalition SPP/NS/DSS; Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Socialist People's Party or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]

CEI, FAO, IAEA, ICFTU, ILO, Interpol, IPU, ITU, OSCE, UN, UPU, WHO, WTO (observer)

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages 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 IMF, World Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. 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.

$2.412 billion (2005 est.)

$1.125 billion (2005 est.)

NA

$3,800 (2005 est.)

agriculture: % NA
industry: % NA
services: % NA

259,100 (2004)

agriculture: 2%
industry: 30%
services: 68% (2004)

27.7% (2005)

12.2% (2003)

3.4% (2004)

% of GDP NA

revenues: NA
expenditures: NA

% of GDP NA

grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible

steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

NA

NA

NA

NA

NA

$171.3 million (2003)

Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003)

$601.7 million (2003)

Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2003)

NA

NA

NA

euro (EUR)

euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

calendar year

177,663 (2005)

543,220 (2005)

general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two 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); two international switches connect the national system

31 (2004)

13 (2004)

.me

50,000 (2004)

5 (2006)

total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)

total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

total: 250 km
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2005)

total: 7,353 km
paved: 4,274 km
unpaved: 3,079 km (2005)

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)

Bar

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces

ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement, which includes a section of boundary with Montenegro