Montenegro

Montenegro Crna Gora
Capital and largest city	Podgorica
Official languages	Montenegrin
Demonym	Montenegrin
Government	Unitary parliamentary republic
Legislature	Parliament of Montenegro
Formation
• Independence recognized	13 July 1878
• Kingdom proclaimed	28 August 1910
• Declaration of independence	3 June 2006
Area
• Total	13,883 km2 (5,360 sq mi)
Population
• 2023 census	623,633
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	+382
ISO 3166 code	ME
Internet TLD	.me

Montenegro (Montenegrin: Crna Gora) is a country in southeastern Europe. It lies on the western Balkan Peninsula and borders Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, Kosovo to the east, and Albania to the southeast. Its southwestern coast faces the Adriatic Sea. Podgorica is the capital and largest city, while Cetinje is the Old Royal Capital.

Montenegro covers 13,883 square kilometres and had 623,633 inhabitants at the 2023 census. The country combines a narrow Adriatic coast with limestone highlands, river valleys, and the mountains of the Dinaric Alps.

Geography

Montenegro extends from the Bay of Kotor and the southern Adriatic coast to the mountainous interior bordering Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania. The coastal zone contains beaches, rocky headlands, and the ports of Kotor, Tivat, Budva, and Bar. The Bay of Kotor reaches inland between steep limestone mountains and contains several historic coastal settlements.

Much of the interior consists of karst plateaus, forests, upland pasture, and high mountain ranges. The Durmitor massif lies in the north, while the Prokletije range extends along the eastern border. The Tara, Piva, and Lim rivers drain northward through the Drina basin. The Morača and Zeta flow toward Lake Skadar, which Montenegro shares with Albania. The Zeta plain around Podgorica contains some of the country's broadest lowland terrain.

The coast has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters. Inland valleys have greater seasonal variation, while the northern mountains receive colder winters and regular snowfall. Protected areas include Durmitor, Biogradska Gora, Lovćen, Lake Skadar, and Prokletije national parks.

History

The territory of present-day Montenegro was inhabited by Illyrian communities before Roman expansion brought it into the provinces of Illyricum and Dalmatia. Coastal towns remained connected to Adriatic trade after the division of the Roman Empire. Slavic groups settled across the region during the sixth and seventh centuries.

The medieval principality of Duklja developed around the southern Adriatic and Lake Skadar. It was later known as Zeta and came under the rule of several dynasties, including the Nemanjić, Balšić, and Crnojević families. Cetinje became a political and religious centre under the Crnojević rulers during the late fifteenth century. The name Montenegro came into wider use during the same period.

From the sixteenth century, much of the interior was governed from Cetinje by Orthodox prince-bishops. Ottoman authority was stronger in surrounding lowlands and frontier districts, while Venice controlled parts of the Bay of Kotor and other coastal territory. Petar II Petrović-Njegoš strengthened central institutions during the nineteenth century. In 1852, Danilo I ended the prince-bishopric and established a secular principality.

The Congress of Berlin recognized Montenegro as an independent state on 13 July 1878 and enlarged its territory toward the Adriatic. Nikola I proclaimed the Kingdom of Montenegro on 28 August 1910. During the First World War, Austro-Hungarian forces occupied the country in January 1916. In November 1918, an assembly in Podgorica voted to remove Nikola I and unite Montenegro with Serbia. Montenegro then became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later renamed Yugoslavia.

Italian forces occupied Montenegro during the Second World War, followed by German occupation after Italy's surrender in 1943. Partisan forces regained control in 1944. Montenegro became one of the constituent republics of socialist Yugoslavia after the war. Podgorica was renamed Titograd in 1946 and recovered its earlier name in 1992.

Montenegro remained with Serbia when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was formed in 1992. That federation was replaced by the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. An independence referendum was held on 21 May 2006. The Parliament of Montenegro declared independence on 3 June, and the state union ended shortly afterward. A new constitution was adopted in 2007.

Government and administration

Montenegro is a unitary parliamentary republic governed under the constitution adopted in 2007. The president is the head of state and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Executive authority is exercised by the government, which is headed by the prime minister and is accountable to the Parliament of Montenegro.

The Parliament is a unicameral legislature. It passes laws, adopts the state budget, approves the government, and exercises parliamentary oversight. Judicial authority is exercised by the courts. The Constitutional Court reviews the conformity of laws and other acts with the constitution.

Local government is organized through 25 municipalities. Podgorica has the status of capital, while Cetinje has the status of Old Royal Capital. Other municipal centres include Nikšić, Bar, Bijelo Polje, Herceg Novi, Budva, Pljevlja, Kotor, and Ulcinj.

Economy and transport

Montenegro's economy is based mainly on services, tourism, trade, construction, transport, energy, and manufacturing. Coastal tourism is concentrated around the Bay of Kotor, Budva, Bar, Ulcinj, and nearby resorts. Podgorica is the main administrative, financial, and commercial centre, while Nikšić remains an important industrial city.

The Port of Bar is the principal commercial seaport and handles freight, passenger traffic, and regional maritime connections. The railway from Bar passes through Podgorica and continues north toward Serbia. Roads connect the coast with Podgorica, the northern municipalities, Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. Podgorica Airport and Tivat Airport are the main airports.

Hydroelectric generation uses the country's mountain rivers and reservoirs. Agriculture is concentrated in the Zeta plain, the Lake Skadar area, and smaller valleys. Vineyards and fruit farms are concentrated in the central lowlands, while livestock farming is more common in the northern uplands. Fishing and olive cultivation are established around Lake Skadar and the coast.

Population and culture

At the 2023 census, Montenegrins accounted for 41.12 per cent of the population, Serbs for 32.93 per cent, Bosniaks for 9.45 per cent, and Albanians for 4.97 per cent. Croats, Roma, Russians, and other communities also live in the country.

Montenegrin is the official language, and the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets have equal constitutional status. Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian, and Croatian are also in official use. Orthodox Christianity is the largest religious tradition, alongside Muslim and Roman Catholic communities.

Cultural traditions differ between the Adriatic coast, the old royal centre at Cetinje, the central valleys, and the northern highlands. Kotor, Cetinje, Podgorica, and Nikšić contain major museums, archives, theatres, religious institutions, and educational centres. The University of Montenegro is the principal public university. Football, basketball, handball, and water polo are among the most widely followed sports.

See also

• Balkans
• Southern Europe
• Adriatic Sea
• Croatia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Serbia
• Kosovo
• Albania
• Yugoslavia