Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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 conclusiion 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.
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Location:
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Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
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Geographic coordinates:
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42 30 N, 19 18 E
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total: 14,026 sq km
land: 13,812 sq km
water: 214 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Connecticutt
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Land boundaries:
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total: 647 km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 14 km, Serbia 236 km
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Coastline:
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293.5 km
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Maritime claims:
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NA
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Climate:
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Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
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Terrain:
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highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
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Natural resources:
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bauxite, hydroelectricity
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Land use:
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arable land: 13.7%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 85.3%
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Natural hazards:
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destructive earthquakes
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Environment - current issues:
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pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
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Geography - note:
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strategic location along the Adriatic coast
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Population:
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630,548 (2004)
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Population growth rate:
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3.5% (2004)
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Birth rate:
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12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)
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Death rate:
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9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)
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Ethnic groups:
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Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12%
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Religions:
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Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic
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Languages:
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Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro
conventional short form: Montenegro
local long form: Republike Crne Gore
local short form: Crne Gore
former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Podgorica (administrative capital); Cetinje (capital city)
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro); note - a referendum on independence was held 21 May 2006
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National holiday:
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National Day, 13 July
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Constitution:
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12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly)
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 8 January 2003)
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%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Assembly (77 seats, elected by direct vote for four-year terms)
elections: last held 21 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - Democratic List for a European Montenegro 48%, Together for Change 38%, Liberal Alliance of Montenegro 6%; seats by party - Democratic List for a European Montenegro (DPS 30, SDP 7, other 2), Together for Change (SNP 19, SNS 6, NS 5), Liberal Alliance of Montenegro 4, other 4
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Judicial branch:
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Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Socialist Party of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Liberal Alliance of Montenegro [Vesna PEROVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social-Democratic Reform Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]
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Flag description:
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a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered
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Economy - overview:
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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 complexity of Serbia and Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in privatization, legal uncertainty over property rights, scarcity of foreign-investment, and a substantial foreign trade deficit are holding back the economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe unemployment - at more than one-quarter of the workforce in 2005 - remains a key political and economic problem. Montenegro is privatizing industry and has an expanding stock market.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$2.412 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$1.125 billion (2005 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$3,800 (2005 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: % NA
industry: % NA
services: % NA
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Labor force:
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259,100 (2004)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture: 2%
industry: 30%
services: 68% (2004)
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Unemployment rate:
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27.7% (2005)
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Population below poverty line:
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12.2% (2003)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.4% (2004)
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Investment (gross fixed):
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% of GDP NA
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Budget:
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revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
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Public debt:
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% of GDP NA
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Agriculture - products:
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grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible
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Industries:
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steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism
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Electricity - production:
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2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA
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Oil - production:
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NA
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Oil - consumption:
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NA
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Natural gas - consumption:
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NA
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Current account balance:
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NA
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Exports:
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$171.3 million (2003)
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Exports - partners:
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Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2003)
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Imports:
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$601.7 million (2003)
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Imports - partners:
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Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2003)
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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NA
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Debt - external:
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NA
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Economic aid - recipient:
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NA
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Currency (code):
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euro (EUR)
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Exchange rates:
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euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Disputes - international:
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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
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This page was last updated on 29 June, 2006
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