)
, image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital =
Podgorica
Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro form ...
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, official_languages =
Montenegrin
, languages2_type = Languages in official use
, languages2 =
, ethnic_groups =
, ethnic_groups_year = 2011
, religion =
, religion_year = 2011
, demonym =
Montenegrin
, government_type =
Unitary parliamentary republic
A unitary parliamentary republic refers to a unitary state with a republican form of government in which the political power is vested in and entrusted to the parliament with confidence
Confidence is a state of being clear-headed either ...
, leader_title1 =
President
, leader_name1 =
Milo Đukanović
Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister ...
, leader_title2 =
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
, leader_name2 =
Dritan Abazović
Dritan Abazović (, sq, Dritan Abazi; born 25 December 1985) is a Montenegrin politician who has been the prime minister of Montenegro since 28 April 2022. An ethnic Albanian, he heads the United Reform Action party. He previously served as d ...
(acting)
, leader_title3 =
Speaker
, leader_name3 =
Danijela Đurović
Danijela Đurović (; born 27 March 1973) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the president of the Parliament of Montenegro since 28 April 2022. She was a vice president of the Socialist People's Party (SNP) from 2017 to 2021.
Biography
She ...
, legislature =
Skupština
, sovereignty_type =
Establishment history
, established_event1 =
Principality of Duklja
Duklja ( sh-Cyrl, Дукља; el, Διόκλεια, Diokleia; la, Dioclea) was a medieval South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana Riv ...
, established_date1 = 10th century
, established_event2 =
Kingdom of Duklja
Duklja ( sh-Cyrl, Дукља; el, Διόκλεια, Diokleia; la, Dioclea) was a medieval South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana Riv ...
, established_date2 = 1077
, established_event3 =
Lordship of Zeta
The Principality of Zeta ( sr, Кнежевина Зета, Kneževina Zeta) is a historiographical name for a late medieval principality located in the southern parts of modern Montenegro and northern parts of modern Albania, around the Lake of ...
, established_date3 = 1356
, established_event4 =
Prince-Bishopric
, established_date4 = 1516
, established_event5 =
Principality proclaimed
, established_date5 = 1852
, established_event6 =
Independence recognised
, established_date6 = 1878
, established_event7 =
Kingdom proclaimed
, established_date7 = 1910
, established_event8 =
Unification with Serbia
, established_date8 = 1918
, established_event10 =
Socialist Republic
, established_date10 = 1945
, established_event11 =
State union with Serbia
, established_date11 = 1992
, established_event12 =
Independence restored
, established_date12 = 2006
, area_rank = 156th
, area_km2 = 13,812
, area_sq_mi =
, percent_water = 2.6
, population_estimate = 620,739
, population_estimate_year = 2021
, population_estimate_rank = 169th
, population_census_year = 2011
, population_density_km2 = 45
, population_density_sq_mi = 124
, population_density_rank = 133rd
, GDP_PPP = $17.191 billion
, GDP_PPP_year = 2023
, GDP_PPP_rank = 149th
, GDP_PPP_per_capita = $27,616
, GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 63rd
, GDP_nominal = $6.674 billion
, GDP_nominal_year = 2023
, GDP_nominal_rank = 153rd
, GDP_nominal_per_capita = $10,722
, GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 73rd
, Gini_year = 2020
, Gini_change = decrease
, Gini = 32.9
, Gini_ref =
, HDI = 0.832
, HDI_year = 2021
, HDI_change = increase
, HDI_ref =
, HDI_rank = 49th
, currency =
Euro
The euro ( symbol: €; code: EUR) is the official currency of 19 out of the member states of the European Union (EU). This group of states is known as the eurozone or, officially, the euro area, and includes about 340 million citizens . ...
(
€)
a
, currency_code = EUR
, time_zone =
CET
CET or cet may refer to:
Places
* Cet, Albania
* Cet, standard astronomical abbreviation for the constellation Cetus
* Colchester Town railway station (National Rail code CET), in Colchester, England
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Comcast En ...
, utc_offset = +1
, utc_offset_DST = +2
, time_zone_DST =
CEST
, date_format = dd.mm.yyyy.
, drives_on = right
, calling_code =
+382
, cctld =
.me
.me is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Montenegro.
The .me registry is operated by doMEn, which won a contract to do so after a bid process conducted by the government of Montenegro and was launched through various accred ...
, footnote_a =
Adopted unilaterally; Montenegro is not a member of the
Eurozone.
, today =
Montenegro (; cnr, Crna Gora, italic=yes,. , )
is a country in
Southeastern Europe. It is a part of the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
and is bordered by
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
to the northeast,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
to the north,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
to the east,
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
to the southeast,
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
to the northwest, and the
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Sea) to t ...
to the west with a coastline of 293.5 km.
Podgorica
Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro form ...
, the capital and
largest city, covers 10.4% of Montenegro's territory of , and is home to roughly 30% of its total population of 621,000.
During the
Early Medieval
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
period, three principalities were located on the territory of modern-day Montenegro:
Duklja
Duklja ( sh-Cyrl, Дукља; el, Διόκλεια, Diokleia; la, Dioclea) was a medieval South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana Riv ...
, roughly corresponding to the southern half;
Travunia
Travunia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Travunija, Травунија; el, Τερβουνία, Tervounía; grc, Τερβουνία, Terbounía; la, Tribunia) was a South Slavic medieval principality that was part of Medieval Serbia (850–1 ...
, the west; and
Rascia proper, the north.
The
Principality of Zeta emerged in the 14th and 15th centuries. From the late 14th century to the late 18th century, large parts of southern Montenegro were ruled by the
Venetian Republic
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia ...
and incorporated into
Venetian Albania.
The name ''Montenegro'' was first used to refer to the country in the late 15th century. After falling under Ottoman rule, Montenegro regained its independence in 1696 under the rule of the
House of Petrović-Njegoš, first as a
theocracy and later as a secular
principality. Montenegro's independence was recognised by the
Great Powers at the
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878) was a diplomatic conference to reorganise the states in the Balkan Peninsula after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, which had been won by Russia against the Ottoman Empire. Represented at th ...
in 1878. In 1910, the country became a
kingdom
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
.
After
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the kingdom became part of
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. Following the
breakup of Yugoslavia, the republics of
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
and
Montenegro together proclaimed a
federation
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government ( federalism). In a federation, the self-govern ...
. Following an
independence referendum
An independence referendum is a type of referendum in which the residents of a territory decide whether the territory should become an independent sovereign state. An independence referendum that results in a vote for independence does not alwa ...
held in May 2006, Montenegro declared its independence in June 2006 and the confederation dissolved.
Montenegro has an
upper-middle-income economy and ranks 48th in the
Human Development Index
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, wh ...
.
It is a member of the United Nations,
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
, the
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation
in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...
, the
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, pro ...
, the
Council of Europe, and the
Central European Free Trade Agreement
The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) is an international trade agreement between countries mostly located in Southeastern Europe. Founded by representatives of Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, CEFTA expanded to Albania, Bosnia ...
.
Montenegro is also a founding member of the
Union for the Mediterranean
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM; french: Union pour la Méditerranée, ar, الإتحاد من أجل المتوسط ''Al-Ittiḥād min ajl al-Mutawasseṭ'') is an intergovernmental organization of 43 member states from Europe and the M ...
,
and is currently in the process of
joining the European Union.
Etymology
The country's English name derives from
Venetian and translates as "Black Mountain", deriving from the appearance of
Mount Lovćen when covered in dense evergreen forests.
The native name ''Crna Gora,'' also meaning "black mountain" or "black hill", was mentioned for the first time in a charter issued by
Stefan Milutin. It came to denote the majority of contemporary Montenegro in the 15th century.
Modern-day Montenegro was more and more known by that name in the historical period following the fall of the
Serbian Despotate. Originally, it had referred to only a small strip of land under the rule of the
Paštrovići tribe, but the name eventually came to be used for the wider mountainous region after the
Crnojević noble family took power in
Upper Zeta.
The aforementioned region became known as ''Stara Crna Gora'' '
Old Montenegro
Old Montenegro ( sr, Стара Црна Гора, Stara Crna Gora), also known as Montenegro proper ( sr, Права Црна Гора, Prava Crna Gora), or True Montenegro ( sr, Истинска Црна Гора, Istinska Crna Gora), is a ...
' by the 19th century to distinguish the independent region from the neighbouring Ottoman-occupied Montenegrin territory of ''Brda'' '(The) Highlands'. Montenegro further increased its size several times by the 20th century, as the result of wars against the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, which saw the annexation of
Old Herzegovina
Old Herzegovina ( sr, Стара Херцеговина, Stara Hercegovina) is a historical region, covering the eastern parts of historical Herzegovina, outside the scope of modern Herzegovina. A large section of ''Old Herzegovina'' belongs to ...
and parts of
Metohija and southern
Raška. Its borders have changed little since then, losing
Metohija and gaining the
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
.
After the second session of the
AVNOJ during
World War II in Yugoslavia, the contemporary modern state of Montenegro was founded as the ''Federal State of Montenegro'' (
Montenegrin: Савезна држава Црне Горе / ''Savezna država Crne Gore'') on 15 November 1943 within the Yugoslav Federation by the
ZAVNOCGB. After the war, Montenegro became a republic under its name, the ''
People's Republic of Montenegro'' (
Montenegrin: Народна Република Црна Гора / ''Narodna Republika Crna Gora'') on 29 November 1945. In 1963, it was renamed to the ''
Socialist Republic of Montenegro
The Socialist Republic of Montenegro ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Crna Gora, Социјалистичка Република Црна Гора), commonly referred to as Socialist Montenegro or simply Montenegro, was ...
'' (
Montenegrin: Социјалистичка Република Црна Гора / ''Socijalistička Republika Crna Gora''). As the
breakup of Yugoslavia occurred, the SRCG was renamed to the ''Republic of Montenegro'' (
Montenegrin: Република Црна Гора / ''Republika Crna Gora'') on 27 April 1992 within the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by removing the adjective "socialist" from the republic's title. Since 22 October 2007, a year after its independence, the name of the country became simply known as ''Montenegro''.
History
Antiquity
Modern-day Montenegro was part of
Illyria and populated by the Indo-European-speaking
Illyrians.
[John Boardman]
The prehistory of the Balkans and the Middle East and the Aegean world
Cambridge University Press, 1982. , p. 629 The
Illyrian kingdom was conquered by the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Ki ...
in the
Illyro-Roman Wars and was incorporated the region into the
province of Illyricum (later
Dalmatia and
Praevalitana).
Arrival of the Slavs
Three
Serbian principalities were located on the territory:
Duklja
Duklja ( sh-Cyrl, Дукља; el, Διόκλεια, Diokleia; la, Dioclea) was a medieval South Slavic state which roughly encompassed the territories of modern-day southeastern Montenegro, from the Bay of Kotor in the west to the Bojana Riv ...
, roughly corresponding to the southern half,
Travunia
Travunia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Travunija, Травунија; el, Τερβουνία, Tervounía; grc, Τερβουνία, Terbounía; la, Tribunia) was a South Slavic medieval principality that was part of Medieval Serbia (850–1 ...
, the west, and
Raška, the north.
Duklja gained its independence from the Byzantine Roman Empire in 1042. Over the next few decades, it expanded its territory to neighbouring Rascia and Bosnia, and also became recognised as a kingdom. Its power started declining at the beginning of the 12th century. After King Bodin's death (in 1101 or 1108), civil wars ensued. Duklja reached its zenith under Vojislav's son,
Mihailo (1046–1081), and his grandson
Constantine Bodin
Constantine Bodin ( Bulgarian and sr, italic=no, Константин Бодин, ''Konstantin Bodin''; 1072–1101) was a medieval king and the ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from 1081 to 1101, succee ...
(1081–1101).
As the nobility fought for the throne, the kingdom was weakened, and by 1186, the territory of modern-day Montenegro became part of the state ruled by
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja (Serbian Cyrillic: , ; – 13 February 1199) was the Grand Prince ( Veliki Župan) of the Serbian Grand Principality (also known as Raška, lat. ) from 1166 to 1196. A member of the Vukanović dynasty, Nemanja founded the Nema ...
and was a part of various state formations ruled by the
Nemanjić dynasty for the next two centuries. After the
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire ( sr, / , ) was a medieval Serbian state that emerged from the Kingdom of Serbia. It was established in 1346 by Dušan the Mighty, who significantly expanded the state.
Under Dušan's rule, Serbia was the major power in the ...
collapsed in the second half of the 14th century, the most powerful Zetan family, the
Balšićs, became sovereigns of Zeta.
By the 13th century, ''Zeta'' had replaced ''Duklja'' when referring to the realm. In the late 14th century, southern Montenegro (
Zeta
Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; grc, ζῆτα, el, ζήτα, label= Demotic Greek, classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived f ...
) came under the rule of the
Balšić noble family
The House of Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Балшић), or the Balsha ( sq, Balshaj) was a noble family that ruled " Zeta and the coastlands" (southern Montenegro and northern Albania), from 1362 to 1421, during and after the fall of the Serbian Empire. ...
, then the
Crnojević noble family, and by the 15th century, Zeta was more often referred to as ''Crna Gora''.
In 1421, Zeta was annexed to the
Serbian Despotate, but after 1455, another noble family from Zeta, the
Crnojevićs, became sovereign rulers of the country, making it the last free monarchy of the Balkans before it fell to the
Ottomans in 1496, and got annexed to the ''
sanjak'' of
Shkodër. For a short time, Montenegro existed as a separate autonomous ''sanjak'' in 1514–1528 (
Sanjak of Montenegro). Also,
Old Herzegovina
Old Herzegovina ( sr, Стара Херцеговина, Stara Hercegovina) is a historical region, covering the eastern parts of historical Herzegovina, outside the scope of modern Herzegovina. A large section of ''Old Herzegovina'' belongs to ...
region was part of
Sanjak of Herzegovina.
Early modern period
From 1392, numerous parts of the territory were controlled by
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
, including the city of
Budva, in that time known as "Budua".
The Venetian territory was centred on the
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
, and the Republic introduced governors who meddled in Montenegrin politics. Venice controlled territories in present-day Montenegro until
its fall in 1797.
Large portions fell under the control of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
from 1496 to 1878. In the 16th century, Montenegro developed a unique form of autonomy within the Ottoman Empire that permitted Montenegrin clans freedom from certain restrictions. Nevertheless, the Montenegrins were disgruntled with Ottoman rule, and in the 17th century, repeatedly rebelled, which culminated in the defeat of the Ottomans in the
Great Turkish War at the end of that century.
Montenegrin territories were controlled by warlike clans. Most clans had a chieftain (''knez''), who was not permitted to assume the title unless he proved to be as worthy a leader as his predecessor. An assembly of Montenegrin clans (''Zbor'') was held every year on 12 July in Cetinje, and any adult clansman could take part.
In 1515, Montenegro became a
theocracy led by the
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral, which flourished after the
Petrović-Njegoš of Cetinje became the traditional prince-bishops (whose title was "Vladika of Montenegro").
People from Montenegro in this historical period were described as Orthodox Serbs.
Principality and Kingdom of Montenegro
In 1858, one of the major Montenegrin victories over the Ottomans occurred at the
Battle of Grahovac.
Grand Duke Mirko Petrović, elder brother of
Knjaz Danilo, led an army of 7,500 and defeated the numerically superior Ottomans with 15,000 troops at
Grahovac on 1 May 1858. This forced the
Great Powers to officially demarcate the borders between Montenegro and Ottoman Empire, ''de facto'' recognizing Montenegro's independence.
In the
Battle of Vučji Do Montenegrins inflicted a major defeat on the Ottoman Army under Grand Vizier
Ahmed Muhtar Pasha
Ahmed Muhtar Pasha ( ota, احمد مختار پاشا; 1 November 1839 – 21 January 1919) was a prominent Ottoman field marshal and Grand Vizier, who served in the Crimean and Russo-Turkish wars. Ahmed Muhtar Pasha was appointed as ...
. In the aftermath of the Russian victory against the Ottoman Empire in the
Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, the
major powers restructured the map of the Balkan region. The Ottoman Empire recognised the independence of Montenegro in the
Treaty of Berlin in 1878.
The first Montenegrin constitution (also known as the Danilo Code) was proclaimed in 1855. Under
Nicholas I (ruled 1860–1918), the
principality was enlarged several times in the Montenegro-Turkish Wars and was recognised as independent in 1878. Nicholas I established diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire. Minor border skirmishes excepted, diplomacy ushered in about 30 years of peace between the two states until the deposition of
Abdul Hamid II in 1909.
[Uğur Özcan]
II. Abdülhamid Dönemi Osmanlı-Karadağ Siyasi İlişkileri
(Political relations between the Ottoman Empire and Montenegro in the Abdul Hamid II era) Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara 2013.
The political skills of Abdul Hamid II and Nicholas I played a major role in the mutually amicable relations.
Modernization of the state followed, culminating with the draft of a Constitution in 1905. However, political rifts emerged between the reigning
People's Party, who supported the process of democratisation and union with Serbia, and those of the
True People's Party, who were monarchist.
In 1910, Montenegro became
a kingdom, and as a result of the
Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, a common border with Serbia was established, with
Shkodër being awarded to
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
, though the current capital city of Montenegro, Podgorica, was on the old border of Albania and Yugoslavia. Montenegro became one of the
Allied Powers during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
(1914–18). In the
Battle of Mojkovac
The Battle of Mojkovac was a World War I battle fought between 6 January and 7 January 1916 near Mojkovac, in today's Montenegro, between the armies of Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Montenegro. It ended with a decisive Montenegrin victory ...
fought in January 1916 between
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
and the Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegrins achieved a decisive victory even though they were outnumbered five to one. From 1916 to October 1918 Austria-Hungary occupied Montenegro. During the occupation, King Nicholas fled the country and established a
government-in-exile in
Bordeaux
Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...
.
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
In 1922, Montenegro formally became the
Oblast of Cetinje in the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, with the addition of the coastal areas around
Budva and
Bay of Kotor
The Bay of Kotor ( Montenegrin and Serbian: , Italian: ), also known as the Boka, is a winding bay of the Adriatic Sea in southwestern Montenegro and the region of Montenegro concentrated around the bay. It is also the southernmost part of the hi ...
. In a further restructuring in 1929, it became a part of a larger
Zeta Banate of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 ...
that reached the
Neretva River.
Nicholas's grandson, the Serb King
Alexander I, dominated the Yugoslav government.
Zeta Banovina
The Zeta Banovina ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Zetska banovina, Зетска бановина), was a province ( banovina) of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of all of present-day Montenegro as well as ...
was one of nine banovinas that formed the kingdom; it consisted of the present-day Montenegro and parts of Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia.
World War II and Socialist Yugoslavia
In April 1941,
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
, the
Kingdom of Italy
The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia was proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to an institutional referendum to abandon the monarchy and f ...
, and other Axis allies attacked and occupied the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Italian forces occupied Montenegro and established a puppet
Kingdom of Montenegro
The Kingdom of Montenegro ( sr, Краљевина Црна Горa, Kraljevina Crna Gora) was a monarchy in southeastern Europe, present-day Montenegro, during the tumultuous period of time on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World ...
.
In May, the Montenegrin branch of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia started preparations for an uprising planned for mid-July. The Communist Party and its Youth League organised 6,000 of its members into detachments prepared for
guerrilla warfare. According to some historians, the first armed uprising in
Nazi
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in ...
-occupied Europe happened on 13 July 1941 in Montenegro.
Unexpectedly, the uprising took hold, and by 20 July, 32,000 men and women had joined the fight. Except for the coast and major towns (Podgorica, Cetinje, Pljevlja, and Nikšić), which were besieged, Montenegro was mostly liberated. In a month of fighting, the Italian army suffered 5,000 dead, wounded, and captured. The uprising lasted until mid-August, when it was suppressed by a counter-offensive of 67,000 Italian troops brought in from Albania. Faced with new and overwhelming Italian forces, many of the fighters laid down their arms and returned home. Nevertheless, intense guerrilla fighting lasted until December.
Fighters who remained under arms fractured into two groups. Most of them went on to join the Yugoslav Partisans, consisting of communists and those inclined towards active resistance; these included
Arso Jovanović
Arsenije "Arso" Jovanović ( sr-cyr, Арсо Јовановић; 24 March 1907 – 12 August 1948) was a Yugoslav partisan general and one of the country's foremost military commanders during World War II in Yugoslavia.
Educated through the ...
,
Sava Kovačević,
Svetozar Vukmanović-Tempo Svetozar (Cyrillic script: Светозар) is a Slavic origin given name and may refer to:
* Svetozar Boroević (1856–1920), Austro-Hungarian Field Marshal
* Svetozar Čiplić (born 1965), Serbian politician
* Svetozar Đanić (1917–1941), S ...
,
Milovan Đilas,
Peko Dapčević
Petar "Peko" Dapčević (Serbo-Croatian Cyrillic: Петар Пеко Дапчевић; 25 June 1913 – 13 February 1999) was a Yugoslav communist who fought as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War, joined the Partisan uprising in Montenegr ...
,
Vlado Dapčević,
Veljko Vlahović
Veljko Vlahović (Cyrillic: Вељко Влаховић; 2 September 1914 – 7 March 1975) was a Montenegrin politician and career army officer. He was one of the more prominent members of the Montenegrin branch of the Yugoslav Communist Party fro ...
, and
Blažo Jovanović. Those loyal to the
Karađorđević dynasty and opposing communism went on to become
Chetniks, and turned to collaboration with Italians against the Partisans.
War broke out between Partisans and Chetniks during the first half of 1942. Pressured by Italians and Chetniks, the core of the Montenegrin Partisans went to Serbia and Bosnia, where they joined with other Yugoslav Partisans. Fighting between Partisans and Chetniks continued through the war. Chetniks with Italian backing controlled most of the country from mid-1942 to April 1943. Montenegrin Chetniks received the status of "anti-communist militia" and received weapons, ammunition, food rations, and money from Italy. Most of them were moved to
Mostar, where they fought in the
Battle of Neretva against the Partisans, but were dealt a heavy defeat.
During German operation Schwartz against the Partisans in May and June 1943, Germans disarmed many Chetniks without fighting, as they feared they would turn against them in case of an Allied invasion of the Balkans. After the capitulation of Italy in September 1943, Partisans managed to take hold of most of Montenegro for a brief time, but Montenegro was soon
occupied by German forces, and fierce fighting continued during late 1943 and 1944. Montenegro was liberated by the Partisans in December 1944.
Montenegro became one of the six constituent republics of the communist
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...
(SFRY). Its capital became Podgorica, renamed
Titograd
Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro forme ...
in honour of President
Josip Broz Tito. After the war, the infrastructure of Yugoslavia was rebuilt, industrialization began, and the
University of Montenegro
The University of Montenegro ( cnr, Универзитет Црнe Горe / Univerzitet Crne Gore) is a national public university of Montenegro.
Its central administration and majority of constitutive faculties are located in the country's cap ...
was established. Greater autonomy was established until the
Socialist Republic of Montenegro
The Socialist Republic of Montenegro ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Socijalistička Republika Crna Gora, Социјалистичка Република Црна Гора), commonly referred to as Socialist Montenegro or simply Montenegro, was ...
ratified a new constitution in 1974.
Montenegro within FR Yugoslavia
After the dissolution of the SFRY in 1992, Montenegro remained part of a smaller
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia along with Serbia. In the
referendum on remaining in Yugoslavia in 1992, the turnout was 66%, with 96% of the votes cast in favour of the federation with Serbia. The referendum was
boycotted by the Muslim, Albanian, and Catholic minorities, as well as pro-independence Montenegrins. The opponents claimed that the poll was organised under anti-
democratic conditions with widespread propaganda from the state-controlled media in favour of a pro-federation vote. No impartial report on the fairness of the referendum was made, as it was unmonitored, unlike in a later 2006 referendum when
European Union
The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been de ...
observers were present.
During the 1991–1995
Bosnian War and
Croatian War, Montenegrin police and military forces joined Serbian troops in attacks on
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...
, Croatia. These operations, aimed at acquiring more territory, were characterised by large-scale violations of human rights.
Montenegrin General
Pavle Strugar was convicted for his part in the bombing of Dubrovnik. Bosnian refugees were arrested by Montenegrin police and transported to Serb camps in
Foča
Foča ( sr-Cyrl, Фоча, ) is a town and a municipality located in Republika Srpska in south-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the banks of Drina river. As of 2013, the town has a population of 12,234 inhabitants, while the municipality has 1 ...
, where they were subjected to systematic torture and executed.
In 1996,
Milo Đukanović
Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister ...
's government severed ties between Montenegro and its partner Serbia, which was led by
Slobodan Milošević. Montenegro formed its own
economic policy and adopted the German
Deutsche Mark
The Deutsche Mark (; English: ''German mark''), abbreviated "DM" or "D-Mark" (), was the official currency of West Germany from 1948 until 1990 and later the unified Germany from 1990 until the adoption of the euro in 2002. In English, it was ...
as its currency and subsequently
adopted the euro, although not part of the
Eurozone. Subsequent governments pursued pro-independence policies, and political tensions with Serbia simmered despite political changes in
Belgrade.
Targets in Montenegro were bombed by NATO forces during
Operation Allied Force
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
in 1999, although the extent of these attacks was limited in both time and area affected.
In 2002, Serbia and Montenegro came to a new agreement for continued cooperation and entered into negotiations regarding the future status of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This resulted in the Belgrade Agreement, which saw the country's transformation into a more decentralised state union named
Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. The Belgrade Agreement also contained a provision delaying any future referendum on the independence of Montenegro for at least three years.
Independence
The status of the union between Montenegro and Serbia was decided by a
referendum on Montenegrin independence on 21 May 2006. A total of 419,240 votes were cast, representing 86.5% of the electorate; 230,661 votes (55.5%) were for independence and 185,002 votes (44.5%) were against. This narrowly surpassed the 55% threshold needed to validate the referendum under the rules set by the European Union. According to the electoral commission, the 55% threshold was passed by only 2,300 votes. Serbia, the member-states of the European Union, and the
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council
The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (also known as the Permanent Five, Big Five, or P5) are the five sovereign states to whom the UN Charter of 1945 grants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council: China, France, ...
all
recognised Montenegro's independence.
The 2006 referendum was monitored by five international observer missions, headed by an
OSCE
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, prom ...
/
ODIHR
The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is the principal institution of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) dealing with the " human dimension" of security. The Office, originally named Office for ...
team, and around 3,000 observers in total (including domestic observers from
CDT (OSCE PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE), and the European Parliament (EP) to form an International Referendum Observation Mission (IROM). The IROM—in its preliminary report—"assessed compliance of the referendum process with OSCE commitments, Council of Europe commitments, other international standards for democratic electoral processes, and domestic legislation." Furthermore, the report stated that the competitive pre-referendum environment was marked by an active and generally peaceful campaign and that "there were no reports of restrictions on fundamental civil and political rights."
On 3 June 2006, the Montenegrin Parliament declared the independence of Montenegro, formally confirming the result of the referendum.
On 28 June 2006, Montenegro joined the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
as its 192nd member state.
The
Law on the Status of the Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty was passed by the Parliament of Montenegro on 12 July 2011. It rehabilitated the
Royal House of Montenegro and recognised limited symbolic roles within the constitutional framework of the republic.
In 2015, the investigative journalists' network
OCCRP named Montenegro's long-time President and Prime Minister
Milo Đukanović
Milo Đukanović ( cnr, Мило Ђукановић, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician serving as the President of Montenegro since 2018, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2003. He also served as the Prime Minister ...
"Person of the Year in Organized Crime". The extent of Đukanović's corruption led to street demonstrations and calls for his removal.
In October 2016, for the day of the
parliamentary election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
, a
coup d'état was prepared by a group of persons that included leaders of the Montenegrin opposition, Serbian nationals and Russian agents; the coup was prevented. In 2017, fourteen people, including two Russian nationals and two Montenegrin opposition leaders,
Andrija Mandić and
Milan Knežević, were indicted for their alleged roles in the coup attempt on charges such as "preparing a conspiracy against the constitutional order and the security of Montenegro" and an "attempted terrorist act."
[Montenegrin Court Confirms Charges Against Alleged Coup Plotters](_blank)
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Radio Liberty, 8 June 2017.
Recent history
Montenegro formally
became a member of
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
in June 2017, though "Montenegro remains deeply divided over joining NATO",
[Indictment tells murky Montenegrin coup tale: Trial will hear claims of Russian involvement in plans to assassinate prime minister and stop Balkan country's NATO membership.](_blank)
Politico
''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American, German-owned political journalism newspaper company based in Arlington County, Virginia, that covers politics and policy in the United States and intern ...
, 23 May 2017. an event that triggered a promise of retaliatory actions from Russia's government.
Montenegro has been in
negotiations with the EU since 2012. In 2018, the earlier goal of acceding by 2022 was revised to 2025.
In April 2018,
Milo Djukanovic, the leader of the ruling
Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), won Montenegro's
presidential election. The veteran politician had served as Prime Minister six times and as president once before. He had dominated Montenegrin politics since 1991.
Anti-corruption protests began in February 2019 against Đukanović and the Prime Minister
Duško Marković
Duško Marković (Serbian Cyrillic: Душко Марковић; born 6 July 1959) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the Prime Minister from 2016 to 2020.
Early and personal life
Marković was born on 6 July 1959 in Mojkovac, Yugosla ...
-led
government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
of the ruling
Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), which had been in power since 1991.
As of late December 2019, the newly adopted Law on Religion, which
de jure
In law and government, ''de jure'' ( ; , "by law") describes practices that are legally recognized, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. In contrast, ("in fact") describes situations that exist in reality, even if not legally ...
transferred the ownership of church buildings and estates built before 1918 from the
Serbian Orthodox Church to the Montenegrin state, sparked large
protests
A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one.
Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...
and road blockages. Seventeen opposition
Democratic Front MPs were arrested prior to the voting for disrupting the vote. Demonstrations continued into March 2020 as peaceful protest walks, mostly organised by the
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral and the
Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić in the majority of Montenegrin municipalities.
In its political rights and civil liberties worldwide report in May 2020,
Freedom House marked Montenegro as a
hybrid regime rather than a democracy because of declining standards in governance, justice, elections, and media freedom. For the first time in three decades, in the
2020 parliamentary election, the opposition won more votes than Đukanović's ruling party. In February 2022, that very same government was voted out in the first successful vote of no-confidence in the country's history.
On 11 August 2022,
a mass shooting occurred in the city of
Cetinje. Eleven people, including the perpetrator, were killed, and six others were injured. It is the deadliest mass shooting in Montenegro's history.
Geography
Montenegro features high peaks along its borders with Serbia,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
, and Albania, a segment of the
Karst of the western Balkan Peninsula, to a narrow coastal plain that is only wide. The plain stops abruptly in the north, where
Mount Lovćen and
Mount Orjen plunge into the inlet of the Bay of Kotor.
Montenegro's large karst region lies generally at elevations of above sea level; some parts, however, rise to , such as
Mount Orjen (), the highest massif among the coastal limestone ranges. The
Zeta River valley, at an elevation of , is the lowest segment.
The mountains of Montenegro include some of the most rugged terrains in Europe, averaging more than in elevation. One of the country's notable peaks is
Bobotov Kuk in the
Durmitor
Durmitor ( Montenegrin: Дурмитор, or ) is a massif located in northwestern Montenegro. It is part of the Dinaric Alps. Its highest peak, Bobotov Kuk, reaches a height of .
The massif is limited by the Tara River Canyon on the north, the ...
mountains, which reaches a height of . Owing to the hyperhumid climate on their western sides, the Montenegrin mountain ranges were among the most ice-eroded parts of the Balkan Peninsula during the last glacial period.
Internationally, Montenegro borders
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
,
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
and
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
. It lies between latitudes
41° and
44°N, and longitudes
18° and
21°E.
Montenegro is a member of the
, as more than of the country's territory lie within the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
catchment area.
Biodiversity
The diversity of the geological base, landscape, climate, and soil, and the position of Montenegro on the Balkan Peninsula and Adriatic Sea, created the conditions for high biological diversity, putting Montenegro among the "hot-spots" of European and world biodiversity. The number of species per area unit index in Montenegro is 0.837, the highest in any European country.
Biological estimates suggest that over 1,200 species of freshwater algae, 300 species of marine algae, 589 species of moss, 7,000-8,000 species of vascular plants, 2,000 species of fungi, 16,000-20,000 species of insects, 407 species of marine fish, 56 species of reptile, 333 species of regularly visiting birds and a high species diversity of mammals are found in Montenegro.
Montenegro can be divided into two main
biogeographic
Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in geographic space and through geological time. Organisms and biological communities often vary in a regular fashion along geographic gradients of latitude, elevation, ...
regions, which include the
Mediterranean Biogeographic Region and the
Alpine Biogeographic Region
The Alpine Biogeographic Region is a biogeographic region, as defined by the European Environment Agency, that covers the mountainous regions of Europe.
Extent
The Alpine biogeographic region of Europe includes the Alps in France, Italy, Germany, ...
.
It is also home to three terrestrial ecoregions:
Balkan mixed forests,
Dinaric Mountains mixed forests
The Dinaric Mountains mixed forests are a terrestrial ecoregion of the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome in Southeastern Europe, according to both the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions by the European Environment Agenc ...
, and
Illyrian deciduous forests
The Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
Geogra ...
.
It had a 2019
Forest Landscape Integrity Index
The Forest Landscape Integrity Index (FLII) is an annual global index of forest condition measured by degree of anthropogenic modification. Created by a team of 48 scientists, the FLII, in its measurement of 300m pixels of forest across the globe ...
mean score of 6.41/10, ranking it 73rd globally out of 172 countries.
The total share of protected areas in Montenegro is 9.05% of the country's area, which mainly comes from the five
national parks of Montenegro.
Government and politics
The
Constitution of Montenegro
The current Constitution of Montenegro was ratified and adopted by the Constitutional Parliament of Montenegro on 19 October 2007 in an extraordinary session by achieving the required two-thirds supermajority of votes. It was officially proclaimed ...
describes the state as a "
civic, democratic,
ecological
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...
state of
social justice
Social justice is justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, Equal opportunity, opportunities, and Social privilege, privileges within a society. In Western Civilization, Western and Culture of Asia, Asian cultures, the concept of social ...
, based on the
reign of Law". Montenegro is an independent and sovereign republic that established its constitution on 22 October 2007. The
President of Montenegro is the
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
, elected for a period of five years through direct elections. The President represents the country abroad, promulgates laws by ordinance, calls elections for the
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
, and proposes candidates for
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
, president and justices of the Constitutional Court to the Parliament. The President also proposes the calling of a
referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
to Parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences prescribed by the national law, confers decoration and awards and performs other constitutional duties and is a member of the Supreme Defence Council. The official residence of the President is in
Cetinje.
The
Government of Montenegro
The Government of Montenegro ( cnr, Vlada Crne Gore, Влада Црне Горе) is the executive branch of state authority in Montenegro. It is headed by the prime minister. It consists of the prime minister, the deputy prime ministers as we ...
is the
executive branch of government authority of Montenegro. The government is headed by the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
and consists of deputy prime ministers and ministers.
The
Parliament of Montenegro
The Parliament of Montenegro ( cg, Скупштина Црне Горе, Skupština Crne Gore) is the unicameral legislature of Montenegro. The Parliament currently has 81 members, with each member elected to a four-year term. Following the 2006 ...
is a
unicameral
Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one.
Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...
legislative
A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government.
Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known ...
body. It passes laws, ratifies treaties, appoints the Prime Minister, ministers, and justices of all courts, adopts the budget and performs other duties as established by the Constitution. Parliament can pass a vote of no-confidence in the Government by a simple majority. One representative is elected per 6,000 voters.
In 2019,
Freedom House reported that years of increasing
state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics employed by President Đukanović led the country for the first time since 2003, Montenegro to be categorised as a
hybrid regime instead of a democracy.
Djukanovic's pro-Western
Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) narrowly lost the
2020 Montenegrin parliamentary election
Parliamentary elections were held in Montenegro on 30 August 2020. They were the fifth parliamentary in Montenegro since gaining its independence in 2006. Eighty-one members of the Montenegrin parliament were elected. Elections were organized ...
, ending its 30-year rule. The opposition “
For the Future of Montenegro” (ZBCG) bloc is composed mainly of Serb nationalist parties. The new pro-Serbian government was formed by Prime Minister
Zdravko Krivokapic. However, Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic's government was toppled in a no-confidence vote after 14 months in power. In April 2022, a new minority government, composed of moderate parties that are both pro-European and pro-Serb, was formed. The new government was led by Prime Minister
Dritan Abazovic.
Foreign relations
The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs was given the task of defining the foreign policy priorities and activities needed for their implementation in cooperation with other state administration authorities, the President, the Speaker of the Parliament, and other relevant stakeholders.
Integration into the European Union is Montenegro's strategic goal. This process will remain the focus of Montenegrin foreign policy in the short term. The second goal was to join
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
, achieved on 5 June 2017.
Military
The
military of Montenegro
The Armed Forces of Montenegro ( cnr, Војска Црне Горе, Vojska Crne Gore) are the military forces of Montenegro. The Armed Forces consists of an army, navy and air force.
The military currently maintains a force of 2,350 active du ...
is a professional
standing army under the
Ministry of Defence. It is composed of the
Montenegrin Ground Army, the
Montenegrin Navy, and the
Montenegrin Air Force
The Montenegrin Air Force ( cg, Vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana, italics=yes; ''V i PVO'') is the air arm of the Military of Montenegro. The aircraft marking of the Montenegrin Air Force consist of a red-on-gold roundel, currently bein ...
, along with
special forces. Conscription was abolished in 2006. The military maintains an active duty force of 2,400. The bulk of its equipment and forces were inherited from the armed forces of the State Union of
Serbia and Montenegro. Montenegro contained the entire
coastline of the former union and retained practically the entire naval force.
Montenegro is a NATO member and a member of
Adriatic Charter. The government planned to have the army participate in
peacekeeping missions through the UN and NATO such as the
International Security Assistance Force
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
, commander1_label = Commander
, commander2 =
, commander2_label =
, commander3 =
, command ...
.
Symbols
The flag includes a border and arms in gold and a golden lion in the center.
The national day of
13 July marks the date in 1878 when the
Congress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878) was a diplomatic conference to reorganise the states in the Balkan Peninsula after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, which had been won by Russia against the Ottoman Empire. Represented at th ...
recognised Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world and the start of one of the first popular uprisings in Europe against the
Axis Powers
The Axis powers, ; it, Potenze dell'Asse ; ja, 枢軸国 ''Sūjikukoku'', group=nb originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated World War II and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were ...
on 13 July 1941 in Montenegro.
In 2004, the Montenegrin legislature selected a popular Montenegrin traditional song, "
Oh, Bright Dawn of May", as the
national anthem. Montenegro's official anthem during the reign of King Nicholas I was ''
Ubavoj nam Crnoj Gori'' ("To Our Beautiful Montenegro").
Administrative divisions
Montenegro is divided into twenty-four municipalities (''
opština''). This includes 21 District-level Municipalities and 2 Urban Municipalities, with two subdivisions of
Podgorica municipality, listed below. Each municipality can contain multiple cities and towns. Historically, the territory of the country was divided into "nahije".
Regions of Montenegro—designed for statistical purposes by the Statistical Office—have no administrative function. Note that other organization (i.e.
Football Association of Montenegro) use different municipalities as a part of similar regions.
;Municipalities of Montenegro
*;Northern Region
*;Central Region
*;Coastal Region
Economy
The economy of Montenegro is mostly
service-based and is in
late transition to a
market economy. According to the
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...
, the
nominal GDP
Gross domestic product (GDP) is a money, monetary Measurement in economics, measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced and sold (not resold) in a specific time period by countries. Due to its complex and subjec ...
of Montenegro was $5.424 billion in 2019.
The
GDP PPP
Purchasing power parity (PPP) is the measurement of prices in different countries that uses the prices of specific goods to compare the absolute purchasing power of the countries' currencies. PPP is effectively the ratio of the price of a basket ...
for 2019 was $12.516 billion, or $20,083 per capita.
According to
Eurostat data, the Montenegrin GDP per capita stood at 48% of the EU average in 2018. The
Central Bank of Montenegro
The Central Bank of Montenegro ('' cnr, Centralna Banka Crne Gore'', or CBCG) is the central bank of Montenegro. Although Montenegro does not issue its own currency after it unilaterally adopted the euro in 2002, the stated mission of the central ...
is not part of the euro system but the country is "
euroised", using
the euro unilaterally as its currency.
GDP grew at 10.7% in 2007 and 7.5% in 2008. The country entered a
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
in 2008 as a part of the
global recession
A global recession is recession that affects many countries around the world—that is, a period of global economic slowdown or declining economic output.
Definitions
The International Monetary Fund defines a global recession as "a decline i ...
. GDP contracted by 4%. However, Montenegro remained a target for
foreign investment, the only country in the Balkans to increase its amount of direct foreign investment in 2008. The country exited recession in mid-2010, with GDP growth at around 0.5%. However, the significant dependence of the Montenegrin economy on
foreign direct investment leaves it susceptible to external shocks and a high
trade deficit.
In 2007, the
service sector made up 72.4% of GDP, with industry and agriculture making up the rest at 17.6% and 10%, respectively.
50,000 farming households in Montenegro rely on agriculture.
Infrastructure
The Montenegrin road infrastructure is not at Western European standards. No roads meet full motorway standards. Construction of new motorways is considered a national priority, as they are important for uniform economic development and the development of Montenegro as an attractive tourist destination.
The
European route
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads cross national borders. It also reaches Centr ...
s that pass through Montenegro are
E65 and
E80.
The backbone of the Montenegrin rail network is the
Belgrade–Bar railway
The Belgrade–Bar railway ( sr, Пруга Београд–Бар, Pruga Beograd–Bar) is a railway connecting the Serbian capital of Belgrade with the town of Bar, a major seaport in Montenegro.
Overview
The Belgrade–Bar railway is a stan ...
, which provides international connection towards
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
. A domestic branch line, the
Nikšić-Podgorica railway operated as a freight-only line for decades, that opened for passenger traffic after reconstruction and electrification in 2012. The other branch line from Podgorica towards the Albanian border, the
Podgorica–Shkodër railway, is not in use.
Montenegro has two international airports,
Podgorica Airport
Podgorica Airport ( cnr, Аеродром Подгорица, Aerodrom Podgorica, ) is an international airport serving the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica and the surrounding region. It is one of two international airports in Montenegro, the ...
and
Tivat Airport.
The
Port of Bar
The Port of Bar ( Montenegrin: ''Luka Bar'', ''Лука Бар'', MNSELUBA is Montenegro's main sea port. It is located in Bar.
History
The Port of Bar was used as a sea port for Shkodër before it was conquered by the Turks in 1571. Right after ...
is Montenegro's main seaport. Initially built in 1906, the port was almost completely destroyed during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
Reconstruction began in 1950. It is equipped to handle over 5 million tons of cargo annually, but has been operating at a loss and well below capacity. The reconstruction of the
Belgrade-Bar railway and the proposed
Belgrade-Bar motorway are expected to return operating levels to capacity.
Tourism
With a total of 1.6 million visitors, Montenegro was, as of 2017, the 36th-most-visited country (out of 47) in Europe. The majority of foreign visitors to Montenegro come from the neighbouring countries of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, as well as Russia. The Montenegrin
Adriatic coast is long, with of beaches and many well-preserved ancient towns. Some of the most popular beaches include
Jaz Beach
Jaz ( sr-Cyrl, Јаз, ) is a beach in the Budva Municipality in Montenegro. It is located 2.5 km west of Budva. It consists of two parts, one 850 m long and the other, formerly a nudist beach, 450 m long. It is a pebble beach, with a campgr ...
,
Mogren Beach,
Bečići Beach,
Sveti Stefan Beach and
Velika Plaža
Velika Plaža ( sq, Plazhi i Madh; sr-cyrl, Велика Плажа, ;, lit. "Big Beach") is a beach in Ulcinj Municipality, Montenegro. It stretches from Port Milena in Ulcinj to the Bojana River, which separates it from Ada Bojana. .
Meanwhile, some of the most popular ancient towns include
Herceg Novi
Herceg Novi ( cyrl, Херцег Нови, ) is a coastal town in Montenegro located at the Western entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen. It is the administrative center of the Herceg Novi Municipality with around 33,000 ...
,
Perast,
Kotor
Kotor ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative ...
,
Budva and
Ulcinj.
''
National Geographic Traveler
''National Geographic Traveler'' is a magazine published by NG Media in Armenia, Belgium, the Netherlands, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Latin America, Israel, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. The US ...
'' (edited once a decade) ranks Montenegro among the "50 Places of a Lifetime". Montenegrin seaside town
Sveti Stefan
Sveti Stefan ( Montenegrin and Serbian: Свети Стефан, ; lit. "Saint Stephen") is a town in Budva Municipality, on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, approximately southeast of Budva. The town is known for the Aman Sveti Stefan resort, ...
was once used as the cover for the magazine. The coast region of Montenegro was considered one of the great "discoveries" among world tourists. In January 2010, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' ranked the Ulcinj South Coast region of Montenegro, including
Velika Plaža
Velika Plaža ( sq, Plazhi i Madh; sr-cyrl, Велика Плажа, ;, lit. "Big Beach") is a beach in Ulcinj Municipality, Montenegro. It stretches from Port Milena in Ulcinj to the Bojana River, which separates it from Ada Bojana. ,
Ada Bojana
Ada Bojana ( cnr, Ада Бојана, ; Albanian: Ishulli i Bunës) is an island in the Ulcinj Municipality in Montenegro. The name ''Ada'' means river island in Serbo-Croatian.
The island is created by a river delta of the Bojana River. It ...
, and the
Hotel Mediteran of Ulcinj, among the "Top 31 Places to Go in 2010" as part of a worldwide ranking.
Montenegro was listed by Yahoo Travel among the "10 Top Hot Spots of 2009" to visit, describing it as "the second fastest growing tourism market in the world (falling just behind China)". It is listed by tourism guides like
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books.
History Early years
Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they embarke ...
as a top destination.
Demographics
Ethnic structure
The 2011 census reported 620,029 citizens.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2015, 9,486 ethnic Serbs there were born in "Other Eastern Europe" countries, overwhelmingly Montenegro. According to the 2000 U.S. census, 2,339 individuals claimed first ancestry in Montenegro, and 189 whose second ancestry was Montenegrin, totaling 2,528 overall.
Montenegro is a
multiethnic state with no ethnic majority. Major ethnic groups include
Montenegrins
Montenegrins ( cnr, Црногорци, Crnogorci, or ; lit. "Black Mountain People") are a South Slavic ethnic group that share a common Montenegrin culture, history, and language, identified with the country of Montenegro.
Genetics
Accordi ...
(Црногорци/''Crnogorci'') and
Serbs
The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language.
The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
(Срби/''Srbi''); others are
Bosniaks (''Bošnjaci''),
Albanians (''Albanci – Shqiptarët'') and
Croats (''Hrvati''). The number of "Montenegrins" and "Serbs" fluctuates widely from census to census due to changes in how people perceive, experience, or choose to express, their identity and ethnic affiliation.
Languages
The official language in Montenegro is
Montenegrin.
Serbian,
Bosnian,
Albanian, and
Croatian are recognised in usage. Montenegrin, Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian are
mutually intelligible as
standard varieties of the
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian () – also called Serbo-Croat (), Serbo-Croat-Bosnian (SCB), Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian (BCS), and Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) – is a South Slavic language and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia a ...
. Montenegrin is the plurality mother-tongue of the under-18 population. Previous constitutions endorsed Serbo-Croatian as the official language in
SR Montenegro and Serbian of the
Ijekavian standard during the
1992–2006 period.
Religion
Montenegro has historically stood at the crossroads of multiculturalism and over centuries this has shaped its unique co-existence between Muslim and Christian populations. Montenegrins have historically been members of the
Serbian Orthodox Church (governed by the
Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral). Serbian Orthodox Christianity is the most popular religion. The
Montenegrin Orthodox Church
, image =
, imagewidth =
, type = Eastern Christian
, main_classification = Independent Eastern Orthodox
, scripture=Septuagint, New Testament, theology = Orthodox theology
, polity ...
was recently founded and is followed by a minority of Montenegrins, although it is not in communion with any other Christian Orthodox Church as it has not been officially recognised.
Despite tensions between religious groups during the
Bosnian War, Montenegro remained fairly stable, mainly due to its population's perspective on religious tolerance and faith diversity. Religious institutions have guaranteed rights and are separate from the state. The second largest religion is
Islam, practiced by 19% of the population. Montenegro has the sixth-highest proportion of Muslims in Europe, after Kosovo (96%), Turkey (90%), Albania (60%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (51%), and North Macedonia (34%), and the third highest proportion among Slavic countries, behind only Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. A little more than one-fourth of the country's
Albanians are
Catholics (8,126 in the 2004 census) while the rest (22,267) are mainly
Sunni Muslims; in 2012 a protocol recognised
Islam as an official religion, which ensures that
halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with '' haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification k ...
foods are served at military facilities, hospitals, dormitories and social facilities; and that Muslim women are permitted to wear headscarves in schools and at public institutions, as well as ensuring that Muslims have the right to take Fridays off for the
Jumu'ah
In Islam, Friday prayer or Congregational prayer ( ar, صَلَاة ٱلْجُمُعَة, ') is a prayer ('' ṣalāt'') that Muslims hold every Friday, after noon instead of the Zuhr prayer. Muslims ordinarily pray five times each day accordin ...
(Friday)-prayer. Since the time of
Vojislavljević dynasty
The Vojislavljević ( sr-Cyrl, Војислављевић, pl. Vojislavljevići / Војислављевићи) was a Serbian medieval dynasty, named after ''archon'' Stefan Vojislav, who wrested the polities of Duklja, Travunia, Zahumlje, inne ...
Catholicism is autochthonous in the Montenegrin area. A small Roman Catholic population, mostly Albanians with some Croats, is divided between the
Archdiocese of Antivari
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar ( cnr, Барска надбискупија, Barska nadbiskupija; sq, Kryepeshkopata Katolike Romake e Tivarit; la, Archidioecesis Antibarensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in Montenegro. headed by the Primate of Serbia and the
Diocese of Kotor that is a part of the
Catholic Church in Croatia
, native_name_lang = hr
, image = St. Peter's Cathedral, Dakovo.jpg
, imagewidth = 200px
, alt =
, caption = Đakovo Cathedral.
, abbreviation =
, type = Nation ...
.
Culture
Montenegrin culture has been shaped most importantly by Orthodox, Ottoman (Turk), Slavic, Central European, and seafaring Adriatic cultures (notably parts of Italy, like the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
).
Montenegro has many significant cultural and historical sites, including heritage sites from the pre-
Romanesque,
Gothic and
Baroque periods. The Montenegrin coastal region is known for its religious monuments, including the
Cathedral of Saint Tryphon
The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=/, Katedrala Svetog Tripuna, Катедрала Светог Трипуна) in Kotor, Montenegro is one of two Roman Catholic cathedrals in Montenegro. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic ...
in
Kotor
Kotor ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative ...
(Cattaro under the Venetians), the basilica of St. Luke (over 800 years),
Our Lady of the Rocks (Škrpjela), the
Savina Monastery and others. Medieval monasteries contain many artistically important frescoes.
One cultural dimension is the ethical ideal of ''Čojstvo i Junaštvo'', "Humaneness and Gallantry". The traditional folk dance of the Montenegrins is the
Oro, the "eagle dance" that involves dancing in circles with couples alternating in the centre, and is finished by forming a human pyramid of dancers standing on each other's shoulders.
Media
Television, magazines, and newspapers are operated by both state-owned and for-profit corporations that depend on advertising,
subscription, and other sales-related revenues. The
Constitution of Montenegro
The current Constitution of Montenegro was ratified and adopted by the Constitutional Parliament of Montenegro on 19 October 2007 in an extraordinary session by achieving the required two-thirds supermajority of votes. It was officially proclaimed ...
guarantees freedom of speech. Montenegro's media system is under transformation, along with the rest of the country.
Sport
Sport in Montenegro revolves mostly around
team sports, such as
water polo,
football,
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
,
handball, and
volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...
. Other sports involved are
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
,
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
, swimming,
judo
is an unarmed modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponica, "Judo"). ...
,
karate,
athletics,
table tennis, and
chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
.
Water polo is the most popular and is considered the
national sport
A national sport is considered to be an intrinsic part of the culture of a nation. Some sports are ''de facto'' (not established by law) national sports, as sumo is in Japan and Gaelic games are in Ireland and field hockey in Pakistan, while othe ...
.
Montenegro men's national water polo team is one of the world's
top ranked teams, winning the gold medal at the
2008 Men's European Water Polo Championship
The 2008 Men's European Water Polo Championship was the 28th edition of the bi-annual event, organised by the Europe's governing body in aquatics, the Ligue Européenne de Natation. The event took place in the Aquatic Centre Málaga in Málaga, ...
in
Málaga, Spain, and winning the gold medal at the
2009 FINA Men's Water Polo World League
The 2009 FINA Men's Water Polo World League was the eighth edition of the annual event, organised by the world's governing body in aquatics, the FINA. After a preliminary round organized by continent, the Super Final was held in Podgorica, Monte ...
, held in
Podgorica
Podgorica (Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; lit. 'under the hill') is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd (Cyrillic: Титоград, ) between 1946 and 1992—in the period that Montenegro form ...
. The Montenegrin team
PVK Primorac from
Kotor
Kotor ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Котор, ), historically known as Cattaro (from Italian: ), is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Bay of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative ...
became a champion of Europe at the
LEN Euroleague 2009 in
Rijeka, Croatia.
Football is the second most popular sport.
Notable players are
Dejan Savićević
Dejan Savićević ( cyrl, Дејан Савићевић, ; born 15 September 1966) is a Montenegrin former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Since 2004, he has been the president of the Montenegrin Football Association (FSCG), cu ...
,
Predrag Mijatović
Predrag "Peđa" Mijatović ( sr-Cyrl, Предраг Мијатовић, ; born 19 January 1969) is a Montenegrin retired professional footballer who played as a striker. At club level, Mijatović played for six clubs: Budućnost, Partizan, Va ...
,
Mirko Vučinić
Mirko Vučinić (, ; born 1 October 1983) is a Montenegrin former professional footballer who played as a forward.
Having caught the attention of Pantaleo Corvino, the sporting director of the Italian club Lecce, he transferred there in the s ...
,
Stefan Savić,
Stevan Jovetić, and
Stefan Mugoša. The
Montenegrin national football team, founded in 2006, played in playoffs for
UEFA Euro 2012, its biggest success. The
Montenegro national basketball team is known for good performances and won a lot of medals as part of the
Yugoslavia national basketball team
The Yugoslavia men's national basketball team ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Košarkaška reprezentacija Jugoslavije, Кошаркашка репрезентација Југославије; sl, Jugoslovanska košarkarska reprezentanca; mk, ...
. In 2006, the
Basketball Federation of Montenegro
The Basketball Federation of Montenegro ( Montenegrin: Košarkaški Savez Crne Gore, KSCG / Кошаркашки Савез Црне Горе, КСЦГ), is the governing body of basketball in Montenegro. It operates the top-level Opportunity Le ...
along with this team joined the
International Basketball Federation
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. Originally known as the (hence FIBA), in 1989 it dropped the word ''amateur'' from its nam ...
(FIBA) on its own, following the
Independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
. Montenegro participated in two
EuroBaskets.
Among women sports,
the national handball team is the most successful, having won the
2012 European Championship and finishing as runners-up at the
2012 Summer Olympics.
ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica twice won EHF Champions League.
Chess
Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...
is another popular sport and notable global chess players such as
Slavko Dedić were born there.
At the
2012 Olympic Games in London, the
Montenegro women's national handball team won the country's first Olympic medal, claiming silver. They lost in the final to defending world, Olympic, and European champion
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
26–23. Following this defeat the team won against Norway in the final of the
2012 European Championship, becoming champions for the first time.
National Cuisine
Montenegro has various traditional dishes, which differ from region to region. The northern region is known for the specialty "kačamak", a dish made from potatoes, flour and "Kolašinski sir" - a special cheese that has been declared the national brand of Montenegro.
See also
*
Montenegro real estate taxes
*
Outline of Montenegro
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
Further reading
* Banac, Ivo. ''The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics''
Cornell University Press
The Cornell University Press is the university press of Cornell University; currently housed in Sage House, the former residence of Henry William Sage. It was first established in 1869, making it the first university publishing enterprise in t ...
, (1984)
* Fleming, Thomas. ''Montenegro: The Divided Land'' (2002)
* Longley, Norm. ''The Rough Guide to Montenegro'' (2009)
* Morrison, Kenneth. ''Montenegro: A Modern History'' (2009)
* Roberts, Elizabeth. ''Realm of the Black Mountain: A History of Montenegro'' (Cornell University Press, 2007) 521pp
* Stevenson, Francis Seymour. ''A History of Montenegro'' 2002)
* Özcan, Uğur
II. Abdulhamid Dönemi Osmanlı-Karadağ Siyasi İlişkileri'
olitical relations between the Ottoman Empire and Montenegro in the Abdul Hamid II era(2013
Türk Tarih KurumuTurkish Historical Society
External links
Official website of the Government of Montenegro (English)Montenegroin ''
The World Factbook'' of the
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
Montenegrofrom ''UCB Libraries GovPubs''
*
Montenegro profilefrom the
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
Culture Corner– leading Montenegrin web portal for culture
Official website National Parks Montenegro*
*
{{Authority control
*
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