Edition 2007 — Montenegro

Administrative divisions

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

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

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

Airports - with unpaved runways

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

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Background

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 Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006, Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006. Geography Montenegro

Birth rate

12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)

Budget

expenditures: NA
revenues: NA

Capital

daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E
name: Podgorica (administrative capital)
note: Cetinje (capital city)
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland

Coastline

293.5 km

Constitution

12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly); note - Montenegro is currently writing a new constitution set to be presented to Parliament in spring 2007

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro
conventional short form: Montenegro
former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro
local long form: Republika Crna Gora
local short form: Crna Gora

Currency (code)

euro (EUR)

Current account balance

NA

Death rate

9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)

Debt - external

NA

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Arlene FERRILL
embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 82000 Podgorica, Montenegro
mailing address: (use street address)
telephone: [381] 81 225 417

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. On January 18, 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization as well as negotiating a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in anticipation of eventual membership. Severe unemployment remains a key political and economic problem for this entire region. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector.

Electricity - consumption

18.6 million kWh

Electricity - production

2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet
chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003)
election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third round; Filip VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8%
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
head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC (since 13 November 2006)

Exports

$171.3 million (2003)

Exports - partners

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

FAX

[381] 81 241 358

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Montenegro

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.744 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.394 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Geography - note

strategic location along the Adriatic coast People Montenegro

Government type

republic

Imports

$601.7 million (2003)

Imports - partners

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

Independence

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Industries

steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (2004)

International organization participation

CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICCt, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, ITUC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.me

Internet users

50,000 (2004) Transportation Montenegro

Investment (gross fixed)

% of GDP NA

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

259,100 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Languages

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

Legal system

based on civil law system

Legislative branch

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

Location

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf: defined by treaty
territorial sea: 12 nm

Merchant marine

by type: cargo 4
registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006)
total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT

Military - note

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.306 billion

Military service age and obligation

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

National holiday

National Day, 13 July

Nationality

adjective: Montenegrin
noun: Montenegrin(s)

Natural gas - consumption

NA

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Oil - consumption

450 bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day

Political parties and leaders

Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]; Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko SEKULIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC]; People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC]; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

Population

630,548 (2004)

Population below poverty line

12.2% (2003)

Population growth rate

3.5% (2004)

Ports and terminals

Bar Military Montenegro

Public debt