2008 Edition

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.

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate

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

Coastline

293.5 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ship Pollution

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Geography - note

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 625 km border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km

Land use

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

Location

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Terrain

highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus

Birth rate

11.17 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)

Languages

Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2003 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne disease: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (2008)

Nationality

noun: Montenegrin(s) adjective: Montenegrin

Population

678,177 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.925% (2008 est.)

Religions

Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

Administrative divisions

21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berana, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Capital

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

Constitution

19 October 2007 (approved by the Assembly)

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Roderick W. MOORE embassy: Ljubljanska bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [382] 81 225 417

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108

Executive branch

chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May 2003) head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29 February 2008) cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet elections: president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 6 April 2008 (next to be held in 2013); prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.89%, Andrija MANDIC 19.55%, Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC 16.64%, Srdan MILIC 11.92%

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6109 consulate(s) general: New York

[382] 81 241 358

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

Independence

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

International organization participation

CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006) elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 47.7%, Serbian List 14.4%, Coalition SNP-NS-DSS 13.8%, PZP 12.9%, Liberals and Bosniaks 3.7%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 7.5%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 41, Serbian List 12, Coalition SNP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and Bosniaks 3, Albanian minority parties 3

National holiday

National Day, 13 July (1878)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

Sandzak People's Movement [Cemal SULFEJIC]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: NA expenditures: NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.09% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

euro (EUR)

Current account balance

$NA

Debt - external

$650 million (2006)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30 (2003)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, used the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed 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 18 January 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 (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)

Exports

$171.3 million (2003)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.3% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.5% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.974 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.918 billion (2007 est.)

Imports

$601.7 million (2003)

Imports - partners

Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 9.2% (2006)

Industries

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.4% (2007)

Investment (gross fixed)

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force

259,100 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

NA cu m

Oil - consumption

450 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

7% (2007 est.)

Public debt

38% of GDP (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$3.083 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.172 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$1.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

14.7% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.me

Internet users

280,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

31 (station types NA) (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites domestic: GSM wireless service, available through 2 providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system

Telephones - main lines in use

353,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular

643,700 (2006)

Television broadcast stations

13 (2004)

Airports

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 6 by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 1 registered in other countries: 3 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Bar

Railways

total: 250 km standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2006)

Roadways

total: 7,368 km paved: 4,742 km unpaved: 2,626 km (2006)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro

Army, Navy (serves as Coast Guard), Air Force (2008)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 4,426 female: 4,201 (2008 est.)

Military - note

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

Military service age and obligation

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Disputes - international

none

IDPs

16,192 (ethnic conflict in 1999 and riots in 2004) (2007)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 7,000 (Kosovo); note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Montenegro is primarily a transit country for the trafficking of women and girls to Western Europe for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; women and girls from the Balkans and Eastern Europe are trafficked across Montenegro to Western European countries tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Montenegro is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007; public attention to the issue of trafficking has diminished considerably in Montenegro in recent years (2008) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008