2015 Edition

Background

The use of the name Crna Gora or Black Mountain (Montenegro) began in the 13th century in reference to a highland region in the Serbian province of Zeta. The later medieval state of Zeta maintained its existence until 1496 when Montenegro finally fell under Ottoman rule. Over subsequent centuries, Montenegro managed to maintain a level of autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro was a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it transformed into a secular principality. Montenegro was recognized as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. After World War I, during which Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies, 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, creating the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, shifting to a looser State 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 barely exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally restore its independence on 3 June 2006.

Area

land

13,452 sq km

total

13,812 sq km

water

360 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

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

Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Geography - note

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Irrigated land

24.12 sq km (2010)

Land boundaries

border countries (5)

Albania 186 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 242 km, Croatia 19 km, Kosovo 76 km, Serbia 157 km

total

680 km

Land use

arable land 12.9%; permanent crops 1.2%; permanent pasture 24.1%

agricultural land

38.2%

forest

40.4%

other

21.4% (2011 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

defined by treaty

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

15.18% (male 48,138/female 50,095)

15-24 years

10.27% (male 30,681/female 35,776)

25-54 years

47.02% (male 164,104/female 140,142)

55-64 years

13.12% (male 42,354/female 42,542)

65 years and over

14.41% (male 37,040/female 56,201) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

10.42 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Child labor - children ages 5-14

percentage

10% (2005 est.)

total number

8,520

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

1% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

39.4% (2005/06)

Death rate

9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

20.2%

potential support ratio

5% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

47.7%

youth dependency ratio

27.6%

Drinking water source

urban: 100% of population

rural: 99.2% of population

total: 99.7% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 0.8% of population

total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Roma 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% (2011 est.)

Health expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Hospital bed density

4 beds/1,000 population (2011)

Languages

Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98% (2015 est.)

male

99.5%

total population

98.7%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne disease

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2013)

Major urban areas - population

PODGORICA (capital) 165,000 (2014)

Median age

female

40.5 years (2014 est.)

male

38.2 years

total

39.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Montenegrin

noun

Montenegrin(s)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

21.4% (2014)

Physicians density

2.11 physicians/1,000 population (2013)

Population

647,073 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.42% (2015 est.)

Religions

Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 90.8% of population

rural: 92.2% of population

total: 95.9% of population

urban: 2% of population

rural: 7.8% of population

total: 4.1% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2010)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

0.96 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.86 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.17 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.66 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

39.7% (2012 est.)

male

42.3%

total

41.1%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.34% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

64% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

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

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; note - Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital"

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

several previous; latest adopted 19 October 2007, promulagated 22 October 2007; amended 2013 (to strengthen independence of judiciary) (2015) (2015)

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Montenegro

former

People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro

local long form

none

local short form

Crna Gora

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Margaret UYEHARA (since 19 February 2015)

embassy

Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro

FAX

[382] (0) 20 241 358

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[382] (0) 20 410 500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Srdjan DARMANOVIC (since 30 November 2010)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6109

telephone

[1] (202) 234-6108

Executive branch

cabinet

Ministers act as cabinet

chief of state

President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008)

election results

Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC (DPS) 51.2%, Miodrag LEKIC (independent) 48.8%%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 4 December 2012)

Flag description

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered; the arms consist of a double-headed golden eagle - symbolizing the unity of church and state - surmounted by a crown; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the breast shield over the eagle shows a golden lion passant on a green field in front of a blue sky; the lion is symbol of episcopal authority and harkens back to the three and a half centuries that Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

Government type

republic

Independence

3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICC jurisdiction

International organization participation

CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president, deputy president and 15 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 7 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court president proposed by general session of the Supreme Court and elected by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body consisting of judges, lawyers designated by the Assembly, and the minister of judicial affairs; Supreme Court president elected for a single renewable, 5-year term; other judges elected by the Judicial Council for life; Constitutional Court judges - 2 proposed by the president of Montenegro and 5 by the Assembly, and elected by the Assembly; court president elected from among the court members; court president elected for 3 years, other judges 9 years

subordinate courts

Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts

Legal system

civil law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Assembly or Skupstina (81 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for European Montenegro 45.6%, Democratic Front 22.8%, SNP 11.1%, Positive Montenegro 8.2%, Bosniak Party 4.2%, other (including Albanian and Croatian minority parties) 8.1%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Democratic Front 20, SNP 9, Positive Montenegro 7, Bosniak Party 3, Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3

elections

last held on 14 October 2012 (next to be held in October 2016)

note

seats by party/coaltion as of May 2015 - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Democratic Front 20, SNP 9, Positive Montenegro 5, Bosniak Party 3, Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3, independent 2

National anthem

lyrics/music

Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC

name

"Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May)

note

adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song

National holiday

National Day, 13 July (1878, the day the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world, and 1941, the day the Montenegrins staged an uprising against Nazi occupiers and sided with the partisan Communist movement)

National symbol(s)

double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold

Political parties and leaders

Albanian Coalition (includes Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI], Democratic Party [Fatmir DJEKA], and Albanian Alternative or AA [Gjergj CAMAJ])

Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]

Coalition for European Montenegro [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC], Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Andrija POPOVIC], and Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC])

Coalition FORCA for Unity (includes FORCA [Nazif CUNGU] and Civic Initiative [Vaselj SINISTAJ])

Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC]

Democratic Front or DF [Miodrag LEKIC] (includes New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC] and Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC])

Positive Montenegro [Darko PAJOVIC]

Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdan MILIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheep

Budget

expenditures

$1.63 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$1.56 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-1.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.22% (31 December 2014 est.)

9.36% (31 December 2013 est.)

Current account balance

-$793 million (2014 est.)

-$1.927 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$1.576 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.433 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

26.2 (2013 est.)

24.3 (2010)

Economy - overview

Montenegro's economy is transitioning to a market system. From the beginning of the privatization process in 1999 through to 2015, around 85% of Montenegrin state-owned companies have been privatized, including 100% of banking, telecommunications, and oil distribution. The government recognizes the need to remove impediments in order to remain competitive and open the economy to foreign investors. The biggest foreign investors in Montenegro are Italy, Norway, Austria, Russia, Hungary and Great Britain. Net foreign direct investment in 2014 reached $483 million and investment per capita is one of the highest in Europe. Montenegro uses the Euro as its domestic currency, though it is not an official member of the Euro-zone. In January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF, and in December 2011, the World Trade Organization. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EC in June, 2012, having met the conditions set down by the European Council, which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. Tourism brings in twice as many visitors as Montenegro’s total population every year. Several new luxury tourism complexes are in various states of development along the coast, and a number are being offered in connection with nearby boating and yachting facilities. Montenegro is currently planning major overhauls of its road, rail networks, and possible expansions of its air transportation system. In 2014, the Government of Montenegro selected two Chinese companies to construct a 41 km-long section of the country’s highway system. Construction will cost around $1.1 billion. Montenegro first instituted value added tax (VAT) in April 2003, and introduced differentiated VAT rates of 17% and 7% (for tourism) in January 2006. In May 2013, the Montenegrin Government raised the higher level VAT rate to 19%.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.7489 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

0.78 (2012 est.)

0.7185 (2011 est.)

0.755 (2010 est.)

Exports

$370.2 million (2014 est.)

$489.2 million (2012 est.)

Exports - partners

Croatia 22.7%, Serbia 22.7%, Slovenia 7.8% (2012 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2013 est.)

exports of goods and services

42.1%

government consumption

21.2%

household consumption

81.8%

imports of goods and services

-64.5%

investment in fixed capital

19.5%

investment in inventories

-0.1%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.3%

industry

21.2%

services

70.5% (2013 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,000 (2014 est.)

$14,800 (2013 est.)

$14,300 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.1% (2014 est.)

3.3% (2013 est.)

-2.5% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.462 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$9.36 billion (2014 est.)

$9.256 billion (2013 est.)

$8.957 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

2.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

1.3% of GDP (2013 est.)

0.9% of GDP (2012 est.)

Imports

$1.982 billion (2014 est.)

$2.4 billion (2012 est.)

Imports - partners

Serbia 29.3%, Greece 8.7%, China 7.1% (2012 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

4.5% (2013 est.)

Industries

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.7% (2014 est.)

3% (2013 est.)

Labor force

263,200 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

5.3%

industry

17.9%

services

76.8% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$7.532 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.827 billion (31 December 2012)

$3.322 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

8.6% (2013 est.)

Public debt

59.5% of GDP (31 December 2014 est.)

57.9% of GDP (2013 est.)

note

data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$599.6 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.982 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$2.01 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$133 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$483 million (31 December 2014 est.)

$446.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$2.63 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$2.682 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$749 million (31 December 2011 est.)

$783.3 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

33.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

18.5% (2014 est.)

19.1% (2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

19.72 million Mt (2012 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2013)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

Electricity - consumption

3.465 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - exports

696 million kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

24.6% of total installed capacity (20113 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

75.3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - imports

410 million kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

885,500 kW (2013 est.)

Electricity - production

3.809 billion kWh (2013 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

11,640 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

622 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

12,270 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Broadcast media

state-funded national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 public TV stations and some 20 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations and more than 40 private radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.me

Internet users

percent of population

58.7% (2014 est.)

total

381,700

Radio broadcast stations

31 (station frequency types NA) (2004)

Telephone system

domestic

GSM mobile-cellular service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing

general assessment

modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites

international

country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

160,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

156 (2014 est.)

total

1 million

Television broadcast stations

13 (2004)

Airports

5 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

1

total

5

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Heliports

1 (2012)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1

registered in other countries

4 (Bahamas 2, Honduras 1, Slovakia 1) (2010)

total

2

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Bar

Railways

standard gauge

250 km 1.435-m gauge (169 km electrified) (2014)

total

250 km

Roadways

paved

7,141 km

total

7,762 km

unpaved

621 km (2010)

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

131,823 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

149,159

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

3,677 (2010 est.)

male

3,120

Military branches

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army of Montenegro (includes Montenegrin Navy (Mornarica Crne Gore, MCG)), Air Force (2011)

Military expenditures

1.74% of GDP (2014)

1.59% of GDP (2013)

1.69% of GDP (2012)

1.75% of GDP (2011)

1.81% of GDP (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

5,633 (Serbia and Kosovo) (2014)

stateless persons

3,296 (2014)