2023 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 joined 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 two-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. In 2017, Montenegro joined NATO and is currently completing its EU accession process, having officially applied to join the EU in December 2008.

Area

land

13,452 sq km

total

13,812 sq km

water

360 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Connecticut; slightly larger than twice the size of Delaware

Climate

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

Coastline

293.5 km

Elevation

highest point

Zia Kolata 2,534 m

lowest point

Adriatic Sea 0 m

mean elevation

1,086 m

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 19 18 E

Geography - note

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Irrigated land

24 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

680 km

Land use

agricultural land

38.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.1% (2018 est.)

forest

40.4% (2018 est.)

other

21.4% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Scutari (shared with Albania) - 400 sq kmnote - largest lake in the Balkans

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

continental shelf

defined by treaty

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Natural resources

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Population distribution

highest population density is concentrated in the south, southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

17.93% (male 55,690/female 52,340)

15-64 years

64.65% (male 194,334/female 195,127)

65 years and over

17.42% (2023 est.) (male 45,993/female 58,961)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

11 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

3.2% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

1.9%

women married by age 18

5.8%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.7% (2018/19)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

20.7% (2018)

Current health expenditure

11.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.1% (2023 est.)

Death rate

10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

24.8

potential support ratio

4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.5

youth dependency ratio

27.7

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.2% of population

improved: total

total: 99.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.89 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Montenegrin/Bosnian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.5 years

male

75.6 years

total population

78 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.5% (2021)

male

99.4%

total population

99%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

intermediate (2023)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Major urban areas - population

177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

42.2 years

male

39.2 years

total

40.7 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

26.3 years (2010 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Montenegrin

noun

Montenegrin(s)

Net migration rate

-5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.3% (2016)

Physicians density

2.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

602,445 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

highest population density is concentrated in the south, southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area

Population growth rate

-0.43% (2023 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

improved: rural

rural: 93.9% of population

improved: total

total: 98% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 6.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2021)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

31.1% (2020 est.)

male

31.6% (2020 est.)

total

31.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.81 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68.5% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

daylight saving time

+1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

the name translates as "beneath Gorica"; the meaning of Gorica is "hillock"; the reference is to the small hill named Gorica that the city is built around

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles, such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures, require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum; amended 2013

history

several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Montenegro

etymology

the country's name locally as well as in most Western European languages means "black mountain" and refers to the dark coniferous forests on Mount Lovcen and the surrounding area

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 Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018)

email address and website

PodgoricaACS@state.govhttps://me.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica

FAX

[382]  (0)20-241-358

mailing address

5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC  20521-5570

telephone

+382 (0)20-410-500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Nebojsa TODOROVIC (since 7 December 2022)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

usa@mfa.gov.me

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6109

telephone

[1] (202) 234-6108

Executive branch

cabinet

ministers act as cabinet

chief of state

President Jakov MILATOVIC (since 20 May 2023)

election results

2023: Jakov MILATOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Milo DUKANOVIC (DPS) 35.4%, Jakov MILATOVIC (Europe Now!) 28.9%, Andrija MANDIC (DF) 19.3%, Aleksa BECIC (DCG) 11.1%, other 5.3%; percent of vote in second round - Jakov MILATOVIC 58.9%, Milo DUKANOVIC 41.1%2018: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in first round; percent of vote - Milo DJUKANOVIC (DPS) 53.9%, Mladen BOJANIC (independent) 33.4%, Draginja VUKSANOVIC (SDP) 8.2%, Marko MILACIC (PRAVA) 2.8%, other 1.7%

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 19 March 2023 with a runoff on 2 April 2023 (next to be held in 2028); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Milojko SPAJIC (since 31 October 2023)

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 a symbol of episcopal authority and harkens back to the three and a half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 13 March 1852 (Principality of Montenegro established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Montenegrin independence); 28 August 1910 (Kingdom of Montenegro established)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

note

note: Montenegro is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

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 a 3-year term, other judges serve 9-year terms

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 - Europe Now! 25.5%, Together! 23.2%, For the Future of Montenegro 14.7%, Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely 12.5%, BP 7.1%, SNP-DEMOS 3.1%, Albanian Forum 1.9%, HGI 0.7%; seats by party/coalition Europe Now! 24, Together! 21, For the Future of Montenegro 13, Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely 11, BP 6, SNP-DEMOS 2, Albanian Forum 2, Albanian Alliance 1, HGI 1; composition - as of October 2023 - men 64, women 17, percent of women 21%

elections

last held on 11 June 2023 (next to be held in June 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC

name

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

note

note: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (c); Durmitor National Park (n); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c); Fortified City of Kotor Venetian Defense Works (c)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Statehood 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 fascist occupiers and sided with the partisan communist movement)

National symbol(s)

double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold

Political parties and leaders

Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG)Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DELJOSAJ]Albanian Democratic League or LDSH [Nicola CAMAJ]Albanian Forum (electoral coalition includes AA, LDSH, UDSH)Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely! [Aleksa BECIC] (electoral coalition includes Democrats, URA)Bosniak Party or BS [Ervin IBRAHIMOVIC]Civic Movement United Reform Action or United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC]Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Adrian VUKSANOVIC]Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC]Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI]Democratic Montenegro or Democrats [Aleksa BECIC]Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Danijel ZIVKOVIC, acting]Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC]Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSH [Mehmet ZENKA]Europe Now! [Milojko SPAJIC]For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Milan KNEZEVIC] (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP)Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC]New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU]New Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC]Social Democrats or SD [Damir SEHOVIC]Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC]Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH)United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS)Workers' Party or RP [Maksim VUCINIC]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, potatoes, grapes, vegetables, tomatoes, watermelons, wheat, apples, cabbages, barley

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

6.8% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

27.5% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$2.568 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$2.051 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

B1 (2016)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

B+ (2014)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$796.134 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$1.237 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$540.073 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$2.224 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$2.516 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

upper middle-income Balkan economy; unsanctioned euro user; controversial religious property ownership law; persistent corruption; major infrastructure investments and high expenditures; growing offshore banking destination

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

0.885 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.847 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.877 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

note

note: Montenegro, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency

Exports

Exports 2019

$2.424 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$1.247 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$2.502 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

copper ore, aluminum, electricity, dried legumes, packaged medicines, lead, scrap iron, lumber (2021)

Exports - partners

Serbia 17%, Hungary 15%, China 11%, Russia 7%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 6%, Germany 6%, Italy 5%, Poland 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

40.5% (2016 est.)

government consumption

19.6% (2016 est.)

household consumption

76.8% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-63% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.2% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

2.9% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.5% (2016 est.)

industry

15.9% (2016 est.)

services

76.6% (2016 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.486 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

36.8 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.7% (2014 est.)

lowest 10%

3.5%

Imports

Imports 2019

$3.6 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$2.917 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$3.637 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, packaged medicines, recreational boats, cigarettes (2019)

Imports - partners

Serbia 30%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 8%, Croatia 8%, Italy 6%, Greece 6%, Germany 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.39% (2021 est.)

Industries

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.36% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-0.26% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.41% (2021 est.)

Labor force

277,400 (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

24.5% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

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 intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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

Public debt 2016

66.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

67.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$13.397 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$11.346 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$12.757 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

4.06% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-15.31% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

12.43% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$21,500 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$18,300 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$20,600 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$1.529 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$2.135 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$1.982 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

37.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

15.12% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

17.9% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

18.49% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

36.7%

male

28.3%

total

31.6% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.333 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.114 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

2.447 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.351 million metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

96,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

1.456 million metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

142 million metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

3,246,760,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

943 million kWh (2019 est.)

imports

1.196 billion kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.007 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

493 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

99.3% (2021)

electrification - total population

99.7% (2021)

electrification - urban areas

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

42.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

47.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

10.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

77.286 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

7,600 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

357 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,448 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

29 (2020 est.)

total

184,176 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-funded national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 local public TV stations and 14 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations, 35 private radio stations, and several on-line media (2019)

Internet country code

.me

Internet users

percent of population

82% (2021 est.)

total

516,600 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line over 30 per 100 and mobile-cellular 178 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

a small telecom market supported by a population of only 623,000; fixed broadband services are available via a variety of technology platforms, though fiber is the dominant platform, accounting for almost 40% of connections; the growth of fiber has largely been at the expense of DSL as customers are migrated to fiber networks as these are built out progressively; mobile penetration is particularly high, though this is partly due to the significant number of tourists visiting the country seasonally, as also to the popularity of subscribers having multiple prepaid cards; in the wake of the pandemic and associated restrictions on travel, the number of mobile subscribers fell in 2020, as also in the first quarter of 2021, year-on-year; networks support a vibrant mobile broadband services sector, largely based on LTE; two of the MNOs began trialing 5G in May 2021, though commercial services will not gain traction until after the multi-spectrum auction is completed at the end of 2021; spectrum is available in the 694-790MHz and 3400-3800MHz ranges, as well as in the 26.5-27.5GHz range (2021)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

189,519 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

178 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

1,120,074 (2021 est.)

Airports

5 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

5

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4O

Heliports

1 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, other 14

total

18 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

130,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

565,522 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

4

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Bar

Railways

standard gauge

250 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified)

total

250 km (2017)

Roadways

paved

7,141 km (2010)

total

7,762 km (2010)

unpaved

621 km (2010)

Military - note

the Army of Montenegro is a small military focused on the defense of Montenegro’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, cooperating in international and multinational security, and assisting civil authorities during emergencies such as natural disasters; since Montenegro joined NATO in 2017, another focus has been integrating into the Alliance, including adapting NATO standards for planning and professionalization, structural reforms, and modernization by replacing its Soviet-era equipment; the Army trains and exercises with NATO partners and actively supports NATO missions and operations, committing small numbers of troops in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; a few personnel have also been deployed on EU- and UN-led operationsthe combat units of the Ground Forces include an infantry battalion, plus artillery and special forces; there are two additional infantry battalions in reserve; the Air Force has ground air defense units but no combat aircraft; the Navy is a coastal defense force with a small inventory of coastal patrol craft and patrol boats, plus a marine/special forces detachment  (2023)

Military and security forces

Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG): Ground Forces (Kopnene snage), Air Force (Vazduhoplovstvo), Navy (Mornarica) (2023)

note

note: the National Police Force, which includes Border Police, is responsible for maintaining internal security; it is organized under the Police Administration within the Ministry of Interior and reports to the police director and, through the director, to the minister of interior and prime minister

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 2,000 active-duty troops (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is small and consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, with a limited mix of other imported systems from such countries as Austria, Turkey, and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

1.3% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.6% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2023)

note

note: as of 2023, women made up over 15% of the military's full-time personnel

Disputes - international

Montenegro-Albania: none identified Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina: the two countries signed a border agreement in August 2015; sovereignty of the disputed Sutorina territory was given to Montenegro Montenegro-Croatia: the two countries in 2002 reached a temporary agreement designating the Prevlaka Peninsula as part of Croatia, in October 2020, a Montenegrin official resurrected the dormant dispute over the Prevlaka Peninsula by stating that Montenegro had a good chance of winning it through international arbitration Montenegro-Kosovo: a 2015 border agreement was ratified by Montenegro in 2015 and by Kosovo in 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed Montenegro-Serbia: The former republic boundary – when the two countries were one and called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia – serves as the boundary until a line is formally delimited and demarcated  

Illicit drugs

drug trafficking groups are major players in the procurement and transportation of of large quantities of cocaine destined for European markets

Refugees and internally displaced persons

note

note: 33,825 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-November 2023)

refugees (country of origin)

63,790 (Ukraine) (as of 4 December 2023)

stateless persons

468 (2022)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Montenegro does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government prosecuted more defendants and identified more trafficking victims, adopted the National Action Plan for 2022, and coordinating bodies met consistently; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared with the previous reporting period, to expand its anti-trafficking capacity; officials did not convict any traffickers and reorganized the police office dedicated to investigating trafficking, reducing its ability to conduct proactive investigations; the government did not act quickly to protect victims after experts published credible allegations of abuse by an employee with management duties for the government-funded NGO-run anti-trafficking shelter, including physical violence, intimidation, and blackmail; although civil society and international organizations ceased victim referrals to the shelter, the government did not suspend its license and funding, continued to refer two child victims, and funded the shelter until the grant ended in December 2022; afterwards, Montenegro did not renew the shelter’s grant and decided to start renovating a government-run shelter for child trafficking victims; the government attempted to organize accommodations for child victims in foster families, but it did not develop a plan to provide protection for adult victims; therefore, Montenegro was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Montenegro, and Montenegrins abroad; traffickers are predominantly men between the ages of 25 and 49 and members of organized criminal groups that operate in the Western Balkans; victims in Montenegro are primarily women and girls from Montenegro, neighboring Balkan countries, and, to a lesser extent, other countries in Eastern Europe; traffickers exploit victims in the hospitality industry, including bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and cafes; children, particularly Romani, Ashkali, and Balkan Egyptian children, are forced to beg; Romani girls from Montenegro reportedly have been sold into marriages and forced into domestic servitude in Romani communities in Montenegro and, to a lesser extent, in Albania, Germany, and Kosovo; migrants from neighboring countries are vulnerable to forced labor, particularly during the summer tourism season; transnational organized criminal groups exploit some Montenegrin women and girls in sex trafficking in other Balkan countries (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.02 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.75 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

19.3 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; serious air pollution in Podgorica, Pljevlja and Niksie; air pollution in Pljevlja is caused by the nearby lignite power plant and the domestic use of coal and wood for household heating

Environment - international agreements

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

38.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 12.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.1% (2018 est.)

forest

40.4% (2018 est.)

other

21.4% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Scutari (shared with Albania) - 400 sq kmnote - largest lake in the Balkans

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0.12% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.43% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.7 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

68.5% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

332,000 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

17,994 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

5.4% (2015 est.)