2024 Edition Primary

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. Under Ottoman control beginning in 1496, Montenegro was a semi-autonomous theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes until 1852, when it became a secular principality. Montenegro fought a series of wars with the Ottomans and eventually won recognition as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. In 1918, the country was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. At the end of World War II, Montenegro joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). When the SFRY dissolved in 1992, Montenegro and Serbia created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), which shifted in 2003 to a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Montenegro voted to restore its independence on 3 June 2006. Montenegro became an official EU candidate in 2010 and joined NATO in 2017.

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

17.7% (male 54,608/female 51,594)

15-64 years

64.4% (male 192,631/female 193,515)

65 years and over

17.9% (2024 est.) (male 47,243/female 60,258)

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

10.9 births/1,000 population (2024 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 (2024 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 (2024 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 (2024 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

80.7 years

male

75.8 years

total population

78.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.5% (2021)

male

99.4%

total population

99%

Major urban areas - population

177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

42.5 years

male

39.5 years

total

41.1 years (2024 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 (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.3% (2016)

Physician density

2.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

female

305,367 (2024 est.)

male

294,482

total

599,849

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

-0.44% (2024 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

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

31.1% (2020 est.)

male

31.6% (2020 est.)

total

31.4% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (2024 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 Jovan MIRKOVIĆ (since 18 September 2024)

consulate(s) general

New York

email address and website

usa@mfa.gov.meUnited States of America - Embassies and consulates of Montenegro and visa regimes for foreign citizens (www.gov.me)

FAX

[1] (202) 234-6109

telephone

[1] (202) 234-6108

Executive branch

cabinet

ministers serve as the 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 - men 59, women 22, percentage women 27.2%

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

Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG)Albanian Alternative or AAAlbanian Democratic League or LDSHAlbanian Forum (electoral coalition includes AA, LDSH, UDSH)Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely! (electoral coalition includes Democrats, URA)Bosniak Party or BS Civic Movement United Reform Action or United Reform Action or URA Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI Democratic Alliance or DEMOS Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCGDemocratic Montenegro or DemocratsDemocratic Party of Socialists or DPS Democratic People's Party or DNP Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSHEurope Now!For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP)Liberal Party or LP New Democratic Power or FORCANew Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA Social Democrats or SDSocialist People's Party or SNP Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH)United Montenegro or UCG (split from DEMOS)Workers' Party or RP 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, potatoes, grapes, watermelons, sheep milk, cabbages, oranges, eggs, goat milk, figs (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

5.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

24.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.491 billion (2015 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$1.463 billion (2015 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 2021

-$541.201 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$817.858 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$841.765 million (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$3.401 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

upper middle-income, small Balkan economy; uses euro as de facto currency; strong growth driven by tourism and consumption; new impetus for EU accession under Europe Now government; influx of affluent migrants from Russia and Ukraine; progress in fiscal position subject to risks from pension costs, debt service, and informal sector

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.877 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.951 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 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 2021

$2.502 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$3.178 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$3.775 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

copper ore, electricity, aluminum, aluminum ore, packaged medicine (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

South Korea 24%, Serbia 12%, Italy 9%, Switzerland 9%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 7% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

50.7% (2023 est.)

government consumption

18.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

73.6% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-69.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.3% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

7.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

5.6% (2023 est.)

industry

11.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

62.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.405 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

34.3 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

24.7% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

2.1% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$3.637 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$4.614 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$5.163 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

electricity, refined petroleum, aluminum, cars, garments (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Serbia 24%, China 8%, Italy 8%, Croatia 7%, Greece 7% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.34% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.41% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

13.04% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

8.58% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

286,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

21.2% (2020 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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 2017

67.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$15.177 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$16.149 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$17.115 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

13.04% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

6.41% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.98% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$24,500 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$26,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$27,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

13.52% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

13.33% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

10.87% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$1.982 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.041 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$1.574 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

37.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

16.54% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

15.29% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

15.25% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

26.3% (2023 est.)

male

29% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

27.9% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.401 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

1.165 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

2.566 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

1.517 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

234,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

2.8 metric tons (2022 est.)

production

1.734 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

337 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

2.963 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

8.326 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

8.467 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.066 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

507.151 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

47% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

43.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

9.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

59.174 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

8,000 bbl/day (2022 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 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

191,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

203 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1.274 million (2022 est.)

Airports

5 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

4O

Heliports

1 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 4, other 14

total

18 (2023)

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

key ports

Bar, Kotor, Risan, Tivat

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

3

Railways

standard gauge

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

total

250 km (2017)

Roadways

total

9,825 km (2022)

Military - note

the Army of Montenegro is a small, lightly armed 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 operations (2024)

Military and security forces

Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG): Ground Forces (Kopnene snage), Air Force (Vazduhoplovstvo), Navy (Mornarica) (2024)

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 1,600 active-duty troops (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory is small and consists largely of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, along with a limited but growing mix of imported Western systems (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2020

1.7% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.6% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2024)

note

note: as of 2024, women made up over 11% of the military's full-time personnel

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: 34,511 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-March 2024)

refugees (country of origin)

65,105 (Ukraine) (as of 29 January 2024)

stateless persons

468 (2022)

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.)