Montenegro (Montenegrin or Serbo-Croatian Црна Гора Crna Gora,
German 'black mountain', Albanian Mali i Zi) is a republic on the
southeastern Adriatic coast in Southeastern Europe. The Montenegrin
territory borders on Croatia in the far west (25 km), in the
northwest by Bosnia and Herzegovina (225 km), in the northeast by
Serbia (124.4 km), in the east by Kosovo (78.6 km) and in the
southeast to Albania (172 km). On June 3, 2006, Montenegro became
independent; It had previously belonged to Yugoslavia from 1920.
The Balkan state is one of the smaller states in Europe with
around 616,000 inhabitants and an area of 13,812 square kilometers.
The capital and most populous city is Podgorica, the second largest
city is Nikšić. The main economic sectors are the service sector and
tourism, especially on the Montenegrin coast.
Montenegro is a
member of the United Nations, WTO, OSCE, Council of Europe and NATO.
It is also a candidate for membership of the European Union and uses
the euro as its currency.
Montenegro is divided into three main regions: the coastal region,
the mountain region and the central region. Each region has its own
characteristics and attractions. Here are the regions of Montenegro in
detail:
Montenegrin Coast: Stretching along the Adriatic coast,
it is known for its picturesque coastal towns, beaches and clear blue
waters. The most popular places in this region include Budva, Kotor,
Herceg Novi, Tivat, Ulcinj and Bar. The coastal region offers a mix of
historic architecture, lively nightlife, water sports and relaxed beach
holidays.
Mountain region (Gorski Kotar): It lies inland and
encompasses the impressive mountain landscape of Montenegro. The most
famous areas in this region are Durmitor National Park and Biogradska
Gora National Park. Here you will find majestic mountains, crystal clear
lakes, deep gorges and picturesque villages. The mountain region is a
paradise for nature lovers, hikers, mountaineers and skiers.
Central
Region (Centralna Crna Gora): It lies between the coastal region and the
mountain region and includes cities such as Podgorica, Nikšić and
Cetinje. Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro and the country's
economic center. Cetinje was formerly the royal capital and is home to
historical sights. The central region is characterized by a mix of urban
life, historical heritage and rural landscape.
1 Podgorica. Podgorica may not be as well-known as some of
Montenegro's coastal towns, but it has its own charm and is an important
hub for the country's economy, culture and government.
2 Kotor. is
considered one of the most beautiful medieval cities on the Adriatic
coast. It is surrounded by an impressive city wall and offers
breathtaking views of the Bay of Kotor. The narrow streets, historic
buildings and cozy cafés add to the charm of this city.
3 Budva. is
one of the most famous seaside resorts in Montenegro. The city offers a
charming old town with cobbled streets, historic buildings and an
impressive city wall. Budva also has some of the country's most
beautiful beaches and a vibrant nightlife.
4 Perast. This small town
is also located on the Bay of Kotor and is known for its well-preserved
Baroque buildings. Perast is famous for its two picturesque islands, the
"Gospa od Škrpjela" (Our Lady of the Rock) and "Sveti Đorđe" (Saint
George). The boat trip to the islands is an absolute highlight.
5
Herceg Novi. is located at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and offers a
charming old town with Venetian architecture. The town is surrounded by
lush green mountains and offers scenic views of the sea. Herceg Novi is
also known for its numerous staircases that lead to breathtaking
viewpoints.
6 Tivat. is an up-and-coming city and a popular
destination for yacht tourism. The city is home to the luxurious Porto
Montenegro marina, which includes numerous exclusive shops, restaurants
and bars. Tivat also has some beautiful beaches and is a good base for
exploring the nearby islands.
7 Ulcinj. An ancient fortified town,
once home to pirates, surrounded by a 12km long sandy beach that is a
hotspot for kitesurfers and a nudist paradise. Ulcinj Old Town, also
known as Stari Grad, is a picturesque medieval town located on a hill
above the sea. It is surrounded by an old city wall and has narrow
streets, traditional houses, mosques and a castle that now serves as a
museum. The old town also offers beautiful panoramic views of the sea
and the surrounding countryside.
8 Cetinje. Cetinje is the official
residence of the Montenegrin president and was the country's capital
until 1918. Some relatively well-preserved former royal and government
buildings as well as a monastery can be visited. Two of the former
palaces have been converted into museums. The numerous former embassy
buildings of foreign countries, such as those of Russia or
Austria-Hungary, are also architecturally interesting.
9 Bar
(Montenegro) . Italian: Antivari, important port city (ferry connections
to Bari and Ancona), end point of the Belgrade-Bar railway line,
impressive ruin complex in Stari Bar.
1 Durmitor National Park. It is located in the northwest of
Montenegro and includes the mountain range of the same name. Here you
will find spectacular mountain peaks, deep gorges, crystal clear lakes
and wide high plateaus. Mount Bobotov Kuk is the highest peak in the
park at 2,523 meters. The Tara River and Tara Gorge, a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, are also part of Durmitor National Park.
2 Biogradska
Gora National Park. It is located in the central part of Montenegro and
is one of the oldest national parks in the country. It covers part of
the Biogradska Gora Mountains and is home to one of the last three
primeval forests in Europe. The park is known for its majestic Lake
Biogradska and diverse flora and fauna.
3 Lovćen National Park. It
stretches across the Lovćen Mountains in southwest Montenegro. It
includes the highest peak in the mountains, Jezerski Vrh, as well as
steep cliffs, deep gorges and dense forests. One of the park's main
attractions is the mausoleum of Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, an important
Montenegrin poet and ruler, located at the top of the mountain.
4
Skadarsko Jezero National Park. It stretches along the largest lake in
the Balkans, Lake Skadar. The park includes a variety of habitats
including wetlands, swamps, estuaries and islands. It is an important
habitat for many rare animal and plant species, including pelicans,
cormorants and turtles.
5 Sveti Stefan. The Sveti Stefan Peninsula is
a luxury resort known for its picturesque streets lined with historic
stone houses and beautiful beaches. The resort attracts many celebrities
and luxury travelers.
6 Lake Skadar (Liqeni i Shkodres) . the largest
lake in the Balkans, is a popular destination for nature and bird
watching. The lake also offers boat tours and the opportunity to visit
historical sites such as Kom Monastery.
7 Tara Gorge. The gorge, also
known as the "Teardrop of Europe", is one of the deepest gorges in
Europe. It offers spectacular views, rafting opportunities and the
famous Tara Bridge, an impressive arched bridge.
The
contributions to nature and culture are presented in visitor centers,
and opportunities for active holidays are numerous. There are marked and
signposted walking and hiking trails, cycle paths and MTB trails, and in
the parks you will find lots of thematic and educational trails, and in
the south there are also wine routes. The offer also includes sport
fishing, cruises, camping, adventure parks, bungalow rentals...
Conquer peaks, visit viewing points, marvel at the wealth of flora and
fauna, experience the healing powers of the springs and herbs, the
national cuisine... there are countless reasons to visit the national
parks.
1 Ostrog Monastery. is a major Serbian Orthodox pilgrimage
destination built into a rock face. The monastery offers breathtaking
views and attracts thousands of visitors every year.
2 Morača
Monastery. It is located in the Morača Canyon, about 50 kilometers north
of Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. It was founded in the 13th
century and is known for its well-preserved architecture in the
Serbian-Byzantine style. The monastery houses a valuable collection of
icons and frescoes.
3 Savina Monastery. It is located near the
coastal town of Herceg Novi. It was founded in the 11th century and is
known for its beautiful seafront location. The monastery houses an
impressive collection of icons and frescoes from the 16th and 17th
centuries.
Citizens of the EU or EFTA need a valid passport to enter the
country. However, a visa is not required. Identity cards from European
countries or the Swiss identity card are also sufficient for up to 30
days. The passport is rarely stamped upon entry. Children's passports
must also contain a photo for children under 6 years of age. As a
foreigner you also have to register with the local police station within
24 hours; Hotels typically handle reporting requirements for their
guests. Failure to register usually has no consequences.
The
customary international customs allowances apply for alcohol (2 liters)
and tobacco (200 cigarettes or 50 cigars).
Chipped dogs and cats
need an EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination and antibody
test (titer). Plus a health certificate from an official veterinarian.
By plane
Air traffic is routed through two international
airports, located in Tivat and the capital Podgorica. Croatian Dubrovnik
is also close. Regular flights all year round are currently only offered
by Montenegro Airlines. In Germany, departure is possible from Frankfurt
am Main. In addition, the airline Wizz Air flies to Podgorica Airport
from Memmingen in the summer. Other destinations include Vienna, Zurich,
Belgrade, Budapest, Ljubljana and Rome. In the summer season, charter
flights are also used from Düsseldorf, among others.
By train
There are train connections to Belgrade in Serbia. Current train times
and prices within Montenegro can be found on the Montenegrin State
Railways website.
Balkan Flexipass
A cheap way to travel
through the Balkans could be the Balkan Flexipass. You can travel on the
national railway networks of Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece,
Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania (only trains operated by
REGIOTRANS), Serbia, the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and
Turkey. It is possible to take several train journeys per travel day. It
is valid for 3, 5, 7, 10 or 15 freely selectable days within a month.
The passport is issued as a paper document, for 1st or 2nd class.
By bus
There are regular bus connections from all neighboring
countries to the important cities of Montenegro. See also: Current
connections from the capital Podgorica.
On the street
There
are several ways to get there from Central Europe by car:
via the
Adriatic coastal road (Jadranska Magistrala) through Croatia. Faster
than the coastal road is the Croatian A1 motorway, which is currently
expanded to Ploče, continues through the corridor from Neum
(Bosnia-Herzegovina), which can be bypassed, and Dubrovnik to the border
crossing at Herceg Novi on the Bay of Kotor
Via Zagreb or Budapest to
Belgrade and from there via Valjevo or Novi Pazar and the mountains to
the northeast of Montenegro
Through Bosnia and Herzegovina and from
Sarajevo via Foća. From there continue via the Šćepan Polje border
crossing to Nikšić or to Pljevlja and to the Dumitor National Park.
There are numerous - including local - border crossings with
Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania and Kosovo.
When
transiting through Kosovo, it is important to note that this can
theoretically be viewed by Serbia as an unauthorized border crossing. In
particular, there were problems a few years ago when you drove from
Kosovo to Serbia and were unable to provide proof of a regular entry
stamp when you then left the country. In 2016 the situation is more
relaxed, only Kosovars are still required to have special papers for
transit.
By boat
There are ferry connections to Bar from Bari
and Ancona in Italy.
Within the country there are bus and rail links between the main
major cities.
There are many companies that offer the opportunity to
rent a car (on completely different conditions).
Private car rental
companies often do not require a deposit and offer cars at a cheaper
price, while the appearance and condition of cars in such firms are
often not very good. Official companies always take a deposit, while
providing the necessary additional equipment (child seats, cards, etc.).
There are representative offices of official companies at the airports
of Podgorica and Tivat. When renting a car, it must be remembered that
it cannot be driven outside the territory of the state without prior
agreement with the rental company. In addition, when planning your
route, you need to understand that the roads of Montenegro are for the
most part quite narrow, single-lane, they have a lot of unlit tunnels,
and there is also a danger of rockfalls in mountainous areas.
Just like in Russia, on the roads where you can afford to accelerate,
you can often meet mobile police patrols, while Montenegrins warn each
other of an ambush by flashing their headlights.
For trips, you
can always use the services of taxis and private drivers.
The official language of the republic is "Montenegrin" or, to be more
precise, without political-territorial division, the Serbian language,
but to a greater extent with the predominant Iekavian dialect. Serbian
is more similar to Russian than other languages of the countries of the
former Yugoslavia, and many people speak Russian. So do not be afraid -
you will understand!
Printed products and road signs can be
written both in Cyrillic and in Latin.
In large hotels you can
communicate in English, in some of them in Russian. The menu in most
restaurants is written in "Montenegrin" and dubbed in English.
For trips, you can always use the services of taxis and private drivers.
The country is not officially part of the euro area,
but de facto uses the euro as its domestic currency.
ATMs are
located in different cities. You can find them on the websites of banks,
or using the ATM search service.
From souvenirs you can buy
various T-shirts, key rings, mugs, caps, etc. with the symbols of the
country and various cities of Montenegro. Souvenir shops are located in
large numbers on the coast (in the season from June to September), as
well as in tourist places (for example, in the Old Town in Kotor).
Orthodox religious symbols (icons, crosses, etc.) can be bought in
ordinary churches (both ordinary crosses and those made of yew are sold
here), or in large monasteries (Moracha, Ostrog, etc.). Souvenirs can
always be bought at the airport, but the price for them can be twice as
expensive.
In Budva, Kotor there are many boutiques with clothes
of various popular brands. Look carefully at the quality of the goods,
it may turn out that this is a fake.
You can also buy clothes in
various markets. There is a Chinese indoor market in Ulcinj.
Prices for products and services are very diverse. So, for
example, a room or a room in a hotel can be rented for 50 euros and for
a much higher or lower price. Food prices also vary.
You can
bargain in the markets and with roadside vendors, and their prices are
always lower than those of official stores. It is also worth noting that
the price of products in the season is lower where this product grows or
is mined. So, for example, lake fish will cost less at sellers near
Skadar Lake than in a store or market.
Montenegro presents an opportunity for various recreation. North of the country: mountaineering, rock climbing, rafting. South of the country: holidays on the coast, discos, boat trips, yacht rental, diving, shopping. In addition, you can visit a variety of architectural monuments, nature reserves. For believers, there is an opportunity to make a pilgrimage to holy places.
The national cuisine of Montenegro is a variety of fish and meat
dishes that can be ordered in restaurants. In addition, in large cities
and along the coast there are many small street cafes offering a fairly
varied menu. The portions here are quite large. There are usually a lot
of spices in the dishes. You should definitely try the legendary
Montenegrin dish - baked meat "underside sacha".
From locally
produced alcoholic beverages, you can buy grape, plum Rakia (prices for
1 liter from 3 to 10 euros) and red, white wines, from low-alcohol
drinks, the most common is locally produced beer "Nikšićko" (Niksicko).
It is worth remembering that salted and dried fish sold in the
markets is considered a product that is not ready for consumption,
requiring additional processing. The sellers of this product will be
very surprised if you ask them if you can eat it right away and
recommend exactly how to cook it. Dried meat (Prosciutto) is considered
one of the national dishes and is sold both in shops and markets, you
can also order it in restaurants (Negush Prosciutto is considered the
most delicious). Also a national dish is Negush cheese (a mixture of
cow's and sheep's milk).
There are no representatives of American
and European fast food chains in Montenegro, but in some street cafes
you can buy a hot dog or a hamburger (price from 1 euro).
Fresh
bread and rolls, as well as pizza, can be bought at the chain of
bakeries located near the roads and in the cities. There is no black
bread, as in most European countries, in Montenegro.
The main centers of nightlife are the cities of Budva and Kotor, in addition, there are many cafes with a dance floor on the coast, although they all work only until 1 am.
The country has many hotels of varying degrees of comfort (private or public); in addition, you can always rent a room in the private sector (willingness to rent a room in a villa is indicated by the inscription "Soba" (Serb. Room), "Sobe" (Rooms) or "Apartmani" (Apartments, Apartments)). Most rooms have air conditioning, a TV, a shower (hot and cold water), a refrigerator, and in private hotels a small kitchen, usually part of the room. The farther the hotel or villa is from the sea, the cheaper the day of stay will be (an exception to the rule is mountainous areas).
There is
practically no crime in the country, on the streets, for example, you
can see unlocked cars with open windows, despite this it is better to
keep valuables in a safe (the service is provided by many hotels), or
always carry them with you.
When traveling by taxi, you need to
ask the taxi driver how the calculation will be carried out. There are
usually two options either by the meter or by the set price. If the
second calculation option was chosen and your path will run through the
Sozina tunnel, do not forget that it is paid and the taxi driver can add
its price to the cost of the trip. Sometimes taxi drivers and private
traders ask customers to pay for the passage of the tunnel in both
directions. At night and on holidays, taxi drivers may charge double the
fare.
Since the Montenegrin language is part of the group of
Slavic languages, some words in the Russian version sound the same as in
Montenegrin, while sometimes having differences in semantic load.
Therefore, it is not recommended to pronounce some words in the presence
of the local population, namely: match(s), bird(s), chicken. These words
have an abusive meaning for Montenegrins, or they sound like a curse.
It is not recommended to visit Ulcinj during Muslim holidays for
people professing a different religion.
When visiting parks,
remember that although there are not a large number of poisonous animals
in Montenegro (only 2 types of poisonous snakes: a viper and a nosed
viper), they still exist.
When swimming, remember that in the
summer you can often meet black sea urchins in the water, their
injections are very painful; in addition, the needles often remain
inside the wound.
In Montenegro, a wedding is
celebrated very solemnly. Newlyweds are greeted with two fingers, that
is, the sign of "Victoria", in addition, at weddings it is customary to
shoot into the air from various firearms, as, in general, during all
major holidays. In addition, passers-by are sometimes invited to the
festivities, who are invited to drink for a new family, although now
this happens quite rarely, it is not customary to refuse.
In all
temples, it is not allowed to walk in beach clothes (shorts, breeches,
etc.), you need to cover your shoulders, chest, knees.
Drivers
often honk to each other as a sign of greeting or approval. Sometimes a
passing car can honk to you too; in this case, most likely you know the
driver.
Often you can find special stands with pasted rectangular
sheets with a black and white photograph, dates and text, these are
photographs of dead people and words about them that relatives and
friends say. Copies of these leaflets can be found in any local
newspaper, usually on the back pages.
The
international dialing code of Montenegro is +382. The country's Internet
domain is .me, the old .yu is no longer in use.
There are several
mobile operators in Montenegro (Telenor, T-Mobile, M:Tel), whose SIM
cards can be bought at specially designated kiosks (you do not need
identification documents for the purchase; the card costs from 1 euro,
which will be immediately credited to the account ). To replenish the
balance, special payment cards with a face value of 5 euros are used.
Almost the entire territory of the country is covered by a 3G network.
Montenegro is a relatively sparsely populated, wooded mountain
country in the southeastern part of the Dinaric Mountains compared to
Europe. The inaccessible high mountains are divided by steep, forbidding
canyons. Among them, the Tara Gorge is considered the deepest gorge in
Europe. Therefore, only the Lim valley, which is characterized by
numerous widenings, is more densely populated.
The southeast of
Montenegro is characterized by lowlands. Its most fertile areas lie in
the crypto-depression of Lake Skadar and the lowlands of the lower
Morača and Cijevna; Among other things, the local red wine Vranac is
grown there.
The numerous poles are particularly important; that
of Nikšić is the largest and most densely populated. In addition to the
typically Central European beech, fir and spruce forests of central
Montenegro, which are among the most species-rich forests in Europe,
particularly due to their abundance of trees (among other things, the
endemic-relict tree species Greek maple, snakeskin pine, Rumelian pine
and arboreal can be found in the mountain forests of Montenegro. hazel),
Mediterranean sclerophyll forests with stone oak and Macedonian oak are
also represented. At Lake Skadar there are typical riparian forests with
English oaks and softwood floodplains. The virgin forests of the
national parks at Durmitor and Biogradsko jezero in Belasica are a
retreat and habitat for predators such as wolves, brown bears and
lynxes.
The country can be divided into three main landscape
areas from southwest to northeast:
the steeply sloping cliffs on the
Mediterranean Sea (Adriatic), divided by bays (e.g. Bay of Kotor) with
the historic Mediterranean coastal towns;
the barren and waterless
karst high plateau of Old Montenegro (Rudine, Banjani and the Katunska
Nahija with the highest coastal mountains in Dalmatia, the Orjen with
the Zubački kabao (1894 m. a.s. l.) and the Lovćen), where only a few
poles offer some agriculturally usable land (Grahovo, Cetinje );
the
forbidding northern Montenegrin high mountain country, deeply divided by
canyons (Tara Canyon, Piva Canyon). The highest elevations in Montenegro
and the entire Dinaric Mountains are located here: the Prokletije massif
with the highest elevation in the country, the Zla Kolata (2534 m. a.s.
l.), and the Durmitor massif with the Bobotov Kuk (2522 m. a.s. l.).
As the only mountain range on the Balkan Peninsula, the Durmitor
(Glacier Debeli namet) and especially the Prokletije (Jezerce Spitze,
Zla Kolata, Karanfil) still retain numerous snowfields and smaller
glaciers all year round (up to 350 meters long and 300 hectares in
size). During the Pleistocene cold phases, Montenegro was the most
heavily glaciated area in southern Europe. New Quaternary research on
geological events during the Ice Age in the Southeast Dinarides has
confirmed previously suspected massive glaciation of Montenegro during
the Mindel Ice Age. Even in the sub-Adriatic Orjen, an ice sheet up to
400 m thick and the presence of numerous outlet glaciers that reached to
the edge of the Bay of Kotor on the Adriatic coast were documented for
the Mindel epoch. As a result of large-scale glaciation, the high
mountains of Montenegro are typically characterized by forms of glacial
morphology such as glacial lakes, moraines, trough valleys, steep faces
and karlings. To this day they are also a refuge for ice age flora such
as the ice age relics silverwort (Dryas octopetala) and edelweiss
(Leontopodium alpinum). The occurrence of Dryas has even been documented
on the Bijela gora not far from the Adriatic coast, where otherwise
predominantly Mediterranean high mountain plants are found.
Administrative divisions and cities
Montenegro is divided into 25
municipalities (opštine, Sg. opština), with Nikšić by area and Podgorica
by population being the largest.
In 2021, 68 percent of
Montenegro's residents lived in cities. The largest cities in the
country are:
Podgorica – capital; 191,637 inhabitants (2021)
Nikšić – 68,172 inhabitants (2021)
Bar – 44,052 inhabitants (2021)
In the High and Late Middle Ages the area was part of the Principality of Zeta. In 1296, the name Црна Гора Crna Gora 'Black Mountains' was mentioned for the first time in a charter from the Serbian King Milutin, which was translated as Montenegro in 1496 and as Montagna negra in the travel diaries of the Venetian Marin Sanudo in 1498. From the end of the 15th century, the princes of the Crnojević family resided in Cetinje. From 1516, prince-bishops (Vladika) ruled the prince-bishopric of Montenegro. Until the middle of the 19th century they were both the spiritual and secular leaders of the Montenegrins. Large parts of today's Montenegro belonged, at least formally, to the Ottoman Empire until 1878. The resolutions of the Berlin Congress created the internationally recognized independent Principality of Montenegro, which was upgraded to the Kingdom of Montenegro in 1910. King Nikola, who had ruled as a prince since 1860, was on the side of Serbia and therefore the Entente when the First World War began in the summer of 1914. In January 1916, Austria-Hungary conquered Montenegro in a short campaign, which was followed by a two-year period of occupation.
When the Central Powers collapsed in the fall of 1918 and the First World War ended, the king was overthrown by a resolution of the National Assembly in November 1918 and Montenegro was incorporated into the newly created Kingdom of Yugoslavia, initially as the Province of Montenegro, and from 1929 as part of the Bandom of Zeta. During the Second World War, after the military destruction of Yugoslavia by German troops in 1941, Montenegro was re-established as the Italian puppet state of the Independent State of Montenegro. After the Second World War, Montenegro (now including the area around the Bay of Kotor, but excluding the area around the city of Peć in Kosovo, which briefly belonged to Montenegro from 1913) became one of the six constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The 1946 constitution of Yugoslavia, to which Montenegro then belonged, guaranteed for the first time full legal, economic and social equality between the sexes, including women's right to vote.
The referendum on the future status of Montenegro, held in 1992 after
Croatia and Slovenia left the state, decided whether Montenegro should
remain in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. 95.65% or 266,273 voters
were in favor of remaining in Yugoslavia and 3.14% or 8,755 voters were
in favor of secession. Voter turnout was 66.04% or 278,382 out of a
total of 421,529 eligible voters.
After the Yugoslav wars in the
1990s, differences between Montenegro and Serbia grew because the
population of Montenegro no longer wanted to bear the isolation and
burden of the war. The government of Prime Minister Đukanović, who has
been in power since the early 1990s, sought to break away from Serbia.
Only under pressure from the European Union did Montenegro refrain from
secession again in 2002 and agreed with Serbia to establish a loose
association of two independent states called Serbia and Montenegro.
With reference to the Yugoslav wars, then Montenegrin President Milo
Đukanović apologized several times for the participation of Montenegrin
soldiers in the Croatian war. In 2005, the first payments were agreed as
compensation for looting and devastation in Croatia (see also:
International conflicts in the successor states of Yugoslavia).
On May 21, 2006, a referendum on the independence of the state of
Montenegro was finally held, which the government and the opposition had
agreed on after a lengthy dispute. Most recently, both accepted the EU's
proposal, which required a 55 percent majority of those taking part in
the election with a voter turnout of at least 50 percent for
independence. With a voter turnout of 86.39% or 419,240 out of a total
of 485,280 registered voters in 2006, the necessary 55 percent majority
was just exceeded with a result of 55.49% (230,661). 44.51% or 185,002
voted no and were in favor of Montenegro remaining alongside Serbia in
the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.
OSCE election observers
described the legal framework for the referendum as “broadly consistent
with international standards for electoral processes.” However, the
opposition complained that the right to vote was linked to the potential
voter's main residence, which excluded around 250,000 Montenegrins with
permanent residence in Serbia from the referendum, out of a total of
only 484,718 registered voters.
Croatia and the United Nations
congratulated Montenegro on the day after the referendum on
independence. On June 3, 2006, this was carried out by the Montenegrin
Parliament's declaration of independence. On June 15, 2006, the Republic
of Serbia, as the legal successor state of Serbia and Montenegro,
recognized Montenegro as an independent state; Serbia formally declared
itself independent on June 5, 2006.
Since independence, Montenegro has been trying to become a member of
the European Union. As a first step, a Stabilization and Association
Agreement (SAA) was signed with the EU on October 15, 2007. On December
15, 2008, the application for EU membership was officially submitted by
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Đukanović in Brussels.
After the
European Commission confirmed the requirements as being met in November
2010, the European heads of state and government decided on December 17,
2010 to grant Montenegro candidate status. In its annual progress report
on candidate countries of October 12, 2011, the European Commission
proposed opening accession negotiations with Montenegro. To join the
European Union, Montenegro must advance its reforms, strengthen press
freedom and strive for better cooperation in the Balkan region. In
particular, the status of Kosovo must be assessed uniformly. On June 26,
2012, the European Council decided to start concrete accession
negotiations, which were officially started three days later. The
European Commission considers (as of February 2018) accession by 2025 to
be possible.
Montenegro also tried to join NATO. In April 2008,
the heads of state and government of the NATO member states decided to
start accession negotiations with Montenegro at their summit in
Bucharest. On December 3, 2009, the foreign ministers of NATO member
states officially declared Montenegro a candidate country at their
meeting in Brussels; They did not yet mention a possible date of entry.
At its 2014 summit in Wales, NATO declared that it would decide on
accession by the end of 2015 at the latest. On December 2, 2015, NATO
officially invited Montenegro to join it. The accession protocol was
signed on April 19, 2016; On June 5, 2017, Montenegro became the 29th
member state of NATO. On October 16, 2016, an armed group of Serbs and
Russians broke into the government building in Podgorica; In 2019, the
attackers received prison sentences of up to 15 years for this attempted
coup. After Albania and Croatia joined NATO, Montenegro was the only
non-NATO country on the Adriatic and therefore strategically important
for Russia.
Montenegro had a population of 621,000 in 2020. The population fell by 0.1%. influenced by an excess of deaths. A birth rate of 11.4 per 1,000 inhabitants was compared to a death rate of 11.7 per 1,000 inhabitants. The number of births per woman was statistically 1.8 in 2020, and that of the Europe and Central Asia region was 1.7. The life expectancy of the inhabitants of Montenegro from birth was 75.9 years in 2020 (women: 78.8, men: 73.2). The median age of the population was 38.8 years in 2020. In 2020, 18.2 percent of the population was under 15 years old, while the proportion of those over 64 years old was 16.0 percent of the population.
The population of Montenegro, like that of many countries in
Southeastern Europe, is multi-ethnic. In the 2011 census, 278,865 people
or 44.98% of the population identified themselves as Montenegrins,
178,110 or 28.73% as Serbs, 53,605 or 8.65% as Bosniaks, 30,439 or 4.91%
as Albanians, 20,537 or 3.31 % as Slavic Muslims (in the ethnic sense),
6251 or 1.01% as Roma, 6021 or 0.97% as Croats and 47,513 or 7.68%
stated another nationality or no nationality or provided no data at all.
The Serbs live in areas in northern Montenegro on the border with
Serbia and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the coastal
town of Herceg Novi they make up the majority of the population. The
Bosniaks and Slavic Muslims live mainly in the northeast, around Plav
and Rožaje in the border triangle of Serbia, Kosovo and Albania. Another
minority are the Albanians, who live primarily in the areas along the
border with Albania and Kosovo. In the municipalities of Ulcinj and Tuzi
they make up the majority of the population.
Furthermore, there
are displaced people living in Montenegro who are not included in the
census because they have refugee status. These are 6,926 mostly Serb
refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina and 16,137 refugees from Kosovo
(mostly Roma and Serbs).
According to the constitution of October 19, 2007, the official
languages of Montenegro are Montenegrin, Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and
Croatian. Article 11 of the Minority Law, adopted on May 11, 2006, on
the other hand, allows the use of minority languages as official
languages only in municipalities where the minority in question
constitutes the majority or a significant part of the population, which
provides the Montenegrin authorities with some leeway. The Minorities
Act of the Union of Serbia and Montenegro, passed in 2002, stipulated
that the proportion of a minority in the total population of a
municipality had to be at least 15 percent according to the last census
in order for their language to be recognized as an official language at
the municipal level.
Both the Latin and Cyrillic alphabets are in
use. Especially in the tourist coastal regions, the Cyrillic script is
increasingly being replaced by the Latin script.
There are
different opinions among the population regarding the name of the
language, as well as regarding the designation of nationalities. In the
2011 census, 42.9 percent of the population reported Serbian and 37
percent Montenegrin as their native language. Bosnian and Albanian each
made up 5.3 percent of the native languages.
According to a 2014
survey involving 1,001 people, respondents identified the language they
spoke as:
41.1% Montenegrin
39.1% Serbian
11.5% Montenegrin and
Serbian (same language, no matter what it is called)
3.7% Bosnian
3.5% Serbo-Croatian
1.1% Croatian
72 percent of Montenegro's residents belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church. There is also the ecumenical Autocephalous Church of Montenegro, which was founded in 1993 and is not canonically recognized by the Orthodox Church. In addition to the Orthodox believers, there is a Muslim-Sunni minority comprising around 16 percent of the population and, especially in the coastal towns, several thousand Catholics, mainly Croats and Albanians. The members of various Protestant communities each have fewer than 1,000 members. Since the beginning of 2012, Judaism has been the country's fourth official religion. There is a Jewish community with around two hundred members.
The country's healthcare spending amounted to 8.3% of gross domestic product in 2019. In 2018, there were 27.6 doctors per 10,000 inhabitants practicing in Montenegro. Mortality among under-5s was 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2021.