Background: The use of the name Crna Gora or Black Mountain (Montenegro) began in the 13th century in reference to a highland region in the Serbian province of Zeta. The later medieval state of Zeta maintained its existence until 1496 when Montenegro finally fell under Ottoman rule. Over subsequent centuries Montenegro managed to maintain a level of autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries Montenegro was a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852 it transformed into a secular principality. Montenegro was recognized as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. After World War I during which Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies Montenegro was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929; at the conclusion of World War II it became a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved in 1992 Montenegro federated with Serbia creating the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and after 2003 shifting to a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. In May 2006 Montenegro invoked its right under the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro to hold a referendum on independence from the state union. The vote for severing ties with Serbia barely exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally restore its independence on 3 June 2006.

Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N 19 18 E

Area
Rank: 162
Land: 13,452 km²
Water: 360 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries
Border countries: (5) Albania 172 km; Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km; Croatia 25 km; Kosovo 79 km; Serbia 124 km

Coastline: 293.5 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: defined by treaty

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

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

Elevation
Extremes highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Natural resources: bauxite hydroelectricity

Land use
Permanent crops: 1.16%
Other: 86.39% (2011)

Irrigated land: 24.12 km² (2010)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Geography
Note: strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Population: 650,036 (July 2014 est.)
Rank: 168
Growth rate: -0.49% (2014 est.)
Growth rate rank: 223
Below poverty line: 6.6% (2010 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Montenegrin

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

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

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

Age structure
15-24 years: 10.8% (male 33,085/female 37,029)
25-54 years: 47.1% (male 164,644/female 141,380)
55-64 years: 12.9% (male 41,765/female 42,075)
65 years and over: 13.8% (male 36,081/female 55,087) (2014 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 27.1 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 %
Potential support ratio: 5.1 (2014 est.)

Median age
Male: 38.2 years
Female: 40.5 years (2014 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.49% (2014 est.)
Rank: 223

Birth rate: 10.59 births/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 182

Death rate: 9.3 deaths/1000 population (2014 est.)
Rank: 60

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 0.38% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: PODGORICA (capital) 156,000 (2011)

Environment
Current issues: pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2014 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth: 26.3 (2010 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 39.4% (2005/06)

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 2.03 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 4 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Major infectious diseases
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne disease: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2013)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 22.5% (2008)
Rank: 79

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.2% (2006)
Rank: 121

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Total population: 98.5%
Male: 99.4%
Female: 97.6% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years (2010)

Country name
Conventional short form: Montenegro
Local long form: none
Local short form: Crna Gora
Former: People's Republic of Montenegro Socialist Republic of Montenegro Republic of Montenegro

Government type: republic

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

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

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

National holiday: National Day 13 July (1878)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007; note - in early 2013 Montenegro's parliamentary constitutional committee began debate on proposed amendments (2013)

Legal system: civil law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICC jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 4 December 2012)
Cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet
Elections: president elected by direct vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister proposed by president accepted by Assembly
Election results: Filip VUJANOVIC re-elected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.2% Miodrag LEKIC 48.8%%

Legislative branch: unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held on 14 October 2012 (next to be held by 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for European Montenegro 45.6% Democratic Front 22.8% SNP 11.1% Positive Montenegro 8.2% Bosniak Party 4.2% other (including Albanian and Croatian minority parties) 8.1%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 39 Democratic Front 20 SNP 9 Positive Montenegro 7 Bosniak Party 3 Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3

Judicial branch
Judge selection and term of office: president of Supreme Court proposed jointly by the president of Montenegro the speaker of the Assembly and the prime minister; other judges elected by the Judicial Council; court president term is 5 years; term of other judges is 9 years; Constitutional Court judges proposed by the president of Montenegro and elected by the Assembly; court president elected among its members; term of judges is 9 years; court president term is 3 years
Subordinate courts: Administrative Court; Court of Appeal; regional and first instance courts

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 234-6,108
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 234-6,109
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2 81,000 Podgorica Montenegro
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [382] (0) 20 410 500
From the us FAX: [382] (0) 20 241 358

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

National symbols: double-headed eagle

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC

Economy overview: Montenegro's economy is slowly transitioning to a market system but the state sector remains large and additional institutional changes are needed. The economy relies heavily on foreign tourism and the export of refined metals. Unprofitable state-owned enterprises especially the Podgorica Aluminum Kombine the country’s largest exporter weigh heavily on public finances. During the MILOSEVIC era Montenegro severed its economy from Serbia maintained its own central bank adopted the Deutsche Mark then shifted to the euro - rather than the Yugoslav dinar - as official currency collected customs tariffs and managed its own budget. The 2006 dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro led to separate memberships in several international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In January 2007 Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro became the 156th member of World Trade Organization in December 2011. The European Council (EC) granted candidate country status to Montenegro at the December 2010 session. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EC in June 2012 having met the conditions set down by the European Council which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. Unemployment and disparities in regional development especially in the north remain key political and economic problems. The global financial crisis had a significant negative impact on the economy due to a credit crunch a decline in the real estate sector and a fall in aluminum exports. The Government of Montenegro increased value added tax (VAT) from 17% in 2012 to 19% in 2013 and raised income tax rates from 9% to 15% for those earning over €480 a month. In 2013 the government also retrenched by freezing pensions and limiting salary increases for public enterprises and members of the parliament.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 159

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 163

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 107

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 22.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 18.4%
Investment in inventories: 1.1%
Exports of goods and services: 40.2%
Imports of goods and services: -66.2%: (2011 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 11.3%
Services: 87.9% (2011)

Agriculture products: tobacco potatoes citrus fruits olives grapes; sheep

Industries: steelmaking aluminum agricultural processing consumer goods tourism

Labor force: 251,300 (2011 est.)
Rank: 166
By occupation industry: 20.9%
By occupation services: 72.8% (2011 est.)

Unemployment rate: 11.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 159

Population below poverty line: 6.6% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index: 30 (2003)
Rank: 139

Budget
Expenditures: $1.58 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 2.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 16

Taxes and other revenues: 37.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 55

Public debt: 45% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 61

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 3% (2011)
Rank: 137

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9.53% (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 89

Stock of narrow money: $783.3 million (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 154

Stock of broad money: $2.01 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
Rank: 151

Stock of domestic credit: $3.771 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 123

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 84

Current account balance: -$1.927 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 140

Exports: $640 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 176
Partners: Croatia 22.7% Serbia 22.7% Slovenia 7.8% (2012 est.)

Imports: $2.5 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 157
Partners: Serbia 29.3% Greece 8.7% China 7.1% (2012 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $400 million (31 December 2011)
Rank: 149

Debt external: $1.2 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 147

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 3.945 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 125
Consumption: 3.279 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 128
Exports: 730 million kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 63
Imports: 732 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 69
Installed generating capacity: 868,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 126
Generation sources fossil fuels: 24.2% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 187
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 136
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 75.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 18
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 201

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 194
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 151
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 91
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 162

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 172
Products consumption: 4,446 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 173
Products exports: 369 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 114
Products imports: 3,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 168

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 164
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 170
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 145
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 94
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 168

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.166 million Mt (2011 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 163,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 131
Mobile cellular: 1.126 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 154

Telephone system
Domestic: GSM mobile-cellular service available through multiple providers with national coverage is growing
International: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system (2011)

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

Internet
Country code: .me
Hosts: 10,088 (2012)
Hosts rank: 135
Users: 280,000 (2009)
Users rank: 133

Military expenditures:
Rank: 45

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

Airports: 5 (2013)
Rank: 181
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Railways
Rank: 124
Standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (169 km electrified) (2010)

Roadways
Rank: 142
Paved: 5,365 km
Unpaved: 2,398 km (2010)

Merchant marine
Rank: 141
By type: cargo 1 passenger/cargo 1
Registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2 Honduras 1 Slovakia 1) (2010)

Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 3,383 (2012)