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.

Geographic coordinates: 42 30 N, 19 18 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 13,812 km²
Land: 13,452 km²
Water: 360 km²
Rank: 161
Comparative: slightly smaller than Connecticut; slightly larger than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries
Total: 680 km
Border countries: (5) Albania 186 km; , Bosnia and Herzegovina 242 km; , Croatia 19 km; , Kosovo 76 km; , Serbia 157 km

Coastline: 293.5 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm

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
Mean elevation: 1086 m
Lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m

Natural resources: bauxite, hydroelectricity

Land use
Agricultural land: 38.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 40.4% (2011 est.)
Other: 21.4% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 24 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Geography
Note: strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Population
Distribution: highest population density is concentrated in the south, southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area: 609,859 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 170
Growth rate: -0.37% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 220
Below poverty line: 8.6% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Montenegrin(s)
Adjective: Montenegrin

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.)

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
0-14 years: 18.14% (male 57,402/female 53,217)
15-24 years: 12.78% (male 40,220/female 37,720)
25-54 years: 39.65% (male 120,374/female 121,461)
55-64 years: 13.41% (male 40,099/female 41,670)
65 years and over: 16.02% (male 42,345/female 55,351) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 51.1
Youth dependency ratio: 27.3
Elderly dependency ratio: 23.8
Potential support ratio: 4.2 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 39.6 years
Male: 38.1 years
Female: 41.1 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 54

Population growth rate: -0.37% (2020 est.)
Rank: 220

Birth rate: 11.5 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 170

Death rate: 10.4 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 30

Net migration rate: -4.9 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 195

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 67.5% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.54% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018)

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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

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

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 201

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.3 years
Male: 74.8 years
Female: 79.8 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 84

Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 147

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 20.7% (2018)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 7.6% (2016)

Physicians density: 2.38 physicians/1000 population (2015)

Hospital bed density: 3.9 beds/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population
Rural: 6.1% of population
Total: 2.2% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: <.1% (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids note: <500 (2019 est.)
Deaths note: <100 (2019 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: intermediate (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 23.3% (2016)
Rank: 66

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 1% (2013)
Rank: 127

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.8%
Male: 99.5%
Female: 98.3% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 15 years (2019)

Country name
Conventional long form: none
Conventional short form: Montenegro
Local long form: none
Local short form: Crna Gora
Former: Peoples Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro
Etymology: the countrys 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

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Podgorica; note - Cetinje retains the status of Old Royal 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: 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

Administrative divisions: 24 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, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Zabljak

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)

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

Constitution
History: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007
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, 2014

Legal system: civil law

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

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 20 May 2018)
Head of government: Prime Minister Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC (since 4 December 2020)
Cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet
Electionsappointments: 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 15 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly
Election results: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in the 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%

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)
Elections: last held on 30 August 2020 (next to be held in 2024)
Election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - DPS 35.1%, ZBCG 32.6%, MNIM 12.5%, URA 5.5%, SD 4.1%, BS 3.9%, SDP 3.1%, AL 1.6%, AK 1.1%, other 0.4%; seats by party/coalition - DPS 30, ZBCG 27, MNIM 10, URA 4, BS 3, SD 3, SDP 2, AL 1, AK 1.; composition - men 57, women 24, percent of women 29.6%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: 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

Political parties and leaders: Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DJELOSAJ]Albanian Coalition (includes DP, DSCG, DUA)Albanian Coalition Perspective or AKPAlbanian List (coalition includes AA, Forca, AKP, DSA)Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC]Croatian Reform Party [Marija VUCINOVIC]Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC]Democratic Front or DF [collective leadership] (coalition includes NOVA, PZP, DNP, RP)Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI]Democratic League of Albanians or DSADemocratic Montenegro or DCG [Alexsa BECIC]Democratic Party or DP [Fatmir GJEKA]Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]Democratic Party of Unity or DSJ [Nebojsa JUSKOVIC]Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC]Democratic Serb Party or DSS [Dragica PEROVIC]Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Mehmet ZENKA]For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC] (electoral coalition includes SNP and 2 alliances - DF, NP)Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC]Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU]New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC]Party of Pensioners, Disabled, and Restitution or PUPI [Momir JOKSIMOVIC]Peace is Our Nation or MNIM [Alexa BECIC] (coalition includes Democrats, DEMOS, New Left, PUPI)Popular Movement or NP [Miodrag DAVIDOVIC] (coalition includes DEMOS, RP, UCG, and several minor parties)Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]Social Democrats or SD [Ivan BRAJOVIC]Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC]True Montenegro or PRAVA [Marko MILACIC]United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS)United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC]Workers' Party or RP [Janko VUCINIC]

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, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Nebojsa KALUDEROVIC (since 18 January 2017)
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: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018)
From the us telephone: +382 (0)20 410 500
From the us embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81,000 Podgorica
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us FAX: [382] 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 a symbol of episcopal authority and harkens back to the three and a half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

National symbols: double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold

National anthem
Name: Oj, svijetla majska zoro (Oh, Bright Dawn of May)
Lyricsmusic: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC
Note: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 67

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
Rank: 79

Gross national saving:
Rank: 144

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 76.8% (2016 est.)
Government consumption: 19.6% (2016 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2016 est.)
Investment in inventories: 2.9% (2016 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 40.5% (2016 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -63% (2016 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 7.5% (2016 est.)
Industry: 15.9% (2016 est.)
Services: 76.6% (2016 est.)

Agriculture products: tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives and related products, grapes; sheep, wine

Industries: steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: -4.2% (2017 est.)
Rank: 194

Labor force: 167,000 (2020 est.)
Rank: 174
By occupation agriculture: 7.9%
By occupation industry: 17.1%
By occupation services: 75% (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 178

Population below poverty line: 8.6% (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.5%
Highest 10: 25.7% (2014 est.)

Budget
Revenues: 1.78 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 2.05 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -5.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 175

Taxes and other revenues: 37.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 55

Public debt:
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
Rank: 55

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 35

Current account balance:
Rank: 137

Exports:
Rank: 180

Imports:
Rank: 159

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 131

Debt external:
Rank: 148

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 3.045 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 132
Consumption: 2.808 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 138
Exports: 914 million kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 59
Imports: 1.21 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 65
Installed generating capacity: 890,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 133
Generation sources fossil fuels: 23% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 191
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 146
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 69% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 18
Generation sources other renewable sources: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 88

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 176
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 167
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 169
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 171

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 180
Products consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 172
Products exports: 357 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 114
Products imports: 6,448 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 163

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 173
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 177
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 154
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 159
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (2016 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 172

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.287 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 156

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 183,387
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29.96 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 124
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1,121,870
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 183.28 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 160

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
Users total: 439,311
Users percent of population: 71.52% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 155

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 159,029
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2018 est.)
Rank: 115

Military expenditures:
Rank: 68

Military and security forces: Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army of Montenegro (includes Ground Troops (Kopnena Vojska), Montenegrin Navy (Mornarica Crne Gore, MCG)), Air Force (2019)

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

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 4
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 565,522 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 130,000
Note: mt-km (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4O (2016)

Airports: 5 (2013)
Rank: 181
With paved runways total: 5 (2019)
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

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Railways
Total: 250 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 250 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified) (2017)
Rank: 125

Roadways
Total: 7,762 km (2010)
Paved: 7,141 km (2010)
Unpaved: 621 km (2010)
Rank: 139

Merchant marine
Total: 12
By type: bulk carrier 4, other 8 (2019)
Rank: 150

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bar

Disputes international: Kosovo ratified the border demarcation agreement with Montenegro in March 2018, but the actual demarcation has not been completed

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Stateless persons: 142 (2019)
Note: 17,287 estimated refugee and migrant arrivals (January 2015-December 2020)