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

Land boundaries
Total: 680 km
Border countries (5): (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
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
Highest point: Zia Kolata 2,534 m
Lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 1,086 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 61.5% (2023 est.)
Other: 18.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 24 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes

Geography
Note: strategic location along the Adriatic coast

Population
Total: 599,849 (2024 est.)
Male: 294,482
Female: 305,367
Distribution: highest population density is concentrated in the south and southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area
Growth rate: -0.44% (2024 est.)

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.

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: 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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 55.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.6 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 39.5 years
Female: 42.5 years

Population growth rate: -0.44% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 68.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.8 years
Female: 80.7 years

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 6.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.7% (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 14.1% (2024 est.); 14.7% (2023 est.); 14.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Podgorica
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 Slavic name translates as 'under the mountain,' from pod (under) and gora (mountain)
Note: Cetinje retains the status of 'Old Royal Capital'

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

Legal system: civil law

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Jakov MILATOVIC (since 20 May 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Milojko SPAJIC (since 31 October 2023)
Cabinet: ministers serve as the cabinet
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly
Most recent election date: 19 March 2023, with a runoff on 2 April 2023
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%
Expected date of next election: 2,028

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Skupstina)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 81 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 6/11/2023
Parties elected and seats per party: Europe now! (Evropa sad) (24); Together! For the future that belongs to you (DPS – SD – DUA – LP - UDSh) (21); For the future of Montenegro (New Serb Democracy; Democratic People’s Party of Montenegro, Labour Party) (13); Bravery counts! (HRABRO se broji!) (11); It’s clear! (Jasno je!) – Bosniak Party (6); Other (6)
Percentage of women in chamber: 27.2%
Expected date of next election: June 2,027

Flag description: a red field bordered with a narrow golden-yellow stripe; the Montenegrin coat of arms in the center is a double-headed golden eagle, with a crown above; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the eagle's breast shield shows a golden lion on a green field in front of a blue sky

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

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2024 est.); 6.3% (2023 est.); 6.4% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 3% (2024 est.); 6.3% (2023 est.); 6.4% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 76.3% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 17.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 8.3% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 44.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -67.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 5.2% (2024 est.)
Industry: 11.6% (2024 est.)
Services: 62.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -1.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 245,300 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 14.1% (2024 est.); 14.7% (2023 est.); 14.9% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 14.1% (2024 est.); 14.7% (2023 est.); 14.9% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $1.463 billion (2015 est.)
Expenditures: $1.491 billion (2015 est.)
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

Exports: $3.629 billion (2024 est.); $3.769 billion (2023 est.); $3.177 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: electricity, aluminum, copper ore, aluminum ore, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $5.478 billion (2024 est.); $5.167 billion (2023 est.); $4.614 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, electricity, packaged medicine, aluminum (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 1.082 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 2.719 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 6.288 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 5.421 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 601.023 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 1.862 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 1.658 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 205,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 2.8 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 337 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 2.808 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 1.543 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.265 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 63.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 190,000 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 1.31 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 203 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 203,000 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2025 est.); 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Airports: 5 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 18 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 4, other 14