Montenegro

noun:

Montenegrin(s)

adjective:

Montenegrin

total:

41.5 years (2025 est.)

male:

39.5 years

female:

42.5 years

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.)

total:

3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

78.2 years (2024 est.)

male:

75.8 years

female:

80.7 years

total:

9.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

2.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

31.6% (2025 est.)

male:

29.9% (2025 est.)

female:

33.1% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

1.9% (2018)

women married by age 18:

5.8% (2018)

men married by age 18:

3.2% (2018)

urban population:

68.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

329,800 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

6.4% (2022 est.)

municipal:

121.32 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

2.079 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

6.76 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

none

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

etymology:

• the name in Italian means "dark mountain" and is a translation of the Serbo-Croatian name Crna Gora;
• both refer to the dark coniferous forests in the mountainous region

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"

• 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

history:

several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007

amendment process:

• 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

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

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

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%

expected date of next election:

2028

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

• Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG)
• Albanian Alternative or AA
• Albanian Democratic League or LDSH
• Albanian 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 DSCG
• Democratic Montenegro or Democrats
• Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS
• Democratic People's Party or DNP
• Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSH
• Europe Now!
• For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP)
• Liberal Party or LP
• New Democratic Power or FORCA
• New Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA
• Social Democrats or SD
• Socialist People's Party or SNP
• Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH)
• United Montenegro or UCG (split from DEMOS)
• Workers' Party or RP

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jovan MIRKOVIĆ (since 18 September 2024)

chancery:

1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009

telephone:

[1] (202) 234-6108

FAX:

[1] (202) 234-6109

email address and website:

[email protected]; United States of America - Embassies and consulates of Montenegro and visa regimes for foreign citizens (www.gov.me)

consulate(s) general:

New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018)

embassy:

Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica

mailing address:

5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC 20521-5570

telephone:

[382] (0) 20-410-500

FAX:

[382] (0) 20-241-358

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://me.usembassy.gov/

• 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)

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

meaning:

• the eagle symbolizes the unity of church and state;
• the lion is a symbol of episcopal authority, a reference to the three-and-a-half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

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

total World Heritage Sites:

4 (3 cultural, 1 natural)

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)

• upper-middle-income, small Balkan economy;
• uses euro as de facto currency;
• reduced growth due to slowdown in tourism and industrial production;
• new impetus for EU accession under Europe Now government;
• energy price cap and declining food and services prices easing inflation rate

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

total:

25.9% (2024 est.)

male:

27.5% (2024 est.)

female:

23.6% (2024 est.)

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

on food:

24.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco:

5.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.1% (2021 est.)

highest 10%:

24.7% (2021 est.)

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

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.)

• state-funded national radio and 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 online media (2019)

total:

250 km (2017)

standard gauge:

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

total ports:

4 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

3

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Bar, Kotor, Risan, Tivat

Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG):

Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy

Ministry of Interior:

Police Directorate of Montenegro (2025)

• the Army of Montenegro is responsible for 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 (2025)

refugees:

18,820 (2024 est.)

stateless persons:

423 (2024 est.)