Montenegro

republicIndependence 3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

Montenegro as the 2009 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 fields, one of 20 editions from 2006 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPodgorica, UTC+1
Position42 30 N, 19 18 E
Area13,812 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
Populationas each edition published it
672,180 people July 2009 est. · 630,548 in 2006
Population growth% a year
-0.851% 2009 est. · 3.5% in 2006
Median ageyears
36.7 years 2009 est. · 41.5 yrs in 2025
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 77.3 yrs in 2020
Fertility ratechildren per woman
Not in this edition 1.82 in 2020
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
Not in this edition 3.4 in 2020
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$10,100 2008 est. · $3,800 in 2006
GDP real growth% a year
7.5% 2008 est. · 7.5% in 2008

Introduction

1 field

Background

The use of the name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over subsequent centuries Montenegro was able to maintain its independence from the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro became a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I, 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, first as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser 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 exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence on 3 June 2006.

Geography

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

18 fields

Land useshare of 13,812 sq km

arable land 13.7%permanent crops 1%other 85.3%
Area
13,812sq km
country comparison to the world: 161land: 13,452 sq kmwater: 360 sq kmslightly smaller than Connecticut
Coastline
293.5km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontinental shelf: defined by treaty
Highest point
2,522m
Bobotov Kuklowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
Land boundaries
625km
border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Kosovo 79 km, Serbia 124 km

Location

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

Geographic coordinates

42 30 N, 19 18 E

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

Natural resources

bauxite, hydroelectricity

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor

Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People

14 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2009 est.)

37,217
65 and over13.7%
54,729
244,949
15-6470.3%
227,794
52,645
0-1416%
54,846
MaleFemale
Population
672,180
(July 2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 164growth rate: -0.851% (2009 est.)country comparison to the world: 232

Per 1,000 population

Birth
11.14 (2009 est.)Death
8.63 (July 2009 est.)

Ethnic groups(2003 census)

Montenegrin 43%Serbian 32%Bosniak 8%Albanian 5%other (Muslims, Croats, Roma (Gypsy)) 12% (2003 census)

Religions(2003 census)

Orthodox 74.2%Muslim 17.7%Catholic 3.5%other 0.6%unspecified 3%atheist 1% (2003 census)
Urban population
60%of total population
(2008)rate of urbanization: -0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Median age

total:
36.7 years
male:
35.2 years
female:
38.4 years (2009 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.68 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
intermediate
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne disease:
Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (2009)

Nationality

noun:
Montenegrin(s)
adjective:
Montenegrin

Languages

Serbian 63.6%, Montenegrin (official) 22%, Bosnian 5.5%, Albanian 5.3%, unspecified 3.7% (2003 census)

Government

Republic; President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008); Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29 February 2008)

17 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51.94%
Coalition for European Montenegro 51.94%SNP 16.83%NSD 9.22%PZP 6.03%other (including Albanian minority parties) 15.98%last held 29 March 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

Assembly, 81 seats, elected 29 March 2009one dot, one seat

Coalition for European Montenegro 48SNP 16NSD 8PZP 5Albanian minority parties 4

Percent of vote

Coalition for European Montenegro 51.94%SNP 16.83%NSD 9.22%PZP 6.03%other (including Albanian minority parties) 15.98%

Country name

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

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

Administrative divisions

  • 21 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina);
  • Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak

Independence

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National holiday

National Day, 13 July (1878)

Constitution

approved 19 October 2007 (by the Assembly)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008)
head of government:
Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 29 February 2008)
cabinet:
Ministries act as cabinet
elections:
  • president elected by direct vote for five-year term (eligible for a second term);
  • election last held 6 April 2008 (next to be held in 2013);
  • prime minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly
election results:
Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC 51.89%, Andrija MANDIC 19.55%, Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC 16.64%, Srdan MILIC 11.92%

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats in 2006)

elections:
last held 29 March 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
  • percent of vote by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 51.94%, SNP 16.83%, NSD 9.22%, PZP 6.03%, other (including Albanian minority parties) 15.98%;
  • seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 48, SNP 16, NSD 8, PZP 5, Albanian minority parties 4

Judicial branch

Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)

Political parties and leaders

  • Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ];
  • Coalition for European Montenegro or DPS-SDP (bloc) [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] and Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]);
  • Coalition SNP-NS-DSS (bloc) (includes Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdjan MILIC], People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC], and Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]);
  • Democratic League-Party of Democratic Prosperity or SPP [Mehmet BARDHIJ];
  • Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Ferhat DINOSA];
  • Liberals and the Bosniak Party (bloc) [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] (includes Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC] and Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC]);
  • Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC];
  • New Serb Democracy or NSD [Andrija MANDIC];
  • Serbian List (bloc) [Andrija MANDIC] (includes Party of Serb Radicals or SSR [Dusko SEKULIC], People's Socialist Party or NSS [Emilo LABUDOVIC], and Serbian People's Party of Montenegro or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]);
  • Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

International organization participation

CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SECI, UN, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Miodrag VLAHOVIC
chancery:
1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 234-6108
FAX:
[1] (202) 234-6109
consulate(s) general:
New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Roderick W. MOORE
embassy:
Ljubljanska bb, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[382] 81 225 417
FAX:
[382] 81 241 358

Flag description

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered

Economy

38 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$6.832billion
(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 153$6.355 billion (2007 est.) · $5.804 billion (2006 est.)note: data are in 2008 US dollarsofficial exchange rate: $4.848 billion (2008 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$10,100
(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 104$9,300 (2007 est.) · $8,400 (2006 est.)note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Real growth rate
7.5%
(2008 est.)country comparison to the world: 279.5% (2007 est.) · 8.6% (2006 est.)
Inflation, consumer prices
3.4%
(2007)country comparison to the world: 43

Electricity

Electricity production
2.864 billion (2005 est.)Electricity consumption
18.6 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and maintained its own central bank, adopted the Deutchmark, then the euro - rather than the Yugoslav dinar - as official currency, collected customs tariffs, and managed its own budget. The dissolution of the loose political union between Serbia and Montenegro in 2006 led to separate membership in several international financial institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

On 18 January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF. Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World Trade Organization and signed a Stabilization and Association agreement with the European Union in October 2007. On December 15, 2008, Montenegro submitted an EU membership application.

Unemployment and regional disparities in development are key political and economic problems. Montenegro has privatized its large aluminum complex - the dominant industry - as well as most of its financial sector, and has begun to attract foreign direct investment in the tourism sector. The global financial crisis is likely to have a significant negative impact on the economy.

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture:
NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%

Labor force

259,100 (2004) country comparison to the world: 162

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
2%
industry:
30%
services:
68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Distribution of family income - Gini index

30 (2003) country comparison to the world: 115

Investment (gross fixed)

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 22

Budget

revenues:
NA
expenditures:
NA

Public debt

38% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 59

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.24% (31 December 2008) · 9.09% (31 December 2007) country comparison to the world: 92

Stock of money

$NA (31 December 2008); $1.172 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$NA (31 December 2008); $1.446 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA (31 December 2008); $3.083 billion (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2008) $3.699 billion (31 December 2007) · $1.754 billion (31 December 2006) country comparison to the world: 90

Agriculture - products

  • grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes;
  • sheepherding;
  • commercial fishing negligible

Industries

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Oil - exports

313.6 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 127

Oil - imports

6,093 bbl/day (2005) country comparison to the world: 152

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 103

Current account balance

-$1.102 billion (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124

Exports

$171.3 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 183

Imports

$601.7 million (2003) country comparison to the world: 182

Debt - external

$650 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 160

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
735,000
(2008)
Internet users
3,245
(2009)
Fixed lines
362,000
(2008) · country code .me

Telephone system

general assessment:
modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites
domestic:
GSM wireless service, available through 3 providers with national coverage, is growing
international:
country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system

Radio broadcast stations

31 (station frequency types NA) (2004)

Internet users

294,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 128

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 6 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 5passenger/cargo 1registered in other countries: 3 (Bahamas 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
1

Networkskm

Roadways
7,368Railways
250
Roadways: paved: 4,742 km · unpaved: 2,626 km (2006) · Railways: standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2007)

Airports

5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 182

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3; 2,438 to 3,047 m:; 2; 1,524 to 2,437 m:; 1 (2009)

Heliports

1 (2007)

Railways

total:
250 km

country comparison to the world: 126

standard gauge:
250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169 km) (2007)

Roadways

total:
7,368 km

country comparison to the world: 146

paved:
4,742 km
unpaved:
2,626 km (2006)

Military

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army, Navy, Air Force (2009)

5 fields

Military branches

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army, Navy, Air Force (2009)

Military service age and obligation

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49:
154,029
females age 16-49:
136,847 (2009 est.)

Military - note

Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully professional armed forces

Transnational Issues

3 fields

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin):
7,000 (Kosovo); note - mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999
IDPs:
16,192 (ethnic conflict in 1999 and riots in 2004) (2007)

Trafficking in persons

current situation:
  • Montenegro is primarily a transit country for the trafficking of women and girls to Western Europe for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation;
  • women and girls from the Balkans and Eastern Europe are trafficked across Montenegro to Western European countries
tier rating:
  • Tier 2 Watch List - Montenegro is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2007;
  • public attention to the issue of trafficking has diminished considerably in Montenegro in recent years (2008)

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Montenegro.” The World Factbook 2009. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/montenegro/2009.