Montenegro

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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.

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Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

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42 30 N, 19 18 E

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Europe

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slightly smaller than Connecticut; slightly larger than twice the size of Delaware

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293.5 km

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

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

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bauxite, hydroelectricity

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24 sq km (2012)

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

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destructive earthquakes

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strategic location along the Adriatic coast

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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.)

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

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-0.46% (2025 est.)

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10.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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-5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

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177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018)

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26.3 years (2010 est.)

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6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.88 (2025 est.)

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2.78 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

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3.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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23.3% (2016)

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3.7% (2018 est.)

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57.6% (2018 est.)

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pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets; serious air pollution in some cities from lignite power plants and household use of coal and wood for heating

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

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17.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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parliamentary republic

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<strong>note: </strong>Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital"

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25 municipalities (<em>opstine</em>, singular - <em>opstina</em>); 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

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civil law

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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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18 years of age; universal

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Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG)<br>Albanian Alternative or AA<br>Albanian Democratic League or LDSH<br>Albanian Forum (electoral coalition includes AA, LDSH, UDSH)<br>Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely! (electoral coalition includes Democrats, URA)<br>Bosniak Party or BS <br>Civic Movement United Reform Action or United Reform Action or URA <br>Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI <br>Democratic Alliance or DEMOS <br>Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG<br>Democratic Montenegro or Democrats<br>Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS <br>Democratic People's Party or DNP <br>Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSH<br>Europe Now!<br>For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP)<br>Liberal Party or LP <br>New Democratic Power or FORCA<br>New Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA <br>Social Democrats or SD<br>Socialist People's Party or SNP <br>Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH)<br>United Montenegro or UCG (split from DEMOS)<br>Workers' Party or RP 

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

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<strong><strong>note: </strong></strong>Montenegro is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

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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)

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Statehood Day, 13 July (1878, 1941)

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<strong>note: </strong>the holiday celebrates the day in 1878 when the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as an independent state, as well as the day in 1941 when the Montenegrins staged an uprising against its occupiers

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<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> 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

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double-headed eagle

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red, gold

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<p>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</p> <p> </p>

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$8.07 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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milk, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sheep milk, cabbages, oranges, eggs, goat milk, figs (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

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-1.7% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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245,300 (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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20.3% (2021 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Italy 38%, Serbia 13%, Spain 6%, Slovenia 5%, Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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electricity, aluminum, copper ore, aluminum ore, packaged medicine (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Serbia 21%, China 10%, Germany 8%, Croatia 6%, Italy 6% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, cars, electricity, packaged medicine, aluminum (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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<strong>note:</strong> Montenegro, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency

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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)

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.me

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4O

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5 (2025)

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1 (2025)

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Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy <br><br>Ministry of Interior: Police Directorate of Montenegro (2025)

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approximately 2,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

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the military's inventory is small and consists largely of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, along with a limited but growing mix of imported Western systems (2025)

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18-30 for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> as of 2024, women made up over 11% of the military's full-time personnel

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the Army of Montenegro is responsible for the defense of Montenegro&rsquo;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&rsquo;s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; a few personnel have also been deployed on EU- and UN-led operations (2025)