from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Montenegro
Introduction
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
it was able to maintain its independence from the
Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries,
Montenegro became a theocratic state ruled by a series
of bishop princes; in 1852, it was transformed into a
secular principality. After World War I, Montenegro was
part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and, 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. Following a three-year
postponement, Montenegro held an independence
referendum in the spring of 2006 under rules set by the
EU. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded the
55% threshold, allowing Montenegro to formally declare
its independence on 3 June 2006.
Geography
Location: Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and
Serbia
Geographic 42 30 N, 19 18 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 14,026 sq km
land: 13,812 sq km
water: 214 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Connecticut
comparative:
Land total: 625 km
boundaries: border countries: Albania 172 km, Bosnia and
Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km
Coastline: 293.5 km
Maritime NA
claims:
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 lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
Natural bauxite, hydroelectricity
resources:
Land use: arable land: 13.7%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 85.3%
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural destructive earthquakes
hazards:
Environment - pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets,
current especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor
issues:
Geography - strategic location along the Adriatic coast
note:
People
Population: 630,548 (2004)
Population 3.5% (2004)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 12.6 births/1,000 population (2004)
Death rate: 9.2 deaths/1,000 population (2004)
Nationality: noun: Montenegrin(s)
adjective: Montenegrin
Ethnic groups: Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%,
other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12%
Religions: Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic
Languages: Serbian (Ijekavian dialect - official), Bosnian,
Albanian, Croatian
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Montenegro
conventional short form: Montenegro
local long form: Republika Crna Gora
local short form: Crna Gora
former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist
Republic of Montenegro
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Podgorica (administrative 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
note: Cetinje (capital city)
Administrative 21 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina);
divisions: Andrijevia, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje,
Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac,
Niksic, Plav, Pluzine, Pljevlja, Podgornica, Rozaje,
Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak
Independence: 3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro); note - a
referendum on independence was held 21 May 2006
National National Day, 13 July
holiday:
Constitution: 12 October 1992 (was approved by the Assembly)
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 11 May
branch: 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister Zeljko STURANOVIC
(since 11 October 2006)
cabinet: Ministries act as cabinet
elections: president elected by direct vote for
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held in 2008); prime
minister proposed by president, accepted by Assembly
election results: Filip VUJANOVIC elected on the third
round; Filip VUJANOVIC 63.3%, Miodrag ZIVKOVIC 30.8%
Legislative unicameral Assembly (81 seats, elected by direct vote
branch: for four-year terms; changed from 74 seats at the time
of the elections)
elections: last held 10 September 2006 (next to be held
2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - Coalition for a European Montenegro 41, SNS
12, Coalition SPP/NS/DSS 11, PZP 11, Liberals and
Bosniaks 3, Democratic League-Democratic Prosperity 1,
Democratic Union of Albanians 1, Albanian Alternative 1
Judicial Constitutional Court (five judges with nine-year
branch: terms); Supreme Court (judges have life tenure)
Political Albanian Alternative or AA; Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet
parties and HUSOVIC]; Coalition for a European Montenegro
leaders: (Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS and Social
Democratic Party or SDP) [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Coalition
SPP/NS/DSS; Democratic League-Party of Democratic
Prosperity [Mehmet BARHDI]; Democratic Serbian Party of
Montenegro or DSS; Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA
[Ferhat DINOSA]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP
[Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; Movement for Changes or PZP
[Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS
[Predrag POPOVIC]; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro
or SNS [Andrija MANDIC]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
[Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Social Democratic Party of
Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Socialist People's
Party or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]
International CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, ICFTU, ILO, Interpol, IPU, ITU,
organization OSCE, UN, UPU, WHO, WTO (observer)
participation:
Flag a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe
description: with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered
Economy
Economy - The republic of Montenegro severed its economy from
overview: federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC
era and continues to maintain its own central bank,
uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official
currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages 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 IMF, World Bank, and the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Montenegro is pursuing its own membership in the World
Trade Organization as well as negotiating a
Stabilization and Association agreement with the
European Union in anticipation of eventual membership.
Severe unemployment remains a key political and
economic problem for this entire region. 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.
GDP $2.412 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $1.125 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real NA
growth rate:
GDP - per $3,800 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: % NA
composition by industry: % NA
sector: services: % NA
Labor force: 259,100 (2004)
Labor force - agriculture: 2%
by occupation: industry: 30%
services: 68% (2004)
Unemployment 27.7% (2005)
rate:
Population 12.2% (2003)
below poverty
line:
Inflation rate 3.4% (2004)
(consumer
prices):
Investment % of GDP NA
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: NA
expenditures: NA
Public debt: % of GDP NA
Agriculture - grains, tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives,
products: grapes; sheepherding; commercial fishing negligible
Industries: steelmaking, agricultural processing, consumer goods,
tourism
Electricity - 2.864 billion kWh 2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)
production:
Electricity - NA
consumption:
Oil - NA
production:
Oil - NA
consumption:
Natural gas - NA
consumption:
Current NA
account
balance:
Exports: $171.3 million (2003)
Exports - Switzerland 83.9%, Italy 6.1%, Bosnia and Herzegovina
partners: 1.3% (2003)
Imports: $601.7 million (2003)
Imports - Greece 10.2%, Italy 10.2%, Germany 9.6%, Bosnia and
partners: Herzegovina 9.2% (2003)
Reserves of NA
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - NA
external:
Economic aid - NA
recipient:
Currency euro (EUR)
(code):
Exchange euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8089 (2004),
rates: 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 177,663 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 543,220 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: modern telecommunications system
system: with access to European satellites
domestic: GSM wireless service, available through two
providers with national coverage, is growing rapidly
international: country code - 382 (the old code of 381
used by Serbia and Montenegro will also remain in use
until Feb 2007); two international switches connect the
national system
Radio 31 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Television 13 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Internet .me
country code:
Internet 50,000 (2004)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 5 (2006)
Airports - total: 3
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 1
runways: under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Railways: total: 250 km
standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (electrified 169
km) (2005)
Roadways: total: 7,353 km
paved: 4,274 km
unpaved: 3,079 km (2005)
Merchant total: 4 ships (1000 GRT or over) 9,458 GRT/10,172 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 4
registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 2) (2006)
Ports and Bar
terminals:
Military
Military compulsory national military service abolished August
service age 2006
and
obligation:
Military $2.306 billion
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military - Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of a fully
note: professional armed forces
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse demarcation of the
international: boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000
Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement,
which includes a section of boundary with Montenegro