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.
Location:
Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea
and Serbia
Area:
14,026 sq km
Border countries:
Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225
km, Croatia 25 km, Serbia 203 km
Climate:
Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and
autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
Geography:
strategic location along the Adriatic coast
Population:
630,548
Nationality:
Montenegrin(s)
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 type:
republic
Capital:
Cetinje
Time zone:
GMT/UTC +01:00
National holiday:
National Day, 13 July
Currency:
euro (EUR)
Communications:
Telephones – main lines in use: 177,663;
modern telecommunications system with access to European
satellites
Transportation:
Airports: 5, Railways: 250 km, Roadways:
7,353 km