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.

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

slightly smaller than Connecticut

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

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

bauxite, hydroelectricity

destructive earthquakes

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

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

661,807 (July 2011 est.)

11 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

8.89 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

PODGORICA (capital) 144,000 (2009)

urban: 100% of population

rural: 96% of population

total: 98% of population

urban: 0% of population

rural: 4% of population

total: 2% of population (2008)

urban: 96% of population

rural: 86% of population

total: 92% of population

urban: 4% of population

rural: 14% of population

total: 8% of population (2008)

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

Orthodox 74.2%, Muslim 17.7%, Catholic 3.5%, other 0.6%, unspecified 3%, atheist 1% (2003 census)

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

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

3 June 2006 (from Serbia and Montenegro)

National Day, 13 July (1878)

approved 19 October 2007 (by the Assembly)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

unicameral Assembly (81 seats; members elected by direct vote to serve four-year terms; note - seats increased from 74 seats in 2006)

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

Albanian Alternative or AA [Vesel SINISHTAJ]; Coalition for European Montenegro (bloc) [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC], Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC], Bosniak Party of BS [Rafet HUSOVIC], and Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC); 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 DINOSHA]; For a Different Montenegro (bloc) [Goran BATRICEVIC] (includes Democratic Center or DC [Goran BATRICEVIC] and Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]); FORCA [Nazif CUNGU]; Movement for Changes or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]; National Coalition (includes People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Predrag POPOVIC] and Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Ranko KADIC]); New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Srdjan MILIC]

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

a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered; the arms consist of a double-headed golden eagle - symbolizing the unity of church and state - surmounted by a crown; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the breast shield over the eagle shows a golden lion passant on a green field in front of a blue sky; the lion is symbol of episcopal authority and harks back to the three and a half centuries that Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

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. In 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. The European Council granted candidate country status to Montenegro at the December 2010 session. 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 has had a significant negative impact on the economy, due to the ongoing credit crunch, a decline in the real estate sector, and a fall in aluminum exports.

$6.724 billion (2010 est.)

$6.653 billion (2009 est.)

$7.055 billion (2008 est.)

$4.017 billion (2010 est.)

30.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

9.36% (31 December 2009 est.)

9.24% (31 December 2008 est.)

$816.8 million (31 December 2008)

$1.172 billion (31 December 2007)

$1.406 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.446 billion (31 December 2007)

$3.29 billion (31 December 2009)

$3.771 billion (31 December 2008)

$4.289 billion (31 December 2009)

$2.863 billion (31 December 2008)

$3.699 billion (31 December 2007)

tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheep

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

2.864 billion kWh (2005 est.)

18.6 million kWh (2005)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

5,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

313.6 bbl/day (2005)

6,093 bbl/day (2005)

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$-1.102 billion (2007 est.)

$171.3 million (2003)

Italy 29.52%, Greece 22.65%, Slovenia 11.83%, Hungary 8.96%, US 7.93% (2009)

$601.7 million (2003)

Italy 17.54%, Slovenia 14.62%, Germany 10.5%, Austria 7.82%, China 7.82%, Russia 4.4%, Hungary 4.11%, Greece 4.11%, Netherlands 4% (2009)

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

state-owned national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial television networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; roughly a dozen privately-owned TV broadcasters operate networks nationally, regionally, and locally; in addition to the 2 state-owned national radio networks, roughly 50 privately-owned radio stations and networks broadcast (2007)

Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army of Montenegro (includes Montenegrin Navy (Mornarica Crne Gore, MCG)), Air Force (2011)

compulsory national military service abolished August 2006