CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(8 fields)
Broadcast media
state-funded national radio-TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 public TV stations and some 20 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations and more than 40 private radio stations (2007)
Internet country code
.me
Internet users
total: 381,700 | percent of population: 58.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136
Radio broadcast stations
31 (station frequency types NA) (2004)
Telephone system
general assessment: modern telecommunications system with access to European satellites | domestic: GSM mobile-cellular service, available through multiple providers with national coverage, is growing | international: country code - 382; 2 international switches connect the national system (2011)
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 160,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 135
Telephones - mobile cellular
total: 1 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 158
Television broadcast stations
13 (2004)
◆ ECONOMY(37 fields)
Agriculture - products
tobacco, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; sheep
Budget
revenues: $1.56 billion | expenditures: $1.63 billion (2014 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
-1.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 13
Commercial bank prime lending rate
9.22% (31 December 2014 est.) | 9.36% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88
Current account balance
-$793 million (2014 est.) | -$1.927 billion (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146
Debt - external
$1.576 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.433 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151
Distribution of family income - Gini index
26.2 (2013 est.) | 24.3 (2010) | country comparison to the world: 139
Economy - overview
Montenegro's economy is transitioning to a market system. From the beginning of the privatization process in 1999 through to 2015, around 85% of Montenegrin state-owned companies have been privatized, including 100% of banking, telecommunications, and oil distribution. The government recognizes the need to remove impediments in order to remain competitive and open the economy to foreign investors. The biggest foreign investors in Montenegro are Italy, Norway, Austria, Russia, Hungary and Great Britain. Net foreign direct investment in 2014 reached $483 million and investment per capita is one of the highest in Europe. Montenegro uses the Euro as its domestic currency, though it is not an official member of the Euro-zone. In January 2007, Montenegro joined the World Bank and IMF, and in December 2011, the World Trade Organization. Montenegro began negotiations to join the EC in June, 2012, having met the conditions set down by the European Council, which called on Montenegro to take steps to fight corruption and organized crime. Tourism brings in twice as many visitors as Montenegro’s total population every year. Several new luxury tourism complexes are in various states of development along the coast, and a number are being offered in connection with nearby boating and yachting facilities. Montenegro is currently planning major overhauls of its road, rail networks, and possible expansions of its air transportation system. In 2014, the Government of Montenegro selected two Chinese companies to construct a 41 km-long section of the country’s highway system. Construction will cost around $1.1 billion. Montenegro first instituted value added tax (VAT) in April 2003, and introduced differentiated VAT rates of 17% and 7% (for tourism) in January 2006. In May 2013, the Montenegrin Government raised the higher level VAT rate to 19%.
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar - | 0.7489 (2014 est.) | 0.7634 (2013 est.) | 0.78 (2012 est.) | 0.7185 (2011 est.) | 0.755 (2010 est.)
Exports
$370.2 million (2014 est.) | $489.2 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 176
Exports - partners
Croatia 22.7%, Serbia 22.7%, Slovenia 7.8% (2012 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.462 billion (2014 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$9.36 billion (2014 est.) | $9.256 billion (2013 est.) | $8.957 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 158
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 81.8% | government consumption: 21.2% | investment in fixed capital: 19.5% | investment in inventories: -0.1% | exports of goods and services: 42.1% | imports of goods and services: -64.5% | (2013 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 8.3% | industry: 21.2% | services: 70.5% (2013 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$15,000 (2014 est.) | $14,800 (2013 est.) | $14,300 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 100
GDP - real growth rate
1.1% (2014 est.) | 3.3% (2013 est.) | -2.5% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139
Gross national saving
2.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 1.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 0.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169
Imports
$1.982 billion (2014 est.) | $2.4 billion (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 157
Imports - partners
Serbia 29.3%, Greece 8.7%, China 7.1% (2012 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
4.5% (2013 est.)
Industries
steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.7% (2014 est.) | 3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12
Labor force
263,200 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 166
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 5.3% | industry: 17.9% | services: 76.8% (2014 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$7.532 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $3.827 billion (31 December 2012) | $3.322 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 91
Population below poverty line
8.6% (2013 est.)
Public debt
59.5% of GDP (31 December 2014 est.) | 57.9% of GDP (2013 est.) | note: 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 intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental 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 | country comparison to the world: 65
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$599.6 million (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154
Stock of broad money
$1.982 billion (31 December 2011 est.) | $2.01 billion (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$133 million (31 December 2014 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$483 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $446.5 million (31 December 2013 est.)
Stock of domestic credit
$2.63 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $2.682 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130
Stock of narrow money
$749 million (31 December 2011 est.) | $783.3 million (31 December 2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156
Taxes and other revenues
33.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55
Unemployment rate
18.5% (2014 est.) | 19.1% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 160
◆ ENERGY(23 fields)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
19.72 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 84
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2013) | country comparison to the world: 152
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 198
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - consumption
3.465 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128
Electricity - exports
696 million kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69
Electricity - from fossil fuels
24.6% of total installed capacity (20113 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
75.3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 137
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 202
Electricity - imports
410 million kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - installed generating capacity
885,500 kW (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126
Electricity - production
3.809 billion kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 132
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2014) | country comparison to the world: 168
Refined petroleum products - consumption
11,640 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172
Refined petroleum products - exports
622 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 114
Refined petroleum products - imports
12,270 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172
◆ GEOGRAPHY(18 fields)
Area
total: 13,812 sq km | land: 13,452 sq km | water: 360 sq km | country comparison to the world: 162
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Climate
Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland
Coastline
293.5 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m | highest point: Bobotov Kuk 2,522 m
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
Geographic coordinates
42 30 N, 19 18 E
Geography - note
strategic location along the Adriatic coast
Irrigated land
24.12 sq km (2010)
Land boundaries
total: 680 km | border countries (5): Albania 186 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 242 km, Croatia 19 km, Kosovo 76 km, Serbia 157 km
Land use
agricultural land: 38.2% | arable land 12.9%; permanent crops 1.2%; permanent pasture 24.1% | forest: 40.4% | other: 21.4% (2011 est.)
Location
Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia
Map references
Europe
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm | continental shelf: defined by treaty
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes
Natural resources
bauxite, hydroelectricity
Terrain
highly indented coastline with narrow coastal plain backed by rugged high limestone mountains and plateaus
◆ GOVERNMENT(21 fields)
Administrative divisions
23 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Gusinje, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnijica, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Ulcinj, Zabljak
Capital
name: Podgorica; note - Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal 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
Constitution
several previous; latest adopted 19 October 2007, promulagated 22 October 2007; amended 2013 (to strengthen independence of judiciary) (2015) (2015)
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
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret UYEHARA (since 19 February 2015) | embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro | mailing address: use embassy street address | telephone: [382] (0) 20 410 500 | FAX: [382] (0) 20 241 358
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Srdjan DARMANOVIC (since 30 November 2010) | chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 | telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 | FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 | consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch
chief of state: President Filip VUJANOVIC (since 6 April 2008) | head of government: Prime Minister Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 4 December 2012) | cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 April 2013 (next to be held in 2018); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly | election results: Filip VUJANOVIC reelected president; Filip VUJANOVIC (DPS) 51.2%, Miodrag LEKIC (independent) 48.8%%
Flag description
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 harkens back to the three and a half centuries that Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy
Government type
republic
Independence
3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICC jurisdiction
International organization participation
CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president, deputy president and 15 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 7 judges) | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president proposed by general session of the Supreme Court and elected by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body consisting of judges, lawyers designated by the Assembly, and the minister of judicial affairs; Supreme Court president elected for a single renewable, 5-year term; other judges elected by the Judicial Council for life; Constitutional Court judges - 2 proposed by the president of Montenegro and 5 by the Assembly, and elected by the Assembly; court president elected from among the court members; court president elected for 3 years, other judges 9 years | subordinate courts: Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts
Legal system
civil law
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Assembly or Skupstina (81 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 14 October 2012 (next to be held in October 2016) | election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - Coalition for European Montenegro 45.6%, Democratic Front 22.8%, SNP 11.1%, Positive Montenegro 8.2%, Bosniak Party 4.2%, other (including Albanian and Croatian minority parties) 8.1%; seats by party - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Democratic Front 20, SNP 9, Positive Montenegro 7, Bosniak Party 3, Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3 | note: seats by party/coaltion as of May 2015 - Coalition for European Montenegro 39, Democratic Front 20, SNP 9, Positive Montenegro 5, Bosniak Party 3, Albanian and Croatian minority parties 3, independent 2
National anthem
name: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May) | lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC | note: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song
National holiday
National Day, 13 July (1878, the day the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world, and 1941, the day the Montenegrins staged an uprising against Nazi occupiers and sided with the partisan Communist movement)
National symbol(s)
double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold
Political parties and leaders
Albanian Coalition (includes Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI], Democratic Party [Fatmir DJEKA], and Albanian Alternative or AA [Gjergj CAMAJ]) | Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC] | Coalition for European Montenegro [Milo DJUKANOVIC] (includes Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC], Liberal Party of Montenegro or LP [Andrija POPOVIC], and Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]) | Coalition FORCA for Unity (includes FORCA [Nazif CUNGU] and Civic Initiative [Vaselj SINISTAJ]) | Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC] | Democratic Front or DF [Miodrag LEKIC] (includes New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC] and Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]) | Positive Montenegro [Darko PAJOVIC] | Socialist People's Party or SNP [Srdan MILIC]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
Background
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. The later medieval state of Zeta maintained its existence until 1496 when Montenegro finally fell under Ottoman rule. Over subsequent centuries, Montenegro managed to maintain a level of autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro was a theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes; in 1852, it transformed into a secular principality. Montenegro was recognized as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. After World War I, during which Montenegro fought on the side of the Allies, 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, creating the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, shifting to a looser State 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 barely exceeded 55% - the threshold set by the EU - allowing Montenegro to formally restore its independence on 3 June 2006.
◆ MILITARY(5 fields)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 149,159 | females age 16-49: 131,823 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 3,120 | female: 3,677 (2010 est.)
Military branches
Armed Forces of the Republic of Montenegro: Army of Montenegro (includes Montenegrin Navy (Mornarica Crne Gore, MCG)), Air Force (2011)
Military expenditures
1.74% of GDP (2014) | 1.59% of GDP (2013) | 1.69% of GDP (2012) | 1.75% of GDP (2011) | 1.81% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 46
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)
◆ PEOPLE AND SOCIETY(31 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 15.18% (male 48,138/female 50,095) | 15-24 years: 10.27% (male 30,681/female 35,776) | 25-54 years: 47.02% (male 164,104/female 140,142) | 55-64 years: 13.12% (male 42,354/female 42,542) | 65 years and over: 14.41% (male 37,040/female 56,201) (2015 est.)
Birth rate
10.42 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182
Child labor - children ages 5-14
total number: 8,520 | percentage: 10% (2005 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
1% (2013) | country comparison to the world: 133
Contraceptive prevalence rate
39.4% (2005/06)
Death rate
9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 61
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.7% | youth dependency ratio: 27.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 20.2% | potential support ratio: 5% (2015 est.)
Drinking water source
urban: 100% of population | rural: 99.2% of population | total: 99.7% of population | urban: 0% of population | rural: 0.8% of population | total: 0.3% of population (2015 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Roma 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% (2011 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Health expenditures
6.5% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 65
Hospital bed density
4 beds/1,000 population (2011)
Languages
Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 98.7% | male: 99.5% | female: 98% (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: intermediate | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea | vectorborne disease: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (2013)
Major urban areas - population
PODGORICA (capital) 165,000 (2014)
Median age
total: 39.2 years | male: 38.2 years | female: 40.5 years (2014 est.)
Nationality
noun: Montenegrin(s) | adjective: Montenegrin
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
21.4% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 79
Physicians density
2.11 physicians/1,000 population (2013)
Population
647,073 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168
Population growth rate
-0.42% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 223
Religions
Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est.)
Sanitation facility access
urban: 90.8% of population | rural: 92.2% of population | total: 95.9% of population | urban: 2% of population | rural: 7.8% of population | total: 4.1% of population (2015 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 15 years | male: 15 years | female: 15 years (2010)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.86 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.17 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female | total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 41.1% | male: 42.3% | female: 39.7% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11
Urbanization
urban population: 64% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.34% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(2 fields)
Disputes - international
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 5,633 (Serbia and Kosovo) (2014) | stateless persons: 3,296 (2014)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(7 fields)
Airports
5 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 181
Airports - with paved runways
total: 5 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Heliports
1 (2012)
Merchant marine
total: 2 | by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 | registered in other countries: 4 (Bahamas 2, Honduras 1, Slovakia 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 146
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Bar
Railways
total: 250 km | standard gauge: 250 km 1.435-m gauge (169 km electrified) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 125
Roadways
total: 7,762 km | paved: 7,141 km | unpaved: 621 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 142