Montenegro

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Montenegro

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republika Crna Gora/Republic of Montenegro Area 13,812 sq km/5,333 sq mi Capital Podgorica Language Serbian, as well as ethnic minority languages (including Albanian and Hungarian) Religion Orthodox Christianity (predominant religion), small Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish minorities; a significant Muslim minority (made up by Bosniaks, Slav Muslims and most of the Albanian population) Time difference GMT +1 Major holidays 1–2 January, 15 February, 27 April, 1–2 May, 9 May, 13 July, 29–30 November; Orthodox Christian holidays may also be celebrated throughout much of the region


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Nikaic, Pljevlja, Centinje, Kotor Physical features rugged mountainous terrain dominated by the Black Mountains (Crna Gora), fertile river valleys, coastal lowlands and western coastline along the Adriatic Sea Airports two international airports and three smaller, domestic airports Railways total length: 250 km/155 mi Roads total road network: 7,353 km/4,569 mi, of which 58.1% paved (2004 est); passenger cars: see Serbia


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Filip Vujanovic from 2006 Head of government Zeljko `truranovic from 2006 Political system emergent democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions 21 municipalities Political parties Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), successor of former Communist party; Liberal Alliance of Montenegro, liberal centre-left; People's Party of Montenegro (NS), part of a conservative coalition; Serbian People's Party of Montenegro (SNS), ethnic Serb party supporting closer ties with Serbia; Social Democratic Party (SDP), centre-left; Socialist People's Party (SNP), centre-right; Bosniak Party of Montenegro, Bosniak minority party; Serbian Radical Party of Montenegro, Serb nationalist Death penalty abolished in 2002 Armed forces Montenegrin plans call for the establishment of professional armed forces; Montenegro was expected to assume control of the greater part of the navy of the former State Union Defence spend (% GDP) see Serbia Education spend (% GDP) see Serbia Health spend (% GDP) see Serbia


ECONOMY

Currency euro (adopted unilaterally; not a member of the Eurozone) GDP (US$) 2.4 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 6.1 (2006 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 3,800 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 3% (2006 est) Unemployment 23% (2005 est) Labour force 2% agriculture, 30% industry, 68% services (2004) Major trading partners Serbia, Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Switzerland, Germany, Greece Resources bauxite, coal, lead, zinc, thermoelectric power Industries crude steel, pig-iron, steel castings, cement, engineering, wood-processing, textiles and clothing, leather and footwear, electrical appliances, construction and forestry machines, tourism Exports raw materials, semi-finished products including aluminium, steel, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and processed lumber. Principal market: Serbia (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, electrical goods, agricultural produce, mineral fuels and lubricants, basic manufactures, foodstuffs, chemicals. Principal source: Serbia (2005) Agricultural products tobacco, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, citrus fruit, olives, grapes and other fruits, vegetables; livestock (mainly sheep) farming has been developed in recent years


POPULATION

Population 658,000 (2005 est) Population growth rate 0.1% (2000–15) Population density (per sq km) 47.6 (2005 est) Urban population (% of total) see Serbia Age distribution (% of total population) see Serbia Ethnic groups majority of population consists of Montenegrins (over 40%), with minority communities of Serbs, Bosniaks, ethnic Muslims, Albanians, Croats, among others. Life expectancy see Serbia Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) see Serbia Education (compulsory years) 8 Literacy rate 99% (men); 95% (women) (2005 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 2 (2000 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 6 (2000 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) see Serbia AIDS deaths see Serbia Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) see Serbia


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 27 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 82.5 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) see Serbia TV sets (per 1,000 people) see Serbia Personal computer users (per 100 people) see Serbia Internet users (per 100 people) 7.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

late 12th century Montenegro became part of Serbia. 1389 Became independent under Venetian protection after Serbia defeated by Turks. late 15th century Forced to accept Turkish suzerainty but not fully subdued. 1851 Monarchy founded. 1878 Became soverign principality under Treaty of Berlin. 1910 Nikola I took title of king. 1912 King Nikola declared war on Ottoman Empire. 1912–13 During Balkan Wars, Montenegro expanded its territory. 1918 Joined Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia to form Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. 1929 New name of Yugoslavia (‘Land of the Southern Slavs’) adopted; Serbian-dominated military dictatorship established by King Alexander I. 1934 Alexander I assassinated; succeeded by young son Peter II with uncle as regent. 1941 Following coup by pro-Allied officers, Nazi Germany invaded. Armed resistance to German rule began, spearheaded by pro-royalist Serbian-based Chetniks and communist partisans. 1943 Provisional government formed by partisan leader Marshal Tito. 1945 Became constituent republic within Yugoslav Socialist Federation formed under Tito's leadership. 1948 Yugoslavia split with Soviet Union after Tito objected to Soviet ‘hegemonism’; expelled from Cominform. 1961 Non-aligned movement formed under Yugoslavia's leadership. 1971 In response to mounting separatist demands in Croatia, new system of collective and rotating leadership introduced. 1980 Tito died; collective leadership assumed power in Federation. 1988 Ethnic unrest in Montenegro. 1992–95 War following secession of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, and Macedonia from Federation. 1997 Montenegro began to pursue quasi-independence from Serbia. 1999 German Deutschmark adopted as legal currency alongside Yugoslav dinar. 2000 United Nations (UN) reinstated Yugoslavia's membership (suspended since 1992). 2002 Serbia and Montenegro agreed to stay together in looser federation with equal powers and common foreign and defence policies. 2003 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia became new constitutional entity called Serbia and Montenegro. 2006 Montenegro declared independence as sovereign republic and became new UN member. Zeljjko Sturanovic of Democratic Party of Socialists elected prime minister by parliament.


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