Montenegro is a small country which emerged as independent in May 2006. Its’ independence brought the end of the former Union of Serbia and Montenegro, created only 3 years earlier out of the remnant of the former Yugoslavia.
Montenegro, is located in the west-central Balkans at the southern end of the Dinaric Alps. It is bounded by the Adriatic Sea and Croatia (southwest), Bosnia and Herzegovina (northwest), Serbia (northeast), Kosovo (east), and Albania (southeast). It covers an area of 13 812 square kilometers, nearly half the size of Belgium or slightly smaller than Connecticut in U.S.
The country’s names, both Montenegro and Crna Gora, mean “black mountain” in reference to
mount Lovcen (1749 meters). The terrain of Montenegro ranges from high mountains along its
borders with Kosovo and Albania, to a long coastline along the Adriatic Sea.
Montenegro’s population is approximately 620 000 people (2019 est.), the majority being
Montenegrins and Serbs, although considerable communities of Bosnians and Albanians live in
the country as well.
Unlike other countries of the Balkan Peninsula, Montenegro 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 and in 1852, it was transformed
into a secular principality. Following the end of the First World War, Montenegro became part
of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. During the World War II, it was occupied by
Italian troops. Communist-led Partisans liberated Montenegro from Axis rule by December
1944, with the country becoming one of the six republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia after the end of World War II.
Unlike Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Macedonia, which sought independence from Yugoslavia following the fall of Communism, Montenegro chose to maintain a common Yugoslav state with Serbia, proclaiming the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. This arrangement lasted until 2003, when a more decentralized State Union of Serbia and Montenegro was proclaimed, following the mediation of the European Union, through the Belgrade Agreement. The agreement also allowed for either state to hold a referendum on the dissolution of the State Union within three years. Montenegro duly exercised this right and held an independence referendum in May 2006. After 55% of voters cast their ballots in support of independence, on June 3, 2006 the Montenegrin parliament proclaimed the country’s independence.
Montenegro is one of the fastest-growing tourist destinations. In 2016, the coastal town of
Kotor was named the best city to visit by Lonely Planet, whereas the country itself is
continuously included in touristic top lists. Stunning nature with high mountains in combination
with pretty bays overlooking the Adriatic Sea, deep canyons and gushing rivers, exquisite towns
protected by Unesco have all contributed to Montenegro being one of the “must” destinations
in the Balkans.