Montenegro

total: 203,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2023 est.)

state-funded national radio and TV broadcaster operates 2 terrestrial TV networks, 1 satellite TV channel, and 2 radio networks; 4 local public TV stations and 14 private TV stations; 14 local public radio stations, 35 private radio stations, and several online media (2019)

.me

percent of population: 90% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 190,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 1.31 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 203 (2022 est.)

milk, potatoes, watermelons, grapes, sheep milk, cabbages, oranges, eggs, goat milk, figs (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on food: 24.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 5.6% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

revenues: $1.463 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $1.491 billion (2015 est.) note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

-$1.406 billion (2024 est.) -$851.525 million (2023 est.) -$817.858 million (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$3.643 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

upper-middle-income, small Balkan economy; uses euro as de facto currency; reduced growth due to slowdown in tourism and industrial production; new impetus for EU accession under Europe Now government; energy price cap and declining food and services prices easing inflation rate

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.924 (2024 est.) 0.925 (2023 est.) 0.951 (2022 est.) 0.845 (2021 est.) 0.877 (2020 est.) note: Montenegro, which is neither an EU member state nor a party to a formal EU monetary agreement, uses the euro as its de facto currency

$3.629 billion (2024 est.) $3.769 billion (2023 est.) $3.177 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

electricity, aluminum, copper ore, aluminum ore, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Italy 38%, Serbia 13%, Spain 6%, Slovenia 5%, Bosnia & Herzegovina 4% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$8.07 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 76.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 17.9% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 8.3% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 44.9% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -67.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 5.2% (2024 est.) industry: 11.6% (2024 est.) services: 62.1% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

34.3 (2021 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 2.1% (2021 est.) highest 10%: 24.7% (2021 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$5.478 billion (2024 est.) $5.167 billion (2023 est.) $4.614 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, cars, electricity, packaged medicine, aluminum (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Serbia 21%, China 10%, Germany 8%, Croatia 6%, Italy 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-1.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

steelmaking, aluminum, agricultural processing, consumer goods, tourism

3.3% (2024 est.) 8.6% (2023 est.) 13% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

245,300 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

20.3% (2021 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

67.2% of GDP (2017 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 intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental 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

$17.375 billion (2024 est.) $16.862 billion (2023 est.) $15.857 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3% (2024 est.) 6.3% (2023 est.) 6.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$27,900 (2024 est.) $27,000 (2023 est.) $25,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

10.6% of GDP (2024 est.) 10.7% of GDP (2023 est.) 13.3% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$1.741 billion (2024 est.) $1.574 billion (2023 est.) $2.041 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

14.1% (2024 est.) 14.7% (2023 est.) 14.9% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

total: 25.9% (2024 est.) male: 27.5% (2024 est.) female: 23.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

production: 1.862 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 1.658 million metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 205,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 2.8 metric tons (2022 est.) proven reserves: 337 million metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 1.082 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 2.719 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 6.288 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 5.421 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 601.023 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

fossil fuels: 39.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 7.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

63.407 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

2.808 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 1.543 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.265 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets; serious air pollution in some cities from lignite power plants and household use of coal and wood for heating

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.9% (2023 est.)

17.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

municipal: 121.32 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 2.079 billion cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 6.76 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

urban population: 68.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 329,800 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 6.4% (2022 est.)

total : 13,812 sq km land: 13,452 sq km water: 360 sq km

slightly smaller than Connecticut; slightly larger than twice the size of Delaware

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

293.5 km

highest point: Zia Kolata 2,534 m lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m mean elevation: 1,086 m

42 30 N, 19 18 E

strategic location along the Adriatic coast

24 sq km (2012)

total: 680 km border countries (5): Albania 186 km; Bosnia and Herzegovina 242 km; Croatia 19 km; Kosovo 76 km; Serbia 157 km

agricultural land: 19.6% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.7% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.4% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 18.5% (2023 est.) forest: 61.5% (2023 est.) other: 18.9% (2023 est.)

Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia

fresh water lake(s): Lake Scutari (shared with Albania) - 400 sq km note - largest lake in the Balkans

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km)

Europe

territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: defined by treaty

destructive earthquakes

bauxite, hydroelectricity

highest population density is concentrated in the south and southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area

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

25 municipalities ( opstine , singular - opstina ); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Gusinje, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnjica, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Zabljak, Zeta

name: Podgorica 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 etymology: the Slavic name translates as "under the mountain," from pod (under) and gora (mountain) note: Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital"

citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

history: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007 amendment process: proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles, such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures, require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum

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 etymology: the name in Italian means "dark mountain" and is a translation of the Serbo-Croatian name Crna Gora; both refer to the dark coniferous forests in the mountainous region

chief of mission: Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018) embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica mailing address: 5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC 20521-5570 telephone: [382] (0) 20-410-500 FAX: [382] (0) 20-241-358 email address and website: PodgoricaACS@state.gov https://me.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Jovan MIRKOVIĆ (since 18 September 2024) chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.me United States of America - Embassies and consulates of Montenegro and visa regimes for foreign citizens (www.gov.me) consulate(s) general: New York

chief of state: President Jakov MILATOVIC (since 20 May 2023) head of government: Prime Minister Milojko SPAJIC (since 31 October 2023) cabinet: ministers serve as the cabinet election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly most recent election date: 19 March 2023, with a runoff on 2 April 2023 election results: 2023: Jakov MILATOVIC elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Milo DUKANOVIC (DPS) 35.4%, Jakov MILATOVIC (Europe Now!) 28.9%, Andrija MANDIC (DF) 19.3%, Aleksa BECIC (DCG) 11.1%, other 5.3%; percent of vote in second round - Jakov MILATOVIC 58.9%, Milo DUKANOVIC 41.1% 2018: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in first round; percent of vote - Milo DJUKANOVIC (DPS) 53.9%, Mladen BOJANIC (independent) 33.4%, Draginja VUKSANOVIC (SDP) 8.2%, Marko MILACIC (PRAVA) 2.8%, other 1.7% expected date of next election: 2028

description: a red field bordered with a narrow golden-yellow stripe; the Montenegrin coat of arms in the center is a double-headed golden eagle, with a crown above; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the eagle's breast shield shows a golden lion on a green field in front of a blue sky meaning: the eagle symbolizes the unity of church and state; the lion is a symbol of episcopal authority, a reference to the three-and-a-half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy

parliamentary republic

3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 13 March 1852 (Principality of Montenegro established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Montenegrin independence); 28 August 1910 (Kingdom of Montenegro established)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO note: Montenegro is an EU candidate country whose satisfactory completion of accession criteria is required before being granted full EU membership

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 a 3-year term, other judges serve 9-year terms subordinate courts: Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts

civil law

legislature name: Parliament (Skupstina) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 81 (all directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6/11/2023 parties elected and seats per party: Europe now! (Evropa sad) (24); Together! For the future that belongs to you (DPS – SD – DUA – LP - UDSh) (21); For the future of Montenegro (New Serb Democracy; Democratic People’s Party of Montenegro, Labour Party) (13); Bravery counts! (HRABRO se broji!) (11); It’s clear! (Jasno je!) – Bosniak Party (6); Other (6) percentage of women in chamber: 27.2% expected date of next election: June 2027

title: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May) lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC history: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song

red, gold

total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (c); Durmitor National Park (n); Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards (c); Fortified City of Kotor Venetian Defense Works (c)

Statehood Day, 13 July (1878, 1941) note: the holiday celebrates the day in 1878 when the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as an independent state, as well as the day in 1941 when the Montenegrins staged an uprising against its occupiers

double-headed eagle

Albanian Alliance (electoral coalition includes FORCA, PD, DSCG) Albanian Alternative or AA Albanian Democratic League or LDSH Albanian Forum (electoral coalition includes AA, LDSH, UDSH) Aleksa and Dritan - Count Bravely! (electoral coalition includes Democrats, URA) Bosniak Party or BS Civic Movement United Reform Action or United Reform Action or URA Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI Democratic Alliance or DEMOS Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG Democratic Montenegro or Democrats Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS Democratic People's Party or DNP Democratic Union of Albanians or UDSH Europe Now! For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG (coalition includes NSD, DNP, RP) Liberal Party or LP New Democratic Power or FORCA New Serb Democracy or NSD or NOVA Social Democrats or SD Socialist People's Party or SNP Together! (electoral coalition includes DPS, SD, LP, UDSH) United Montenegro or UCG (split from DEMOS) Workers' Party or RP

18 years of age; universal

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. Under Ottoman control beginning in 1496, Montenegro was a semi-autonomous theocracy ruled by a series of bishop princes until 1852, when it became a secular principality. Montenegro fought a series of wars with the Ottomans and eventually won recognition as an independent sovereign principality at the Congress of Berlin in 1878. In 1918, the country was absorbed by the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. At the end of World War II, Montenegro joined the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). When the SFRY dissolved in 1992, Montenegro and Serbia created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), which shifted in 2003 to a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Montenegro voted to restore its independence on 3 June 2006. Montenegro became an official EU candidate in 2010 and joined NATO in 2017.

the Army of Montenegro is responsible for the defense of Montenegro s sovereignty and territorial integrity, cooperating in international and multinational security, and assisting civil authorities during emergencies such as natural disasters; since Montenegro joined NATO in 2017, another focus has been integrating into the Alliance, including adapting NATO standards for planning and professionalization, structural reforms, and modernization by replacing its Soviet-era equipment; the Army trains and exercises with NATO partners and actively supports NATO missions and operations, committing small numbers of troops in Afghanistan, Kosovo, and NATO s Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Eastern Europe; a few personnel have also been deployed on EU- and UN-led operations (2025)

Army of Montenegro (Vojska Crne Gore or VCG): Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy Ministry of Interior: Police Directorate of Montenegro (2025)

approximately 2,000 active-duty military personnel (2025)

the military's inventory is small and consists largely of Soviet-era equipment inherited from the former Yugoslavia military, along with a limited but growing mix of imported Western systems (2025)

2% of GDP (2025 est.) 1.7% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

18-30 for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2006 (2025) note: as of 2024, women made up over 11% of the military's full-time personnel

0-14 years: 17.7% (male 54,608/female 51,594) 15-64 years: 64.4% (male 192,631/female 193,515) 65 years and over: 17.9% (2024 est.) (male 47,243/female 60,258)

total: 9.91 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 3.83 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 2.68 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

women married by age 15: 1.9% (2018) women married by age 18: 5.8% (2018) men married by age 18: 3.2% (2018)

3.7% (2018 est.)

57.6% (2018 est.)

10.29 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio: 55.3 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 27.5 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.8 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 3.6 (2024 est.)

urban: 99.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 98.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 1.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Montenegrin 45%, Serbian 28.7%, Bosniak 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Romani 1%, Croat 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% (2011 est.)

0.88 (2025 est.)

10.6% of GDP (2021) 16.3% of national budget (2022 est.)

3.8 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

total: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.) major-language sample(s): Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Montenegrin/Bosnian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

total population: 78.2 years (2024 est.) male: 75.8 years female: 80.7 years

total population: 98.5% (2018 est.) male: 99.2% (2018 est.) female: 97.9% (2018 est.)

177,000 PODGORICA (capital) (2018)

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 41.5 years (2025 est.) male: 39.5 years female: 42.5 years

26.3 years (2010 est.)

noun: Montenegrin(s) adjective: Montenegrin

-5.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

23.3% (2016)

2.78 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

total: 599,849 (2024 est.) male: 294,482 female: 305,367

highest population density is concentrated in the south and southwest; the extreme eastern border is the least populated area

-0.46% (2025 est.)

Orthodox 72.1%, Muslim 19.1%, Catholic 3.4%, atheist 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% (2011 est.)

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.) rural: 93.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 98.1% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0% of population (2022 est.) rural: 6.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 1.9% of population (2022 est.)

total: 16 years (2023 est.) male: 15 years (2023 est.) female: 16 years (2023 est.)

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 31.6% (2025 est.) male: 29.9% (2025 est.) female: 33.1% (2025 est.)

1.8 children born/woman (2025 est.)

urban population: 68.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.45% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

refugees: 18,820 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 423 (2024 est.)

5 (2025)

4O

1 (2025)

total: 18 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 4, other 14

total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Bar, Kotor, Risan, Tivat

total: 250 km (2017) standard gauge: 250 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (224 km electrified)