35 FACTS ABOUT

MONTENEGRO
 History and Geography
• Montenegro declared its independence from Serbia on June 3,
2006.
• Montenegro got its name from the dark mountain forests that
cover the land. The name breaks down into two words, ‘monte’
and ‘negro’ (black, mountain), and dates back to the
15th century.
• Lake Skadar is the largest in the Balkan region, with two-thirds
lying in Montenegro and the remainder in Albania.
• area, Montenegro is comparable to the size of Connecticut.
• Montenegro is a small country with a population of less than
one million people. However, the country shows major
economic potential, especially from its tourism industry.
• The country has 117 beaches along the Adriatic coast.
• Montenegro is a famous tourist destination. The
legendary English romantic poet Lord Bryon once
described the country this way: ‘At the birth of the planet the
most beautiful encounter between land and sea must have
been on the Montenegrin coast’. This is a testament to the
country’s striking beauty, which is no doubt one of the primary
reasons why it attracts millions of visitors.
• Podgorica is the capital and largest city of the country. It covers
a total area of 55.6 square miles. The city hosts Montenegro’s
administrative, economic, cultural and educational centers.
• The country’s flag features a golden lion. The flag is based on
the flag that was in use during the reign of King Nicola I, who
was king between 1910 and 1918.
• The Tara (Drina) River in Montenegro is known for its clean
water. The total length is 144 km, of which 110 km are in
Montenegro, while the final 34 km are in Bosnia and
Herzegovina; it also forms the border between the two
countries in several places.
• About 60% of the country is more than 1000 meters above sea
level, with the tallest peak – Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor
Mountains – at 2,522 meters.
 Tourism and Trade in
Montenegro
• The country has a diverse population. Native Montenegrins
make up about 45% of its population while Serbs, Bosniaks,
Albanians, Muslims and Croats form the rest of the country’s
population.
• Serbia, Italy, Germany, Croatia and Hungary are its major trade
partners.
• Tourism, steel making, aluminum and food processing represent
its major industries. Handmade carpets, wood carvings,
tapestries, ceramics, filigree jewelry, ceramics, art and wine are
some of the famous items from the region that you can buy
while in Montenegro.
• Crvena Stijena by the village Petrovici near Niksic is one of
Montenegro’s oldest cultural and historical monuments.
The cave is unique in the world because of the numerous
cultural artifacts it contains.
• The World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) placed
Montenegro first on its list of countries where tourism is a
strategic industry. Tourism in the country is expected to grow at
a rate of 8.8 percent over the next ten years. Are you looking to
visit a new place? Why not Montenegro? You can also enjoy
winter snow sports such as skiing and snowboarding, as well as
other sports including climbing, white-water rafting, scuba diving
and many more.
• Sveti Stefan is certainly one of the tourist icons of Montenegro.
It is located just 15 minutes from Budva, by car.
• The monastery of Ostrog, located above the Bjelopavlic valley,
is one of the most visited shrines in Christian world. It is carved
in rocks and was founded in the 17th century by Saint Basil.
• Montenegrins celebrate their national holiday on July 13, which
is also known as Statehood Day. They celebrate this day to
commemorate the day that Montenegro was recognized as the
27th independent state in the world by the Berlin Congress,
which occurred on July 13, 1878.
• Montenegro winters are cold, snowy and intolerable. This is the
reason why the country sees a drop in tourism during these
months.
• Montenegro is featured in the movie “Casino Royale,” released
in 2006, staring Daniel Craig as James Bond. And Brad
Pitt started his Hollywood career when he acted in a movie
filmed in the country in 1987.
Statistics and Quick Facts about
Montenegro
• The country was the first in the world to have a national printing
house.
• On June 26, 2006, it became the 192 nd member of the United
Nations.
• A person who shows virtues of: integrity, dignity, humility, self-
sacrifice for the just cause, respect for others and rectitude
along with bravery is well respected in the country.
• It is customary for visiting guests to bring a bottle of wine and a
box of coffee when invited by someone for a meal or
celebration.
• The majority of the country’s population, almost 47%, is
between the ages of 25 and 54.
• 64% of its total population is urbanized, and the country spends
6.5% of its GDP on health care.
• There are more than a million mobile subscriptions and 160,000
fixed-line telephone connections in Montenegro.
• The country has a high literacy rate of almost 99%.
• Montenegro’s country TLD (“Top Level Domain”) for the
internet, .ME, is just eight years old. It was allotted to the country
on September 24, 2007. They are also sharing .ME with the rest of
the world. Though .ME is used internally within the country, you can
also register a domain with a .ME extension. .ME domains are very
popular in the U.S. It is a popular extension for personal websites
and for people who want to register their site as “name.me.”
• Despite its small size, there are five airports in this world-famous
tourist destination.
• 60% of its population uses the internet.
• There is 250 km of railway network in the country, and just one
heliport.
• As per the CIA facts sheet about Montenegro, there are 3,296
stateless people living in the country (2014).
• Montenegro does not mint, issue or print euro coins or notes. It
imports them from other countries that are part of the Eurozone.