REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO Official name: Republic of Montenegro (Republika Crna Gora). Crna Gora means "Black Mountain" in Serbian, and Monte Negro is merely an Italian translation of this name, dating from Venetian times. Location: South Eastern Europe International organisations: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, The United Nations Borders: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia Coastline: Adriatic Sea Land area: 13,812 Km2 Population: 620,000 Ethnicity: In 2003 43% of the population considered themselves Montenegrins, while 32% considered themselves Serbs. There is no difference in ethnicity, language or religion between the two - the distinction is purely historical. The significant minorities are Bosniaks (Muslim Serbs) 8% and Albanians 5%.

Languages: The great majority of the population speaks Serbian, although many chose to call it Montenegrin. Small minorities speak Albanian and Croatian.
Religion: About 75% are at least nominal Orthodox Christians, while about 18% are Sunni Muslims. There is a Catholic minority.
Form of government: Parliamentary democratic republic. Montenegro is divided into 21 districts.
Capital: Podgorica
Constitution: The Constitution of the Republic of Montenegro came into effect in November 1992.
Head of state: The President, elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The President's functions are largely ceremonial. President Filip Vujanovic took office on 22 May 2003.
Head of government: The Prime Minister, who is appointed by the President.
Legislature: Montenegro has a unicameral legislature, the Montenegrin Parliament (Skupština Republike Crne Gore), which has 77 members elected for four-year terms by proportional representation.
Electoral authority: The Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CEMI) administers national elections.
Freedom House rating: None

Political history The state of Montenegro has its origins in the Principality of Zeta, formed in the 15th century as an enclave of Serbian Slavs on the Adriatic coast who resisted conquest by the Ottoman Turks. The principality was ruled for many years by the Archbishops of Cetinje, then by secular princes from 1852. Montenegro was recognised as an independent state in the 1870s. In 1910 Prince Nikola I declared himself King of Montenegro. The Kingdom was enlarged after the Balkan Wars of 1912. In 1918 Montenegro voted to become part of the new South Slav kingdom, later called Yugoslavia. During World War II it was occupied by Italian and German forces. In 1945 Montenegro became a constituent republic of the new communist controlled Yugoslav state. When Yugoslavia was dissolved in 1992 and four of its six republics became independent, Montenegro opted to remain linked to Serbia in a new Yugoslav federation. In 2003 a new, looser, federation was agreed on under the name Serbia and Montenegro. But mounting dissatisfaction in Montenegro led to a referendum in May 2006, in which 55% of Montenegrins voted for independence. This was accepted by Serbia and both states became fully independent on 3 June 2006.