Montenegro
Montenegro is a state located on the Balkan Peninsula, bordered by the Adriatic Sea and by Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. It has a population of around 600 thousand inhabitants, mostly Orthodox Christians, with a Muslim and Catholic minority. The capital is Podgorica.
Until 2006, the Republic of Montenegro was united with the Republic of Serbia under the name Serbia and Montenegro, but on 3 June of that year Montenegro became an independent state, following a referendum on independence on the previous 21 May. Joining the UN the same year, it officially joined NATO in 2017, as the 29th member.
In this regard, Montenegro has developed a pro-European and pro-Atlantic policy over time. In fact, as early as 2007 it signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), which was followed by its application for membership of the European Union, and was granted the status of candidate country in 2010. On 29 June 2012, the European Council officially opened accession negotiations.
A sparsely populated country, Montenegro has particularly rich landscapes and natural assets, so much so that in recent years it has established a flourishing tourism industry. Relations with Italy are deep and rooted in history, since the time of the Savoy kingdom.
Economic relations are good, with total trade between Montenegro and Italy amounting to EUR 1.125 billion in January-September 2022.
Although it is not part of the EU, Montenegro has unilaterally adopted the Euro as its currency.
Tensions and winds of crisis in the Balkans. The article by Antonio Stango, published on the 25th of May 2024 in Il Giornale
In Montenegro, the parliament's vote of no confidence opened a complex government crisis that could have several implications for the country and the Balkan region. By Antonio Stango
| Head of state | Jakov Milatovic |
| Head of Government | Milojko Spajić |
| Institutional Form | Parliamentary republic |
| Capital | Podgorica |
| Legislative Power | Unicameral assembly or Skupstina (81 seats) |
| Judicial Power | Constitutional court or Ustavni Sud (composed of the President of the Court and 7 Judges); Supreme court or Vrhovni Sud (composed of the President of the Court, Vice-President, and 15 Judges) |
| Ambassador to Italy | Milena Šofranac Ljubojevic |
| Total Area kmq | 13812 km2 |
| Land | 13452 km2 |
| Weather | Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and relatively cold autumns and winters with heavy snowfall inland |
| Natural resources | Bauxite, hydroelectric power |
| Economic summary | Montenegro is an upper middle-income country in the Balkans and has invested in recent years, despite heavy public spending, in infrastructure. With a high rate of corruption, it risks increasingly becoming an offshore banking destination | |
| GDP | $6.1 billions (Dec. 2022) | |
| Pro-capite GDP (Purchasing power parity) | $22081 (Dec. 2022) | |
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| Export partner | Serbia, Switzerland, Bosnia and Erzegovina (2021) | |
| Imports |
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| Import partner | Serbia, China, Germany (2021) | |
| Trade With Italy | €1.4 billions (2022) |
| Population | 620000 (Dec. 2022) |
| Population Growth | -0.43% (2023 est.) |
| Ethnicities | Montenegrin 45%, Serb 28.7%, Bosnian 8.7%, Albanian 4.9%, Muslim 3.3%, Romani 1%, Croatian 1%, other 2.6%, unspecified 4.9% |
| Languages | Serbian 42.9 %, Montenegrin (official) 37 %, Bosnian 5.3 %, Albanian 5.3 %, Serbo-Croat 2 %, other 3.5 %, unspecified 4 %. |
| Religions | Orthodox 72.1%, Muslims 19.1%, Catholics 3.4%, atheists 1.2%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.6% |
| Urbanization | 68.5% (2023) |
| Literacy | 99% |
Montenegro is a state located on the Balkan Peninsula, bordered by the Adriatic Sea and by Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. It has a population of around 600 thousand inhabitants, mostly Orthodox Christians, with a Muslim and Catholic minority. The capital is Podgorica.
Until 2006, the Republic of Montenegro was united with the Republic of Serbia under the name Serbia and Montenegro, but on 3 June of that year Montenegro became an independent state, following a referendum on independence on the previous 21 May. Joining the UN the same year, it officially joined NATO in 2017, as the 29th member.
In this regard, Montenegro has developed a pro-European and pro-Atlantic policy over time. Indeed, as early as 2007 it signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), which was followed by its application for membership of the European Union, and was granted the status of candidate country in 2010. On 29 June 2012, the European Council officially opened accession negotiations.
A sparsely populated country, Montenegro has particularly rich landscapes and natural assets, so much so that in recent years it has established a flourishing tourism industry. Relations with Italy are deep and rooted in history, since the time of the Savoy kingdom.
Economic relations are good, with total trade between Montenegro and Italy amounting to EUR 1.125 billion in January-September 2022.
Although it is not part of the EU, Montenegro has unilaterally adopted the Euro as its currency.
