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| The use of the
name Montenegro began in the 15th century when the Crnojevic
dynasty began to rule the Serbian principality of Zeta; over
subsequent centuries it was able to maintain its independence from
the Ottoman Empire. From the 16th to 19th centuries, Montenegro
became a theocratic state rules by a series bishop princes in 1852,
it was transformed into a secular principality. After World War I,
Montenegro was a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and, at the
conclusion of World War II, it became a constituent republic of the
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. When the latter dissolved
in 1992, Montenegro federated with Serbia, first as the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia and, after 2003, in a looser union of Serbia
and Montenegro. Following a three-year postponement, Montenegro held
an independence referendum in the spring of 2006 under rules set by
the EU. The vote for severing ties with Serbia exceeded the 55%
threshold, allowing Montenegro to formally declare its independence
3 June 2006. Location Southeastern Europe, between the Adriatic Sea and Serbia Area Total: 14,026 sq km Area-comparative Slightly smaller than Connecticut Land boundaries Total 625 km. Border countries are Albania 172 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 225 km, Croatia 25 km and Serbia 203 km Coastline 293.5 km Climate Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfalls inland Natural resources Bauxite, hydroelectricity Population 630,548 (2004) Population growth rate 3.5% Ethnic Montenegrin 43%, Serbian 32%, Bosniak 8%, Albanian 5%, other (Muslims, Croats, Roma) 12% Religions Orthodox, Muslim, Roman Catholic Languages Serbian (Ijekavian dialect) Did know? ...That Montenegro is the only country outside European Union that is using EURO as it local currency? ...Montenegro proclaimed itself as the first ecological country in Europe? ...That Montenegrins are known as the second tallest nation in the world, ..and also are one of the laziest ones on Balkan peninsula? ...Moraca is one of the oldest European forests? |
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10/10/08 |
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