General information
Montenegro is a European state on the Balkan Peninsula on the Adriatic coast. The country, covering 13,812 km², has borders with Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, the partially recognized Republic of Kosovo to the east and Albania to the southeast.
The guests of Montenegro can enjoy the magnificent nature of the Adriatic coast, picturesque national parks and protected zones. The tour can be a perfect introduction to the ancient history of the region represented by historic and architectural monuments, excellent cuisine, and sincere hospitality of local people.
Capital city: Podgorica
Area: 13 812 km2
Population: 678 901 (2018) Language: Montenegrin
Official website: https://www.visit-montenegro.com/
The first settlements on the territory of present-day Montenegro appeared in the Paleolithic era. The further development of civilization in the region can be traced by archaeological finds: from the Early Stone Age to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. In the 1st century the ancient settlements, which were part of the Illyrian province of Diocletia (Duklja), began to appear along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. In the 6th century the area was settled by the Slavic tribes. In 1077, the first ruler of Diocleia, Prince Michaelo, was granted the title of a king by Pope Gregory VII. From that moment the kingdom was named Zeta, and soon large territories, now belonging to Bosnia and Serbia, were placed under its rule.
The first mention of the toponym "Montenegro" dates back to 1296: the surroundings of Mount Lovcen, overgrown with dense "black" forests, were so named in the chronicle of St. Nicholas Monastery in Vranjina.
In 1496 the kingdom became a protectorate of the Ottoman Empire, but it was not entirely under the Turkish rule - the Turks controlled only the southeastern territories of the former Zeta. The state managed to get free from the Turks in 1516, after that in 1516-1852 Montenegro was theocratic state governed by the lord (a prince with a church dignity of bishop). From 1852 to 1878 the country was a secular state and had a monarchic system of government.
Montenegro took part in the I and II Balkan Wars in 1912-1913, and during World War I it was occupied first by Austro-Hungarian troops, and then by Serbian troops. Despite an active people's liberation movement, Montenegro lost not only its independence, but also its royal dynasty and its own armed forces.
During World War II, Montenegro was occupied by Nazi troops, after the defeat of which it became a socialist republic within the SFRY. Since 1992 the country is a part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was renamed as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. And only on May 21, 2006 Montenegro eventually received the desired independence - at the referendum the majority of inhabitants voted for separation from Serbia, which recognized sovereignty of Montenegro that year, and the country was accepted at the UN. In 2008, the state applied for EU membership.
Today Montenegro is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of tourists. The guests of Montenegro can enjoy the stunning nature of the Adriatic coast; picturesque national parks and protected areas; acquaintance with the ancient history of the region, depicted in historical and architectural monuments; excellent cuisine and sincere hospitality of local people.
The climate and the weather in Montenegro
Montenegro has three climatic zones: mountainous, continental and coastal. In the north of the country there is a temperate continental climate, on the Adriatic coast - the Mediterranean. In coastal areas, summers are dry, long, hot (+23-25 ° C) and winters are short and cool (+3-7 ° C). In the mountainous areas, summers are moderately warm (+19-25°C) and winters are snowy and fairly cold (+5 to -10°C).
The total amount of precipitation per year - 500-1500 mm, in the mountains near the sea coast, sometimes it receives more than 3000 mm of rainfall. The beach season lasts from mid-May to late October. Sea temperature during these months ranges from +20 °С to +26 °С. The transparency of the sea water is 38-55 m.
