Montenegro is a small Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages and a narrow strip of beaches along its Adriatic coastline.
It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast, and Albania to the south-east.
In Montenegro, official language is Montenegrin.
As of 1 January 2016, the population of Montenegro was estimated to be 626,306 people.
Podgorica is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.
The country got its name (literally, “black mountain”) from the dark, mountain forests that cover the land.
Bobotov Kuk is a peak in northern Montenegro. At 2,523 meters (8,278 feet), it is the highest peak in the Durmitor mountain range and the highest point in Montenegro.
Some 60% of the country is more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) high.
Montenegro has five national parks which cover approximately 10 percent of the country’s territory.
The Durmitor National Park, created in 1952, includes the massif of Durmitor, the canyons of Tara, Sušica and Draga rivers and the higher part of the canyon plateau Komarnica, covering the area of 390 km² (150 square miles).It was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1980.
The Tara River Canyon also known as the Tara River Gorge, is the longest canyon in Montenegro. It is 82 kilometers (51 miles) long and is 1,300 meters (4,300 feet) at its deepest, making it the deepest river canyon in Europe.
Lake Skadar lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula.
Biogradska Gora is a forest and a national park in Montenegro within Kolašin municipality. It is the site of one of the last three rainforests in Europe. The landscape is one of mountain ridges, glacial lakes, and temperate forest.
Lovćen is a mountain and national park in southwestern Montenegro.Mount Lovćen rises from the borders of the Adriatic basin, closing the long and twisting bays of Boka Kotorska and making the hinterland to the coastal town of Kotor. Besides Lovćen’s natural beauties, the rich historical, cultural and architectural heritage of the area are protected by the national park. The biggest and most important monument of Lovćen national park is Petar Petrović Njegoš’s Mausoleum.
The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montenegro that was inscribed in 1979. It encompasses the old town of Kotor, the fortifications of Kotor, and the surrounding region of the inner Bay of Kotor.
Perast is one of the most beautiful little places in Boka Bay, few kilometers from Kotor. Perast is a wonderful old town, with wonderful old architecture.
Our Lady of the Rocks is one of the two islets off the coast of Perast in Bay of Kotor. It is an artificial island created by bulwark of rocks and by sinking old and seized ships loaded with rocks. The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rocks is the largest building on the islet; it has a museum attached.
Island of Saint George is other islet off the coast of Perast in Bay of Kotor. Unlike Our Lady of the Rocks, it is a natural island. The island contains Saint George Benedictine monastery from the 12th century and the old graveyard for the old nobility from Perast and further from the whole Bay of Kotor.
The Monastery of Ostrog is a monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church sitatued against an almost vertical background, high up in the large rock of Ostroška Greda, in Montenegro.Ostrog monastery is the most popular pilgrimage place in Montenegro.
The Montenegrin Adriatic coast is 295 kilometers (183. miles) long, with 72 kilometers (45 miles) of beaches.
Montenegro has a total of 117 beaches.
The longest beach at the Adriatic sea The Big Beach (Velika Plaza) is 13 kilometers (8 miles) long and 60 meters (197 feet) wide.
Considered by many as the most beautiful beach in Montenegro, Drobni Pijesak boasts clear waters and fine yellow-white sand. It is a secluded beach, which makes it perfect for tourists who wish to get away from the noise and chaos of the city.
One of the most iconic images associated with Montenegro is the tiny islet of Sveti Stefan. The amazingly picturesque island is perched on an outcrop of rock and joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus which arcs out into two perfectly formed sandy beaches.
In the teritory of today’s Montenegro (Obod) in 1493 was printed the first Cyrillic book in the Slavic South, Oktoih Prvoglasnik.
Christian relics, the icon of the Virgin Filermosa, particles of the Holy Cross and the hand of St. John the Baptist are located in Cetinje.
Village Crkvice is a place in Montenegro with the highest annual rainfall in Europe.
The most famous Montenegrin export products are wine ”Vranac “and smoked ham (njeguški pršut).
Hollywood star Brad Pitt played his first role in a movie “Dark side of the Sun” which was recorded in Montenegrin Coast in 1987. Montenegrin director Bozidar- Bota Nikolic chose Pit for this role. Nikolic was also director of photography for this movie. Brad was especially amazed by the beauty of Perast.
Part of the 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale is set in Montenegro, although all of the filming was done in the Czech Republic – Karlovy Vary