Serbia and Montenegro
Webpages concerning "Serbia and Montenegro"
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Wikipedia-Article "Serbia"
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Serbia and Montenegro – Serbia |
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| Official language | Serbian1 | ||||
| Capital | Belgrade | ||||
| Area – Total – % water |
88,361 km² n/a |
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| Population – Total (2002) (not including data for Kosovo and Metohia Province) – Density |
7.498.001 126.83/km² |
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| Ethnic groups (not including data for Kosovo and Metohia Province) |
Serbs: 82,86% Hungarians: 3,91% Bosniaks: 1,82% Roma: 1,44% Yugoslavs: 1,08% Croats: 0,94% Montenegrins: 0,92% Albanians: 0,82% Slovaks: 0,79% Vlachs: 0,53% Romanians: 0,46% Macedonians: 0,35% Bulgarians: 0,27% Bunjevci: 0,27% Muslims: 0,26% Rusins: 0,21% |
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| President | Boris Tadić | ||||
| Prime Minister | Vojislav Koštunica | ||||
| Anthem | Bože Pravde | ||||
| Time zone | UTC +1 | ||||
| Currency | Serbian dinar (CSD)Also Euro (EUR) in Kosovo | ||||
| Internet TLD | .yu still used (.cs reserved) | ||||
| Airline carrier | Jat Airways | ||||
The Republic of Serbia (Serbian: Република Србија) is a republic in south-eastern Europe which is united with Montenegro in a loose commonwealth known as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The capital is in Belgrade. Serbia borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; the Republic of Macedonia to the south; and Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina to the west.
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History
Main article: History of Serbia
See also The Serbia Series:
Serbia |
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| Medieval Serbia | |||
| Ottoman Serbia | |||
| Modern Serbia | |||
| Kingdom of Yugoslavia | |||
| Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | |||
| Serbia and Montenegro | |||
See also: List of Serbian monarchs, History of Yugoslavia
The roots of the Serbian state reach back to the 7th century and the House of Vlastimirović. The Serbian kingdom (centered around Duklja) was established in the 11th century. Marked by a disintegration and crises, it lasted until the end of 12th century.
The renewal of the medieval Serbian state in the Raška region was performed by Stefan Nemanja, the Serbian Grand Župan who lived in the 12th century. In 1220, under Stefan the First Crowned, Serbia became a kingdom, and in 1346, an empire under Stefan Dušan was established. The Empire was disintegrated and fell to the Ottoman Turks, after the historic Serbian defeat at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, and the northern Serbian territories (Serbian Despotovina) were conquered by 1459, when Smederevo fell. Bosnia fell a few decades after Smederevo.
In the period between 1459 and 1804, Serbia remained under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, despite three Austrian invasions and numerous rebellions.
The First Serbian Uprising of 1804-1813, lead by Đorđe Petrović (also known as Karađorđe or Black George), and the Second Serbian Uprising of 1815 resulted in the establishment of the Principality of Serbia which was semi-independent from the Ottoman Empire, and the formation of modern Serbia.
From 1815 to 1903 the Serbian state was ruled by the House of Obrenović, with a break in the period from 1842 to 1858, when Serbia was ruled by Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević. In 1903, the House of Obrenović was permanently replaced by the House of Karađorđević, descended from Đorđe Petrović.
The struggle for a modern society, human rights and a nation state lasted almost three decades and was completed with the adoption of the constitution on 15th February 1835. In 1876 Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia declared war against the Ottoman Empire and proclaimed their unification. However, the Treaty of Berlin of 1878, which was agreed at the Congress of Berlin by the Great Powers, granted complete independence only to Serbia and Montenegro, leaving Bosnia and Raška to Austria-Hungary, which blocked their unification until the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913, and WWI (1914-1918).
After 1918 Serbia, along with Montenegro, was a founding member of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During WWII (1941-1944), Serbia was a Nazi-occupied puppet state. After WWII (in 1945) Serbia was established as one of the federal units of the second Yugoslavia, the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.
From 1992, after the collapse of the second Yugoslavia, to 2003, Serbia, together with Montenegro, was part of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Since 2003 it has been part of the State Union of Serbia & Montenegro.
Geography
Main article: Geography of Serbia
Serbia is located in the Balkans (a historically and geographically distinct region of southeastern Europe) and in the Pannonian Plain (an region of central Europe). It shares borders with Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, the Republic of Macedonia, and Romania. Serbia is landlocked, although access to the Adriatic is available through neighbouring Montenegro, and the Danube River provides shipping access to inland Europe and the Black Sea.
Serbia's terrain ranges from the rich, fertile plains of the northern Vojvodina region, limestone ranges and basins in the east, and, in the southeast, ancient mountains and hills. The north is dominated by the Danube River. A tributary, the Morava River, flows through the more mountainous southern regions.
The Serbian climate varies between a continental climate in the north, with cold winters, and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall patterns, and a more Adriatic climate in the south with hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland.
Administrative subdivisions
Main article: Subdivisions of Serbia, See also: Regions of Serbia, Districts of Serbia
Serbia is divided into 29 districts and the city of Belgrade. The districts are further divided into 108 municipalities. It has two autonomous provinces: Kosovo and Metohija* in the south (with 30 municipalities), which is presently under the administration of the United Nations, and Vojvodina in the north (with 54 municipalities).
The part of Serbia that is neither in Kosovo nor in Vojvodina is called Central Serbia. Central Serbia is not an administrative division (unlike the two autonomous provinces), and it has no regional government of its own. In English this region is often called "Serbia proper" to denote "the part of the Republic of Serbia not including the provinces of Vojvodina and Kosovo", as the Library of Congress puts it [1]. This usage was apparently also employed in Serbo-Croatian during the Yugoslav era (in the form of "uža Srbija" literally: narrow Serbia). Its use in English is purely geographical without any particular political meaning being implied.
Politics
Main article: Politics of Serbia, also see: Politics of Vojvodina, Elections in Serbia, Human rights in Serbia
On 4 February 2003 the parliament of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia agreed to a weaker form of cooperation between Serbia and Montenegro within a commonwealth called Serbia and Montenegro.
After the fall of Slobodan Milošević on 5 October 2000, the country was governed by the Democratic Opposition of Serbia. Tensions gradually increased within the coalition until the the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) left the government, leaving the Democratic Party (DS) in overall control. Nevertheless, in 2004 the DSS gathered enough support to form the new Government of Serbia, together with G17 Plus and coalition SPO-NS, and the support of the Socialist Party of Serbia. The Prime Minister of Serbia is Vojislav Koštunica, leader of the Democratic Party of Serbia.
The current President of Serbia is Boris Tadić, leader of the Democratic Party (DS). He was elected with 53% of the vote in the second round of the Serbian presidential election held on 27 June 2004, following several unsuccessful elections since 2002.
The current Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia, as of March 2004, is the former Yugoslav president, Vojislav Koštunica, who replaced Slobodan Milošević as Yugoslav president in October of 2000. The government is formed around the of national conservative party DSS, with G17Plus, SPO-NS and is supported by the Milosevic Socialists (SPS), who do not take part of the government, but in change for the support hold minor government and justice position and influence policies.
Laws concerning the state union must be approved by the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, while bills concerning only Serbia are submitted to the National Assembly of Serbia.
Communications
Main article: Communications in Serbia
Transportation
Main article: Transportation in Serbia, also see: Transportation in Serbia and Montenegro
Serbia, and in particular the valley of the Morava, is often described as "the crossroads between East and West", which is one of the primary reasons for its turbulent history. The Morava valley route, which avoids mountainous regions, is by far the easiest way of travelling overland from continental Europe to Greece and Asia Minor.
European routes E65, E70, E75 and E80, as well as the E662, E761, E762, E763, E771, and E851 pass through the country. The E70 westwards from Belgrade and most of the E75 are modern highways of motorway / autobahn standard or close to that.
The Danube River, central Europe's connection to the Black Sea, flows through Serbia.
There are three international airports in Serbia: Belgrade, Priština, and the newly rebuilt Niš airport.
The national airline carrier is Jat Airways and the railway system is operated by Beovoz in Belgrade and by ZTP Yugoslavia on the national level.
Demographics
Main articles: Demographics of Serbia, Demographic history of Serbia
Serbia is populated mostly by Serbs. Significant minorities include Albanians, Hungarians, Muslims, Bosniaks, Roma, Croats, Slovaks, Bulgarians, Romanians, etc. Serbia consists of three territories: the province of Kosovo and Metohia, the province of Vojvodina and Central Serbia (Serbian Cyrillic: Централна Србија, Serbian Latin: Centralna Srbija, English: Central Serbia. Note: The English language sometimes uses the varieties such are "Serbia proper" or "Narrower Serbia"). The two provinces are ethnically diverse, which is a result of the division of the country between the Muslim Ottoman Empire in the south and Catholic Austro-Hungarian Empire in the north.
The northern province of Vojvodina is the most developed part of the country in terms of economic strength. Together with the Former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vojvodina was under the administration of Austria-Hungary before the First World War. Vojvodina is probably the most ethnically diverse territory in Europe, probably discluding London, a fact which tends to surprise most people who had long associated Yugoslavia and the name of Serbia through the prism of the 1990s. The names used for peoples national affiliation number more than 25. According to the last completed census (2002), the province has a population of about 2 million, of which: Serbs 65%, Hungarians 14.3%, Slovaks 2.79%, Croats 2.78%, undeclared 2.71%, Yugoslavs 2.45%, Montenegrins 1.75%, Romanians 1.50%, Roma 1.43%, Bunjevci 0.97%, Ruthenians 0.77%, Macedonians 0.58%, regional affiliation 0.50%, Ukrainians 0.23%, others (Albanians, Slovenians, Germans, Poles etc). See also: Demographic history of Vojvodina, Ethnic groups of Vojvodina
- Population statistics of Serbia (Estimate May 2005)
- Serbia (total): 9,396,411
- Vojvodina: 2,116,725
- Central Serbia: 5,479,686
- Kosovo and Metohija: 1,800,000
Cities
Main article: Serbian cities
- Main cities (over 100,000 inhabitants) - census 2002
- Beograd (Belgrade): 1,280,600 (1,574,050 including neighbouring places)
- Novi Sad: 215,600 (298,139 including neighbouring places)
- Priština: 200,000 (251,784 including neighbouring places)
- Niš: 173,400 (234,863 including neighbouring places)
- Kragujevac: 146,000 (175,182 including neighbouring places)
- Subotica: 99,500 (147,758 including neighbouring places)
Latest estimate of the population of Serbia's largest cities (100 000+) (including neighbouring places):
- Beograd (Belgrade): 1 586 382
- Novi Sad: 302 294
- Niš: 252 275
- Priština: 251 784
- Kragujevac: 176 682
- Subotica: 150 488
See also: List of cities in Serbia and Montenegro
Culture
Main article: Serbian culture
See also:
- Serbian language
- Serbian literature
- Serbian law
- Music of Serbia
- Serbian cuisine
- Serbian art
- Architecture of Serbia
- Religion in Serbia
- Serb Orthodox Church
- Famous Serbian people
- History and culture of Serbs in Vojvodina
- Savez Izviđača Srbije i Crne Gore
Categories:
Sport
Main article: Sport in Serbia, Also see: Category:Serbian sportspeople
Economy
Main article: Economy of Serbia
| Gross Domestic Product |
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| Real GDP: $25.98 Billion (2004) |
| Real GDP Per Capita: $3180 (Expected for 2005) |
| Real GDP growth rate: 7% (2004) |
| Real GDP growth rate in Q1 2005: 5.3% |
| Real GDP growth rate in Q2 2005: 6.8% |
| Real GDP growth rate in Q1 and Q2 2005: 6.1% |
| Other statistics (in detail on economy page) |
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| Industrial production growth rate: 7.1% (2004) |
| Unemployment rate: 18.50% (Q1 2005) |
| Inflation: 13.7% (2004) |
| Foreign debt: $12.97 Billion (49.9% of GDP) |
| Direct foreign investment estimated for 2005: $1.5 to $2.0 Billion |
Crime
Main article: Crime in Serbia
Holidays in Serbia
| Date | Name | Notes |
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| January 1 | New Year's Day | |
| January 7 | Orthodox Christmas | |
| January 14 | National Holiday (Serbian New Year) | "Српска Нова Година" "Srpska Nova Godina" |
| January 27 | Saint Sava's feast Day - Day of Spirituality | |
| February 15 | Sretenje - Serbian National Day | |
| April 27 | Constitution Day | |
| April 29 | Orthodox Good Friday | Date for 2005 only |
| May 1 | Orthodox Easter | Date for 2005 only |
| May 2 | Orthodox Easter Monday | Date for 2005 only |
| May 1 | Labour Day | |
| May 9 | Victory Day | |
| June 28 | Vidovdan (Martyr's Day) | In memory of soldiers fallen at the Battle of Kosovo |
Miscellaneous
- On August 17, 2004 the National Assembly of Serbia adopted Bože Pravde as the country's anthem.
- In addition, the Obrenović royal coat of arms now replaces the Coat of Arms of Serbia adopted after World War II. It was first used in the 19th century. The arms are those of the royal Obrenović dynasty; they are used in two versions, the large (pictured) and small (just the central shield with eagle and crown surmounting). Use of these arms is 'recommended' which means that the coat of arms is not yet official. It will become so if adoption of the Obrenović arms is approved by more than 50% of the voters in a constitutional referendum.
- Asteroid 1564 Srbija is discovered by Milorad B. Protić and named after Serbia.
External links
Government links
- Serbian Government
- National Assembly of Serbia
- The EU integration Office of Serbian Government
- People's Office of Serbian President
- National Bank of Serbia
- RTS - Serbian Broadcasting Corporation
- Republic of Serbia Statistical Office
- Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia
- National Tourism Organisation of Serbia
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State Union Serbia and Montenegro |   |
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Republics: Serbia | Montenegro |
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Autonomous provinces of Serbia: Kosovo and Metohija | Vojvodina |
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| North Bačka | South Bačka | West Bačka | North Banat | Central Banat | South Banat | Bor | Braničevo | Jablanica | Kolubara | Kosovo | Kosovo-Pomoravlje | Kosovska Mitrovica | Mačva | Moravica | Nišava | Pčinja | Peć | Pirot | Podunavlje | Pomoravlje | Prizren | Raška | Rasina | Srem | Šumadija | Toplica | Zaječar | Zlatibor | |
| City of Belgrade | |
Wikipedia-Article "Montenegro"
- This article is about the republic in Serbia-Montenegro, Europe. See also: Montenegro, Brazil or Montenegro, Colombia.
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Serbia and Montenegro – Serbia |
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| Official language | Serbian | ||||
| Capital | Podgorica | ||||
| Former Royal Capital | Cetinje | ||||
| President | Filip Vujanović | ||||
| Prime Minister | Milo Đukanović | ||||
| Area – Total – % water |
13,812 km² n/a |
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| Population – Total (2003) – Density |
616,258 48.7/km² |
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| Ethnic groups | Montenegrins: 43% Serbs: 32% Bosniaks: 8% Albanians: 5% Others: 12% |
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| National Anthem | Oj, svijetla majska zoro Official melodic version (mp3) | ||||
| Currency | euro | ||||
| Time zone | CET (UTC +1) | ||||
| Airline Carrier | Montenegro Airlines | ||||
| Internet TLD | .yu still used (.cs reserved) | ||||
The Republic of Montenegro (Serbian: Црна Гора, Crna Gora, meaning "black mountain") is a small, mountainous constituent republic within the political union of Serbia and Montenegro in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea. According to its constitution, it is a democratic, social, and ecological state.
Throughout a number of centuries Montenegro was a de facto independent principality ruled by a succession of dynasties and rulers. The country obtained de jure international recognition of its independence, following the Eastern Crisis (1875-1878), at the Congress of Berlin. On 28 August 1910, Montenegro's ruler Prince Nikola Petrović Njegoš proclaimed himself King. Between 1945 and 2003, Montenegro was a Republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia respectively. It is now one of two constituent parts of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro.
Internationally, it borders Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Srpska), and Albania. Within the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro it borders Serbia (including the southern Serbian province Kosovo and Metohia).
The principal cities and towns of Montenegro are: the capital Podgorica (139,100 inhabitants), Nikšić (61,700), Pljevlja (18,800), and Bijelo Polje (17,100). The former royal capital and the seat of the throne is Cetinje.
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History
Main article: History of Montenegro
Geography
Main article: Geography of Montenegro
The Montenegrin surface ranges from high peaks along its borders with Kosovo and Albania, a segment of the Karst of the western Balkan Peninsula, to a narrow coastal plain that is only one to four miles wide. The plain stops abruptly in the north, where Mount Lovcen and Mount Orjen plunge abruptly into the inlet of the Bay of Kotor.
Montenegro's vast Karst region lies generally at elevations of 1,000 meters above sea level - however some parts rise to 2,000 meters like Mount Orjen (1894 m), the highest masif among the coastal limestone ranges. Zeta River valley is the lowest segment at an elevation of 500 meters.
The rough mountains of Montenegro include some of the most rugged terrain in Europe. They average more than 2,000 meters in elevation. One of the country's notable peaks is Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor mountain, which reaches a height of 2,522 meters. The Montenegrin mountain ranges were among the most ice-eroded parts of the Balkan Peninsula during the last glacial period.
- Longest beach: Velika Plaza, Ulcinj - 13,000 m
- Highest peak: Bobotov Kuk (Durmitor Mt.) - 2,522 m
- Largest lake: Lake Skadar - 391 km² (surface)
- Deepest canyon: Tara River - 1,300 m
- Biggest bay: Boka Kotorska Bay of Kotor
- National parks: Durmitor - 390 km², Lovćen - 64 km², Biogradska Gora - 54 km², Lake Skadar - 400 km²
- UNESCO World Heritage sites: Durmitor and Tara River canyon, old city of Kotor and Bay of Kotor
See also: List of cities in Montenegro
Demographics
Main article: Demographic history of Montenegro
Ethnic composition according to the 2003 census:
- Montenegrins: 267,669 (43.16%)
- Serbs: 198,414 (31.99%)
- Bosniaks: 48,184 (7.77%)
- Albanians: 47,682 (7.09%)
- Muslims: 24,625 (3.97%)
- Croats: 6,811 (1.10%)
- Roma and Egyptians: 2,826 (0.46%)
NB: Montenegrin and Serb identities are not exclusive and the size of each group varies with each census, due to political events and as people view themselves, on balance, as more one than the other. For example, a "Montenegrin" may view himself as a "Serb" as well, and vice versa. Of course, in both groups there are those who view themselves as belonging to one group exclusively. However the number of Montenegrins does seem to be in steep decline since the introduction of the category by the Communists on the 1948 census.
In the constitution of Montenegro adopted in 1992, the official language of the republic was changed from Serbo-Croat to Serbian of the Ijekavian standard. As of 2003, 63.5% of the population declare Serbian their mother tongue, while almost 22% declare Montenegrin language. The used dialects are the same, very similar to those used by Serbs, Croats and Muslims in Bosnia and Croatia, with slight nuances.
Over 74% of Montenegrins are Eastern Orthodox Christians. 110,000 Muslims make up 17.74% of Montenegro's population. They are divided into three main groups: ethnic Albanians and Slavic Muslims split among Bosniaks and Muslims. Albanians are a separate group, speaking their own language (5.26%) and living mostly in the south-east, especially in Ulcinj, where they form the majority of the population. Bosniaks are Slavic Muslims speaking the Bosnian language living mostly in the north. Finally, there are a few Croats and Catholic inhabitants, who live mostly in the coastal areas, particularly Boka Kotorska.
Union with Serbia
On the last referendum on remaining in Yugoslavia in 1992, 95.96% of the votes were cast for keeping the federation with Serbia, although the turnout was at 66% because of a boycott by the Muslim and Catholic minorities as well as of pro-independence Montenegrins. Proponents of independence claim that the poll was organized in undemocratic conditions, with widespread propaganda from the state-controlled media in favour of a pro-federation vote.
In 1996, Milo Đukanović's government de facto severed ties between Montenegro and Serbia (back then still under Milošević). The tensions between the two states still simmer regardless of the political changes in Belgrade. Montenegro formed its own economic policy and switched to the Deutsche Mark as its currency as proposed by foreign economic advisors at the time. It is currently exclusively using the euro, though it is not formally part of the Eurozone. Serbian Dinar is not legal tender in Montenegro and is only accepted at a few tourist resorts.
The current and previous government of Montenegro are carrying out pro-independence policies.
In 2002, Serbia and Montenegro came to a new agreement regarding continued cooperation. In 2003, the Yugoslav federation was replaced in favour of a looser state union named Serbia and Montenegro and the possible referendum for Montenegro's independence was postponed until 2006.
The status of the state union between Serbia and Montenegro is probably going to be decided when the three-year-set moratorium on an independence referendum ends.
Symbols
Montenegro's parliament on July 12, 2004, adopted a new flag, national day, and anthem.
The flag of the former Montenegrin monarchy: the gold coat of arms of King Nikola on red field with a gold border (the initials НI of King Nikola I, however, are left out), shown above, was adopted as the official flag of Montenegro on July 12th 2004 by the Parliament of Montenegro.
The national day of 13 July marks the date in 1878 when the Congress of Berlin recognised Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world and the start of the first popular uprising in Europe against the Axis Powers on 13 July 1941 in Montenegro.
Parliament selected one of the best known Montenegrin folk songs, "Oh the Bright Dawn of May", as the national anthem.
See also
- Geography of Montenegro
- Economy of Montenegro
- Politics of Montenegro
- History of Montenegro
- Transportation in Montenegro
- Tuzi, Malësi e Madhe
- Sandžak
- Economy of Serbia and Montenegro
- Transportation in Serbia and Montenegro
- History of Yugoslavia
- History of the Balkans
- Montenegrin perper
External links
- Official web site of the Republic of Montenegro
- Visit Montenegro - web site of the National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro
- Discuss travel to Montenegro with travellers
- Uherope - Travel Tips to Montenegro and more
- Official website of Government of the Republic of Montenegro
- Official website of Parliament of the Republic of Montenegro
- Official website of President of the Republic of Montenegro
- Constitution of Montenegro (in Serbian)
- Discover Montenegro - General Site about Montenegro
- Montenegro's History
- Montenegro Portal in Montenegrin, English & Slovak
- The Unofficial Guide to Montenegro
- Montenegrins in Australia
- About Montenegro in English
- Montenegro's History
- Montenegrins in Argentina and Latin America
- Discussion Forum for albanians from Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro (English/Albanian)
- Russian Information Portal about Montenegro (in Russian)
- US Consulate for Serbia and Montenegro
- The Royal House of Montenegro
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State Union Serbia and Montenegro | |
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Republics: Serbia | Montenegro |
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Autonomous provinces of Serbia: Kosovo and Metohija | Vojvodina |
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