Montenegro is often considered a new country, having gained independence in 2006. However, its history goes back millennia and is closely intertwined with that of its Balkan neighbours.
Montenegro's first known inhabitants were the Illyrians, a Bronze Age people who lived from farming and hunting, and were present along much of the East Adriatic coast. The Ancient Greeks founded Budva in the 4th century BC, and then the 1st century AD the entire was absorbed into Roman Empire.
The Slavs arrived in the 7th century, mixed with descendants of the Romanized Illyrians, and adopted Christianity. The mountainous interior became known as the state of Duklja, later changing its name to Zeta. This proud warrior people lived in clans, and kept their freedom under their own royal family, defending their state against the Ottoman Turks. Meanwhile, from 1420 to 1797, most of the coast was under Venetian-rule.
After WWII, in 1945, Montenegro became one of the six republics that made up Socialist Yugoslavia, governed by President Tito. Tito construed his own form of Socialism, and Yugoslavia was never part of the so-called Eastern Blok. Businesses were run as workers’ co-operatives, and there was a certain degree of freedom. Being a non-aligned country, Yugoslavia kept good relations (and trade) with both the West and the East.
When Yugoslavia began to break up during the 1990s, and Croatia and Slovenia split from rump Yugoslavia, Montenegro remained loyal to Belgrade. Although there was no actual fighting on Montenegrin territory, the people suffered economic hardship due to the war as the state began to disintegrate. Eventually, in May 2006, Montenegro held a referendum - the people voted for independence from Belgrade, and the country became a nation in its own right.
In 2008, Montenegro applied for EU membership, and in 2012, having proved that it was serious about tackling corruption and organized crime, it opened accession negotiations with the EU.
Majority Eastern Orthodox (72%, according to the 2011 census), with a Muslim minority (19%) and a Roman Catholic minority (3.5%). The remainder are either Atheist or “other”.
Social conventions:As in any other foreign country, you should respect local laws and social customs when visiting Montenegro. This is an Eastern Orthodox country, so you should dress respectably for visiting churches and monasteries – legs and shoulders covered, for both men and women.
Be cautious when talking about the war and the break-up of Yugoslavia - many people come from mixed families (which might include Eastern Orthodox Serbs, Roman Catholic Croats and Muslim Bosniaks), and “who was right” and “who was wrong” cannot be clearly defined. Also be aware that there is an Albanian minority (predominantly Muslim) in Montenegro, concentrated around Ulcinj. What various individuals think about the current situation in Kosovo will vary from person to person, so avoid entering into heated debate on this topic.
Montenegrins are traditional and patriarchal, and the society has a deeply ingrained aversion to homosexuality. Gay visitors are advised to limit public displays of affection. In October 2013, 60 people were injured at the Gay Pride march in Podgorica, when anti-gay protestors threw stones at the demonstrators, and the police responded with tear-gas.
Montenegrins enjoy drinking immensely but being able to hold one’s alcohol is a matter of pride, and public displays of drunken behaviour are considered degrading.
Nudism is allowed on designated beaches and topless bathing for women is generally accepted on all beaches.
The official language is Montenegrin, which is basically the same as Serbian and can be written in either Latin or Cyrillic script. The small Albanian minority (approx 5%) speak Albanian.
