Montenegro is a country in Southeastern Europe and it’s one of the youngest countries of the Balkans and Europe. The former republic of Yugoslavia, gained independence in 2006. 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, Kosovo to the east, and Albania to the south-east. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica. Montenegro has both a picturesque coast and a mountainous northern region. The Montenegrin Adriatic coast is 295 km long, with 72 km of beaches, and with many well-preserved ancient old towns. Excellent place for holiday - the proximity of Croatia (Dalmatia) and Albania makes it the most common directions of trips organized for tourists coming on holiday to Montenegro. It's multinational and multicultural country, with a rich and diverse nature, culture and history. It is a land of sun, blue sea, fragrant and wild olive trees, rocky mountains. Paradise for tourists, for which the exploration of the country will be an unforgettable and thrilling adventure!
Northern region comprises eleven municipalities and is the largest by area. It encompasses the sparsely populated mountainous part of Montenegro. With the decline of the heavy industries in the 1990s, the region has seen perpetual economic hardship and migration of the population to the two southern regions.
Central RegionThis region consists of four municipalities. It is the most populous of the regions, and contains the capital of Podgorica, historical capital of Cetinje, and the industrial center of Nikšić. Most of Montenegrin economic, cultural, educational and administration base is located within the region.
Coastal RegionThis southernmost region consists of municipalities with access to the Adriatic Sea. This region is mainly oriented towards tourism, and has a population of 146,784 (2003). Following municipalities make up the region:
National Geographic Traveler (edited once in decade) features Montenegro among the "50 Places of a Lifetime", and Montenegrin seaside Sveti Stefan was used as the cover for the magazine. The coast region of Montenegro is considered one of the great new "discoveries" among world tourists. In January 2010, The New York Times ranked the Ulcinj South Coast region of Montenegro, including Velika Plaza, Ada Bojana, and the Hotel Mediteran of Ulcinj, as among the "Top 31 Places to Go in 2010" as part of a worldwide ranking of tourism destinations. Montenegro was also listed in "10 Top Hot Spots of 2009" to visit by Yahoo Travel, describing it as "Currently ranked as the second fastest growing tourism market in the world (falling just behind China)". It is listed every year by prestigious tourism guides like Lonely Planet as top touristic destination along with Greece, Spain and other world touristic places.
The culture of Montenegro has been shaped by a variety of influences throughout history. The influence of Orthodox, Slavonic, Central European, Islamic, and seafaring Adriatic cultures (notably parts of Italy, like the Republic of Venice) have been the most important in recent centuries. Montenegro has many significant cultural and historical sites, including heritage sites from the pre-Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque periods. The Montenegrin coastal region is especially well known for its religious monuments, including the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in Kotor (Cattaro under the Venetians), the basilica of St. Luke (over 800 years), Our Lady of the Rocks (Škrpjela), the Savina Monastery and others. Montenegro's medieval monasteries contain thousands of square metres of frescos on their walls. The traditional folk dance of the Montenegrins is the Oro, a circle dance that involves dancers standing on each other's shoulders in a circle while one or two dancers are dancing in the middle.
Montenegrin cuisine is a result of Montenegro's long history. It is a variation of Mediterranean and Oriental. The most influence is from Italy, Turkey, Byzantine Empire/Greece, and Hungary. Montenegrin cuisine also varies geographically; the cuisine in the coastal area differs from the one in the northern highland region. The coastal area is traditionally a representative of Mediterranean cuisine, with seafood being a common dish, while the northern represents more the Oriental.
