A former Yugoslav republic, Montenegro was initially a part of Serbia after the breakup of Yugoslavia and only recently became a sovereign state in 2006. Montenegro means “Black Mountain” and borders Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo and Albania. A lot of its territory is covered in thick forest, has an Adriatic coastline, lowlands and high mountain ranges. The Tara River canyon is the deepest and longest in Europe.
Montenegro is a multiethnic state in which no ethnic group forms a majority, including Montenegrins, Serbs, Bosniaks and Albanians amongst its population. The official language is Montenegrin, although Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian and Croatian are also recognized. Most of the population are members of the Serbian Orthodox church.