Montenegro is a small and mountainous country in Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, with a coastline along the Adriatic Sea. Its capital is Podgorica, and the population is about 633,000. The nation declared independence from the state union with Serbia in 2006.

Montenegrin is the official language, but Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian, and Croatian are also regionally recognized. The terrain varies from coastal plains to rugged mountains, and the country is renowned for its natural scenery, national parks, and historic coastal towns. Key economic sectors include tourism, steelmaking, and agriculture. Montenegro operates as a parliamentary republic and aspires to join the European Union.