Southern Central Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

14,026 sq km (5,415 sq miles).

684,736 (CIA estimate 2007).

49 per sq km.

Podgorica. Population: 140,000 (2007 estimate).

Montenegro is a small mountainous region on the Adriatic coast north of Albania, bordering Bosnia & Herzegovina to the west, Serbia to the east and Albania to the south. Its small Adriatic coastline comprises the main ports of Bar and those in the Gulf of Kotor.

Republic since 2006.

President Filip Vujanovic since 2002.

Prime Minister Zeljko Sturanovic since 2006.

In a May 2006 referendum, Montenegrins voted for independence, bringing to an end the Union of Serbia and Montenegro which had existed since 2003. Serbia formally recognised Montenegro's independence in June 2006. Montenegro's ruling party, the Coalition for European Montenegro, comfortably won the first parliamentary elections since independence in September 2006.

Serbian, Albanian, Bosnian and Croatian.

Majority Eastern Orthodox, with a Muslim minority.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used.

There are some restrictions on photography.