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Serbia and Montenegro

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries

   CAPTION: Србија и Црна Гора
   Srbija i Crna Gora
   State Union Serbia and Montenegro

   State union

   ←
      2003 —  2006 →
                   →

   Flag Coat of arms
   Flag Coat of arms
   Location of Serbia and Montenegro
   Capital            Belgrade, Podgorica
   Language(s)        Serbian
   Government         Republic
   President          Svetozar Marović
   Historical era     Post-Cold War
    -  UN membership¹ November 1, 2000
    -  Established    February 4,  2003
    - Disestablished  June 5,  2006
   Area
    - 2006            102,350 km^2
                      39,518 sq mi
   Population
    - 2006 est.       10,832,545
        Density       105.8 /km²
                      274.1 /sq mi
   Currency           Serbian dinar, Euro
   ¹Membership as FR Yugoslavia
   ISO 3166-1=CS, ISO 3166-3=CSHH
   International calling code = 381, UTC offset = +1

   Serbia and Montenegro ( Serbian: Србија и Црна Гора / Srbija i Crna
   Gora, abbreviated as СЦГ / SCG) the State Union [of] Serbia and
   Montenegro, was a confederated union of Serbia and Montenegro, which
   existed between 2003 and 2006. The two republics, both of which are
   former republics of the SFR Yugoslavia, initially formed the Federal
   Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992. In 2003, the FRY was reconstituted as a
   State Union Serbia and Montenegro.

   On May 21, 2006, Montenegro held a referendum to seek full
   independence. Final official results indicated on May 31 that 55.5% of
   voters had elected to become independent. The state union effectively
   came to an end after Montenegro's formal declaration of independence on
   June 3, 2006 and Serbia's formal declaration of independence on June 5.
   Many view this as symbolizing the final end of what was left from the
   former Yugoslavia.

   A loose confederation, Serbia and Montenegro was a union only in
   certain political areas (e.g. defence). The states had separate
   economic policies and currencies. The country did not have a unified
   capital, dividing its common institutions between Belgrade in Serbia
   and Podgorica in Montenegro.

History

   In 2002, Serbia and Montenegro came to a new agreement regarding
   continued co-operation, which, among other changes, promised the end of
   the name Yugoslavia, since they were part of the Federal Republic of
   Yugoslavia. On February 4, 2003, the federal parliament of Yugoslavia
   created a loose confederation - State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. A
   new Constitutional Charter was agreed to provide a framework for the
   governance of the country.

   On Sunday, 21 May 2006, Montenegrins voted on an independence
   referendum, with 55.5% supporting independence. Fifty-five percent or
   more of affirmative votes were needed to dissolve the state union of
   Serbia and Montenegro. The turnout was 86.3% and 99.73% of the more
   than 477,000 votes cast were deemed valid.

   The subsequent Montenegrin proclamation of independence on June 3, 2006
   and the Serbian proclamation of independence on June 5 ended the State
   Union of Serbia and Montenegro and thus the last remaining vestiges of
   the former Yugoslavia.

Administrative divisions

   Serbia and Montenegro was composed of two republics. Serbia, meanwhile,
   had two subordinate autonomous provinces. The structure of Serbia and
   Montenegro:
     * Serbia (capital: Belgrade)
          + Vojvodina – autonomous province within Serbia (capital: Novi
            Sad)
          + Kosovo and Metohia – autonomous province under United Nations
            administration (capital: Priština)
     * Montenegro (capital: Podgorica)

   The country's political and administrative capital was Belgrade, while
   its judicial capital was Podgorica.

Geography

   Map of Serbia-Montenegro
   Enlarge
   Map of Serbia-Montenegro

   Serbia and Montenegro had an area of 102,350 square kilometres (39,518
   sq mi), with 199 kilometres (124  mi) of coastline. The terrain of the
   two republics is extremely varied, with much of Serbia comprising
   plains and low hills (except in the more mountainous region of Kosovo)
   and much of Montenegro consisting of high mountains. Serbia is entirely
   landlocked, with the coastline belonging to Montenegro, which also
   possessed the only fjord in southern Europe. The climate is similarly
   varied. The north has a continental climate (cold winters and hot
   summers); the central region has a combination of a continental and
   Mediterranean climate; the south enjoyed an Adriatic climate along the
   coast, with inland regions experiencing hot, dry summers and autumns
   and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland.

   Belgrade, with its population of 1,574,050, is the largest city in the
   two nations: and the only one of significant size. The country's other
   principal cities were Novi Sad, Niš, Kragujevac, Podgorica, Subotica,
   Priština, and Prizren, each with populations of about 100,000-250,000
   people.

Demographics

   Serbia and Montenegro had more demographic variety than most other
   European countries. The three largest named nationalities were Serbs
   (62.3%), Albanians (mostly Ghegs) (16.6%) and Montenegrins (5%)
   according to the 1991 census. The country also had significant
   populations of Hungarians, Roma, Bulgarians, Ethnic Macedonians,
   Romanians and other eastern Romance peoples (including Aromanians,
   Megleno-Romanians and Vlachs), and dozens of other Slavic
   denominations, namely Bosniaks, Croats, Bunjevci, Šokci, Goranci,
   Janjevci, Rusins, Slovaks, Muslims by nationality and Yugoslavs. Turkic
   subgroups still live in Kosovo (mostly Gagauz and Seljuks). There were
   a number of citizens who declared their nationality as Egyptian and
   Ashkali. These two were previously regarded as a part of Roma who are
   of the belief that they originated from present-day Egypt and Israel.
   Most of the ethnic diversity was situated in the provinces of Kosovo
   and Vojvodina, where smaller numbers of other minority groups may have
   be found. The large Albanian population was chiefly concentrated in
   Kosovo, with smaller populations in the Preševo and Bujanovac
   municipalities in Central Serbia, and in the south-east of Montenegro (
   Ulcinj municipality). The large Bosniak population lived in the Sandžak
   region on the border between Serbia and Montenegro.

   Total Serbia-Montenegro - 10,019,657

     * Serbia (total): 9,396,411
          + Vojvodina: 2,116,725
          + Central Serbia: 5,479,686
          + Kosovo: 1,800,000
     * Montenegro: 623,246

     * Major cities (over 100,000 inhabitants) - 2002 data (2003 for
       Podgorica):
          + Beograd (Belgrade): 1,280,639 (1,574,050 metro)
          + Novi Sad: 215,600 (298,139 metro)
          + Priština: 200,000 (2002 estimation)
          + Niš: 173,390 (234,863 metro)
          + Kragujevac: 145,890 (175,182 metro)
          + Podgorica: 139,500 (169,000 metro)
          + Prizren: 121,000 (2002 estimation)
          + Subotica: 99,471 (147,758 metro)

   According to an estimate from 2004, the State Union had 10,825,900
   inhabitants.

   According to a July of 2006 estimate, the State Union had 10,832,545
   inhabitants.

Economy

   Mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of economic sanctions,
   and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry caused by
   the Kosovo War left the economy only half the size it was in 1990.
   Since the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President Slobodan
   Milošević in October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS)
   coalition government has implemented stabilization measures and
   embarked on an aggressive market reform program. After renewing its
   membership in the International Monetary Fund in December 2000,
   Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the international community by
   rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for
   Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World Bank- European
   Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3
   billion for economic restructuring. An agreement rescheduling the
   country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts was concluded in
   November 2001; it will write off 66% of the debt; a similar debt relief
   agreement on its $2.8 billion London Club commercial debt has been
   reached in July 2004; 62% of the debt have been written off.

   The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from federal
   control and from Serbia during the Milošević era. During the Serbia and
   Montenegro period, both republics had separate central banks, different
   currencies - Montenegro used the euro, while Serbia used the Serbian
   dinar as official currency. The two states also had different customs
   tariffs, separate state budgets, police forces, governments.

   The southern Serbian province of Kosovo, while formally still part of
   Serbia (according to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244),
   moved toward local autonomy under the United Nations Interim
   Administration Mission in Kosovo ( UNMIK) and was dependent on the
   international community for financial and technical assistance. The
   euro and the Yugoslav dinar were official currencies, and UNMIK
   collected taxes and managed the budget.

   The complexity of Serbia and Montenegro's political relationships, slow
   progress in privatisation, and stagnation in the European economy were
   detrimental to the economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially
   requirements for fiscal discipline, were an important element in policy
   formation. Severe unemployment was a key political economic problem.
   Corruption also presented a major problem, with a large black market
   and a high degree of criminal involvement in the formal economy.

Transportation

   Serbia, and in particular the valley of the Morava is often described
   as "the crossroads between the East and the West" - one of the primary
   reasons for its turbulent history. The valley is by far the easiest way
   of land travel from continental Europe to Greece and Asia Minor.

   Until the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars, the ironically-named highway
   "Bratstvo i jedinstvo" (Brotherhood and Unity) running through Croatia,
   Serbia and FYRO Macedonia was one of Europe's most important transport
   arteries. It gradually resumed this role as the security situation
   stabilized.

   Major international highways going through Serbia are E75 and E70.
   E763/ E761 is the most important route connecting Serbia with
   Montenegro.

   The Danube, an important international waterway, flows through Serbia.

   The largest seaport is Montenegro's Bar.

Holidays in Serbia and Montenegro

   CAPTION: Holidays

   Date Name Notes
   January 1 New Year's Day (non-working holiday)
   January 7 Orthodox Christmas (non-working)
   January 14 National Holiday (Serbian New Year) Српска Нова година
   Srpska Nova godina
   January 27 Saint Sava's feast Day — Day of Spirituality
   April 27 Constitution Day
   April 29 Orthodox Good Friday Date for 2005 only
   May 1 Orthodox Easter Date for 2005 only
   May 2 Orthodox Easter Monday Date for 2005 only
   May 1 Labour Day (non-working)
   May 9 Victory Day
   June 28 Vidovdan ( Martyr's Day) In memory of soldiers fallen at the
   Battle of Kosovo

   Holidays celebrated only in Serbia

     * February 15 - Sretenje ( National Day, non-working)

   Holidays celebrated only in Montenegro

     * July 13 - Statehood Day (non-working)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbia_and_Montenegro"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
