Declaration of Independence
Montenegro celebrates its Independence Day on 21 May. On this day in 2006, the country held a referendum for independence from The State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. 55.5 percent voted in favor of severing ties with Serbia. On 3 June 2006, Montenegro formally declared its independence.
History
The country has a rich historical past. During the ninth century, there were three Slavic principalities on the territory of Montenegro. These included Duklja in the southern half, Rascia in the north and Travunia in the west. In 1042, archon Stefan Vojislav started a revolt, leading to the independence of Duklja from Byzantine rule and the establishment of the Vojislavljević dynasty. The next few centuries witnessed Duklja reaching the zenith of power and glory. By the thirteenth century, the Zeta realm replaced Duklja. Zeta was more widely referred to as Montenegro. The medieval state of Zeta came under the influence of the Ottoman Empire in 1496. Even under Ottoman rule, Montenegro managed to maintain some amount of autonomy.
In the year 1878, the Congress of Berlin recognized Montenegro as an independent state. The First World War, which broke out in 1914, redefined the boundaries of many countries. The end of the war witnessed Montenegro becoming a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. This later became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
At the end of the Second World War it became a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Upon the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1992, Montenegro, along with Serbia, created the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which in 2003 became a looser State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. Finally, on the grounds of an independence referendum conducted on 21 May 2006, Montenegro announced independence on 3 June, the same year.
Song
The translated version of the national anthem is :
Oh, Bright Dawn of May
Oh bright dawn of May
Our mother Montenegro
Our mother Montenegro
We are sons of your rocks
We are sons of your rocks
and keepers of your honesty
and keepers of your honesty
We love you, the rocky hills,
And your awesome gorges
That never came to know
The chains of shameful slavery
Our mother Montenegro
Our mother Montenegro
Oh bright dawn of May
Oh bright dawn of May
Our mother Montenegro
Our mother Montenegro
While our unity gives wings
to our Lovćen cause
Proud shall be, celebrated will be
Our dear homeland
A river of our waves
Jumping into two seas
Will bear voice to the ocean
May eternal be our Montenegro!
Will bear voice to the ocean
May eternal be our Montenegro!
May eternal be our Montenegro!
Facts
Some of the essential facts to note are as follows :
- President : Filip Vujanovic (2003)
- Prime Minister : Milo Djukanovic (2012)
- Total area : 5,332 sq mi13,812 sq km )
- Population (2014 est.): 650036
- Languages : Serbian, Montenegrin, Bosnian, Albanian
- Agriculture : citrus fruits, potatoes, tobacco, olives, grapes; sheep
- Industries : consumer goods, agricultural processing, steelmaking, tourism
- Natural resources : hydroelectricity, bauxite
- Trading partners : Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Hungary