Geography of Montenegro

Montenegro (Template:Langx; Template:Lit.) is a small, mountainous country in Southeast Europe. It borders Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and the Adriatic Sea. While being a small country at Template:Convert, it is very diverse regarding the terrain configuration.<ref name="KÄ Nationsonline.Org 1992">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Montenegro has 50 peaks of over Template:Convert in altitude.

Terrain

File:SV cast Durmitoru, Sljeme (2440 m) a Savin kuk.jpg

Durmitor, northern region of Montenegro

File:NP Lovćen (by Pudelek) 01.jpg

Lovćen, southern region of Montenegro

Terrain in Montenegro ranges from high mountains in the northern part of the country, through karst segment in central and western part, to almost Template:Convert of a narrow coastal plain. The coastal plain disappears completely in the north, where Mount Lovćen and other mountain ranges plunge abruptly into the inlet of the Gulf of Kotor. The coastal region is noted for active seismicity.<ref name="Goway Travel">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Montenegro's section of the karst lies generally at elevations of Template:Convert above sea level-although some areas rise to Template:Convert. The lowest segment is in the valley of the Zeta River, which flows at an elevation ranging from Template:Convert to Template:Convert. The river occupies the centre of Nikšić field, a flat-floored, elongated depression typical of karstic regions. The underlying rock is predominantly limestone, which dissolves to form sinkholes and caves. The longest cave in Montenegro is Vražji firovi – 10,5 km long cave north-east from Berane, and the deepest sinkhole is Željezna jama −1027 m on mount Maganik.<ref name="Carta">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The Zeta River Valley, or Bjelopavlići plain, merges in the southeast with the second significant flat lowland in Montenegro, the Zeta plain. Zeta plain stretches north of the Lake Scutari at elevation of Template:Convert. The two plains are today the most densely populated areas of Montenegro, housing the two biggest Montenegrin cities, Podgorica and Nikšić.<ref name="Discover Montenegro 2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The high mountains of Montenegro include some of the most rugged terrain in Europe. They average more than Template:Convert in elevation. Among notable peaks is Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor mountain, which reaches Template:Convert. The Montenegrin mountains were the most ice-eroded section of the Balkan Peninsula during the last glacial period.<ref name="Goway Travel"/>

Coast

File:Kotor, Montenegro, Boka Kotorska.jpg

Bay of Kotor region

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Template:See also The coast of Montenegro is Template:Convert long. Unlike its northern neighbour Croatia, Montenegro has no large inhabited islands along the coast. A notable feature of the Montenegrin coast is Bay of Kotor, a fjord-like gulf, which is in fact a submerged river canyon. The Bay of Kotor is surrounded by mountains up to Template:Convert high, which plunge almost vertically into the sea.<ref name="Goway Travel"/>

To the south of the Bay of Kotor, there is a narrow coastal plain, no more than 4 km wide, which is guarded from the north by high mountains. The plain provided space for numerous small coastal settlements.<ref name="BLU European Festival 2019">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Hydrology

File:Lago Skadar, Montenegro, 2014-04-14, DD 02.JPG

Lake Skadar in Montenegro

Montenegro's surface runoff in the north is carried away by the Ibar, Lim and Tara river systems, which enter the Danube via the Drina River of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In southern Montenegro, streams flow toward the Adriatic Sea. Much of the drainage of the karstic region is not on the surface but travels in underground channels.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica 2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The largest lake in Montenegro and the Balkans is Lake Scutari. Known in Montenegro as Skadarsko Jezero, it lies near the coast and extends across the international border into northern Albania. It is Template:Convert long and Template:Convert wide, with a total surface area of Template:Convert. Some 60 percent lies within Montenegrin territory. The water body occupies a karstic polje depression that has a floor lying below sea level.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica 2021"/>

Montenegro's mountainous regions are noted for their numerous lakes.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica 2021"/>

Statistics

Template:Div col Geographic coordinates: Template:Coord<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Area – comparative: similar in size to The Bahamas<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Area

Total: 13,812 km² (5,332 sq mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Land: 13,452 km² (5,193 sq mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Water: 360 km² (138 sq mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Population: 620,029 (2011 census);<ref name="MONSTAT">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 653,474 (2013 estimate [1])

Length of the coast (coastline): 293.5 km (182 mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Length of the international borders: 625 km (388 mi) (all)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

• With Croatia: 14 km (8 mi) or 25 km (15 mi)<ref name="CIAWF2008">The World FactbookTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore, CIA, 2008.</ref><ref name="SLJRH2007">Statistical Yearbook of Croatia, State Institute of Statistics, section Geographical data, Zagreb, 2008.</ref>
• With Bosnia and Herzegovina: 225 km (139 mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>
• With Serbia: 124 km (77 mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>
• and with Albania: 172 km (106 mi)<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Land under cultivation: 517,153 ha

Land use:

• arable land: 12.45%
• permanent crops: 1.16%
• other: 86.39%

Irrigated land: 24.12 km²

Maritime claims: 12 nm<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>

Points

• Lowest point
  • Adriatic Sea – 0 m<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>
• Highest point
  • Bobotov Kuk – 2,522 m<ref name="The World Factbook -- Montenegro 2004"/>
• Northernmost point:
  • Moćevići, Pljevlja municipality – Template:Coord
• Southernmost point:
  • Mala Ada, Ulcinj municipality – Template:Coord
• Easternmost point:
  • Jablanica, Rožaje municipality – Template:Coord
• Westernmost point:
  • Prijevor, Herceg Novi municipality – Template:Coord

See also

• Geology of Montenegro
• Geography of Europe

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Wikiatlas
• Template:Osmrelation-inline