Editing Montenegro (section)

== Demographics ==
{{Main|Demographics of Montenegro|Demographic history of Montenegro}}

=== Ethnic structure ===

The 2023 census reported 623,633 citizens.<ref name="t819">{{cite web | title=Popis stanovništva, domaćinstava i stanova, 2023. godine | url=https://www.monstat.org/uploads/files/popis%202021/saopstenja/SAOPSTENJE_Popis%20stanovnistva%202023%20II_cg.pdf | access-date=2024-10-15}}</ref> Montenegro is a [[multiethnic state]] with no ethnic majority.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/external/applicant/montenegro_en.pdf|title=Montenegro, country report|publisher=[[European Commission]]|date=December 2006|access-date=24 January 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160830004805/http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/analysis/external/applicant/montenegro_en.pdf|archive-date=30 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xKMtAQAAIAAJ&q=Montenegro+multi+ethnic+country|title=Montenegro: A Modern History|publisher=[[I.B. Tauris]]|date= 2009|isbn=9781845117108 }}</ref> [[Montenegrins]] make up 41.1% of the population, [[Serbs of Montenegro|Serbs]] 32.9%, [[Bosniaks of Montenegro|Bosniaks]] 9.45%, [[Albanians in Montenegro|Albanians]] 4.99%, and [[Russians]] 2.01%.<ref name="g302">{{cite web | title=Crnogoraca 41,12 odsto, Srba 32,93, Bošnjaka 9,45... | website=RTCG – Radio Televizija Crne Gore – Nacionalni javni servis | date=2024-10-15 | url=https://rtcg.me/cir/vijesti/drustvo/612699/crnogoraca-4112-odsto-srba-3293-bosnjaka-945.html | access-date=2024-10-15}}</ref> There is a significant number of other ethnic groups, including [[Romani people in Montenegro|Romani people]], [[Croats in Montenegro|Croats]], [[Ukrainians]], [[Belarusians]], and [[Turkish people|Turks]].

'''Montenegro''' is one of 22 countries with a '''GHI''' score of less than 5.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Global Hunger Index Scores by 2024 GHI Rank |url=https://www.globalhungerindex.org/ranking.html |access-date=2024-12-25 |website=Global Hunger Index (GHI) – peer-reviewed annual publication designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels |language=en}}</ref>

=== Languages ===
{{Main|Languages of Montenegro}}
[[File:Bečko izdanje Gorskog vijenca 1847.png|thumb|right|[[The Mountain Wreath]] is a poetic chronicle documenting the struggle of the Montenegrin people for independence from the Ottoman Empire, and is the most famous literary work in the country]]

The official language in Montenegro is [[Montenegrin language|Montenegrin]]. [[Serbian language|Serbian]], [[Bosnian language|Bosnian]], [[Albanian language|Albanian]], and [[Croatian language|Croatian]] are recognised in official usage. Montenegrin, Serbian, Bosnian, and Croatian are [[mutually intelligible]] as [[standard varieties]] of the [[Serbo-Croatian language]]. Serbian is the most spoken language in the country, as a plurality of the population at 43.18% consider it as their [[native language]], while 34.52% speaks the Montenegrin language. There is also significant number of people speaking Bosnian (6.98%), Albanian (5.25%), and [[Russian language|Russian]] (2.36%).<ref name="q454">{{cite web | title=Srpskim jezikom govori 43,18 odsto, crnogorskim 34,52 odsto... | website=RTCG – Radio Televizija Crne Gore – Nacionalni javni servis | date=2024-10-15 | url=https://rtcg.me/vijesti/drustvo/612761/srpskim-jezikom-govori-4318-odsto-crnogorskim-3452-odsto.html | access-date=2024-10-15}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Montenegro}}
[[File:Pogled na Ostrog izdaleka 2019.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ostrog Monastery]] is the most visited religious shrine in the country, due to its uniqueness in being situated against an almost vertical background that is high up in the large rock of Ostroška Greda]]

Montenegro has historically stood at the crossroads of multiculturalism, and over centuries this has shaped its unique co-existence between its Christian and Muslim populations.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Strengthening Religious Tolerance for a Secure Civil Society in Albania and the Southern Balkans|last=Pettifer|first=James|publisher=IOS Press|year=2007|isbn=978-1-58603-779-6 }}</ref> Montenegrins have throughout history been [[Eastern Orthodox Christians]] that are members of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church]], which is governed by the [[Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral]] and the [[Eparchy of Budimlja and Nikšić]].<ref name="Evropa 2021 i808">{{cite news | last=Evropa | first=Radio Slobodna | title=Mitropolija i Eparhija SPC registrovane u Crnoj Gori | website=Radio Slobodna Evropa | date=2021-06-11 | url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/crna-gora-crkva-spc/31302405.html | language=sh | access-date=2023-11-20}}</ref> [[Eastern Orthodoxy in Montenegro|Eastern Orthodox Christianity]] is the predominant religion in Montenegro, with 71.1% of the population adhering to the religion.<ref name="p282">{{cite web | title=Najviše pravoslavaca (71,1 odsto), muslimana (19,99), katolika (3,27)... | website=RTCG – Radio Televizija Crne Gore – Nacionalni javni servis | date=2024-10-15 | url=https://rtcg.me/vijesti/drustvo/612745/najvise-pravoslavaca-711-odsto-muslimana-1999-katolika-327.html | access-date=2024-10-15}}</ref> Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Church is the largest and most popular church, with approximately 90% of Orthodox Christians in Montenegro following the church.<ref name="United States Department of State 2021 x826">{{cite web | title=United States Department of State | website=United States Department of State | date=2021-05-12 | url=https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/montenegro/ | access-date=2023-11-20}}</ref> A [[Schism in Christianity|schismatic]] church called The [[Montenegrin Orthodox Church]], which broke off from the Serbian Orthodox church in 1993, is followed by the remaining 10% of Orthodox Christians in the country. It also has not been officially recognized by the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]] and is not in communion with any other canonical Orthodox Christian Church.<ref name="vijesti.me 2019 u217">{{cite web | title=Bartholomew wrote to Đukanović: The Ecumenical Patriarchate only recognizes the Montenegrin Littoral Metropolitanate | website=vijesti.me | date=2019-06-27 | url=https://en.vijesti.me/news/society/391381/Bartholomew-wrote-to-Dukanovica%2C-the-Ecumenical-Patriarchate-only-recognizes-the-Montenegrin-Littoral-Metropolitanate | access-date=2023-11-20 | archive-date=20 November 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120185234/https://en.vijesti.me/news/society/391381/Bartholomew-wrote-to-Dukanovica,-the-Ecumenical-Patriarchate-only-recognizes-the-Montenegrin-Littoral-Metropolitanate | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Despite tensions between religious groups during the [[Bosnian War]], Montenegro remained fairly stable, mainly due to its population's perspective on religious tolerance and faith diversity.<ref>{{Cite book|title=International Religious Freedom 2000: Annual Report: Submitted by the U.S. Department Of State|last=Larkin|first=Barbara|publisher=Diane Publishing|year=2001|isbn=978-0-7567-1229-7 }}</ref> Religious institutions have guaranteed rights and are separate from the state. The second largest religion is [[Islam in Montenegro|Islam]], practiced by 19% of the population. Montenegro has one of the highest proportion of Muslims in Europe and the third highest proportion among Slavic countries, behind only Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia. A little more than one-fourth of the country's [[Albanians]] are [[Catholics]] (8,126 in the 2003 census) while the rest (22,267) are mainly [[Sunni Muslims]]; in 2012 a protocol recognised [[Islam]] as an official religion, which ensures that [[halal]] foods are served at military facilities, hospitals, dormitories and social facilities; and that Muslim women are permitted to wear headscarves in schools and at public institutions, as well as ensuring that Muslims have the right to take Fridays off for the [[Jumu'ah]] (Friday)-prayer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action;jsessionid=DA2F43BACD1FEFE22CCCDB093D5DA0B3?newsId=274558|title=Rifat Fejzic, the reis (president) of the Islamic community in Montenegro|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921055243/http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action;jsessionid=DA2F43BACD1FEFE22CCCDB093D5DA0B3?newsId=274558|archive-date=21 September 2013|work=Today's Zaman}}</ref> Since the time of [[Vojislavljević dynasty]] Catholicism is autochthonous in the Montenegrin area.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Ivan|last=Jovović|date=2013|title=Dvooltarske crkve na crnogorskom primorju|quote=Dio istoričara u tumačenju ovog procesa svjesno izostavlja notornu činjenicu da je katolicizam na crnogorskom prostoru autohton još od vremena dinastije Vojislavljevića|journal=MATICA|url=https://www.maticacrnogorska.me/files/53/06%20ivan%20jovovic.pdf|page=67|archive-date=25 March 2022|access-date=3 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325060610/https://www.maticacrnogorska.me/files/53/06%20ivan%20jovovic.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> A small Roman Catholic population, mostly Albanians with some Croats, is divided between the [[Archdiocese of Antivari]] headed by the Primate of Serbia and the [[Diocese of Kotor]] that is a part of the [[Catholic Church in Croatia]].