:Geography of Montenegro

Image:SV cast Durmitoru, Sljeme (2440 m) a Savin kuk.jpg, northern region of Montenegro]]

File:NP Lovćen (by Pudelek) 01.jpg, 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 {{Convert|300|km|abbr=on}} 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.{{cite web | title=Geography & Maps | website=Goway Travel | url=https://www.goway.com/travel-information/europe/montenegro/geography-maps/ | access-date=2021-05-30}}

Montenegro's section of the karst lies generally at elevations of {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level-although some areas rise to {{convert|1800|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. The lowest segment is in the valley of the Zeta River, which flows at an elevation ranging from {{convert|650|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|45|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. 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.{{cite web | title=Montenegro | website=Carta | url=https://carta.guide/i/montenegro/19.387871,42.654053,8?r | access-date=2021-05-30}}

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 {{convert|40|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. The two plains are today the most densely populated areas of Montenegro, housing the two biggest Montenegrin cities, Podgorica and Nikšić.{{cite web | title=Zeta plain | website=Discover Montenegro | date=2016-05-12 | url=https://www.discover-montenegro.com/zeta-plain/ | access-date=2021-05-30}}

The high mountains of Montenegro include some of the most rugged terrain in Europe. They average more than {{convert|2000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} in elevation. Among notable peaks is Bobotov Kuk in the Durmitor mountain, which reaches {{convert|2523|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}. The Montenegrin mountains were the most ice-eroded section of the Balkan Peninsula during the last glacial period.

File:Kotor, Montenegro, Boka Kotorska.jpg region]]

{{main|Montenegrin Littoral}}

{{See also|List of islands of Montenegro}}

The coast of Montenegro is {{convert|294|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} 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 {{convert|1000|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} high, which plunge almost vertically into the sea.

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.{{cite web | title=Kotor | website=BLU European Festival | date=2019-10-16 | url=https://www.blufestival.eu/job-listing/kotor/ | access-date=2021-05-30}}

{{See also|List of lakes in Montenegro|List of rivers of Montenegro}}

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

Montenegro's surface runoff in the north is carried away by the 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.{{cite web | title=Montenegro – History, Population, Capital, Flag, Language, Map, & Facts | website=Encyclopedia Britannica | date=2021-04-15 | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Montenegro | access-date=2021-05-30}}

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 {{convert|50|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|16|km|mi|1|abbr=on}} wide, with a total surface area of {{convert|370|km2|sqmi|1|abbr=on}}. Some 60 percent lies within Montenegrin territory. The water body occupies a karstic polje depression that has a floor lying below sea level.

Montenegro's mountainous regions are noted for their numerous lakes.

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

Geographic coordinates: {{coord|42|30|N|19|18|E|type:country}}{{cite web | title=CIA | website=The World Factbook – Montenegro | date=2004-01-01 | url=http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/reference/factbook/geos/mj.html | access-date=2021-06-01 | archive-date=2010-06-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100622194054/http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/reference/factbook/geos/mj.html | url-status=dead }}

Area – comparative: similar in size to The Bahamas

Area

Total: 13,812 km² (5,332 sq mi)

Land: 13,452 km² (5,193 sq mi)

Water: 360 km² (138 sq mi)

Population: 620,029 (2011 census);{{cite web | title=Statistical Office of Montenegro | website=MONSTAT | url=http://www.monstat.org/eng/page.php?id=393& | access-date=2021-06-01}} 653,474 (2013 estimate [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/montenegro/])

Length of the coast (coastline): 293.5 km (182 mi)

Length of the international borders: 625 km (388 mi) (all)

• With Croatia: 14 km (8 mi) or 25 km (15 mi)[https://www.cia.gov/library/public/the-world-factbook/geos/mj.html The World Factbook]{{dead link|date=July 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, CIA, 2008.Statistical Yearbook of Croatia, State Institute of Statistics, section [http://www.dzs.hr/Hrv_Eng/ljetopis/2007/01-bind.pdf Geographical data], Zagreb, 2008.
• With Bosnia and Herzegovina: 225 km (139 mi)
• With Serbia: 124 km (77 mi)
• and with Albania: 172 km (106 mi)

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

;Points

• Lowest point
• Adriatic Sea – 0 m
• Highest point
• Bobotov Kuk – 2,522 m
• Northernmost point:
• Moćevići, Pljevlja municipality – {{coord|43|32|N|18|58|E|type:landmark_region:ME|name=Mocevici (north)}}
• Southernmost point:
• Mala Ada, Ulcinj municipality – {{coord|41|55|N|19|22|E|type:landmark_region:ME|name=Mala Ada (south)}}
• Easternmost point:
• Jablanica, Rožaje municipality – {{coord|42|53|N|20|21|E|type:landmark_region:ME|name=Jablanica (east)}}
• Westernmost point:
• Prijevor, Herceg Novi municipality – {{coord|42|29|N|18|26|E|type:landmark_region:ME|name=Prijevor (west)}}

{{div col end}}

{{Weather box

|location = Montenegro

|metric first = Yes

|single line = Yes

|Jan record high C = 21.2

|Feb record high C = 27.2

|Mar record high C = 27.4

|Apr record high C = 33.8

|May record high C = 35.4

|Jun record high C = 40.5

|Jul record high C = 43.3

|Aug record high C = 44.8

|Sep record high C = 39.6

|Oct record high C = 32.6

|Nov record high C = 28.4

|Dec record high C = 22.6

|year record high C = 44.8

|Jan record low C = -29.8

|Feb record low C = -26.3

|Mar record low C = -25.3

|Apr record low C = -14.6

|May record low C = -10.0

|Jun record low C = -4.0

|Jul record low C = 0.4

|Aug record low C = -0.2

|Sep record low C = -6.4

|Oct record low C = -11.3

|Nov record low C = -23.4

|Dec record low C = -27.0

|year record low C =

| source 1 = Hydrological and Meteorological Service of Montenegro{{cite web |title=Dnevni prosjeci i ekstremi |language=Montenegrin |publisher=Hydrological and Meteorological Service of Montenegro |url=http://www.meteo.co.me/page.php?id=41 |access-date=9 June 2022}}

}}

• Geology of Montenegro
• Geography of Europe

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |date=February 1959 |first=Željko |last=Poljak |chapter=Ostali članci o Crnoj Gori |page=26 |title=Kazalo za "Hrvatski planinar" i "Naše planine" 1898—1958 |series=Naše planine |issn=0354-0650 |volume=XI |issue=1–2 |url=https://www.hps.hr/hp-arhiva/195901.pdf |language=hr}}

{{commons category|Geography of Montenegro}}

• {{Wikiatlas|Montenegro}}
• {{osmrelation-inline|53296|Montenegro|bullet=no}}

{{Montenegro topics |collapsed}}

{{Geography of Europe}}

{{Europe topic|Climate of}}

{{World topic|title=Extreme temperatures around the world|prefix=List of extreme temperatures in}}