By its geographical position, Montenegro belongs to the central Mediterranean that is Southern Europe. Its northern neighbour is Serbia and the southeast, it borders with Albania. On the south, it is separated from Italy by the Adriatic Sea, whereas its western neighbours are the former Yugoslav republics of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The distance between the Montenegrin capital Podgorica and Rome is around 500 km by air, from Paris and Berlin it is around 1,500 km, from Moscow almost 2,000 km.
The name of Montenegro (Black Mountain) was probably derived from the thick "black" forests that in the mediaeval times had been covering Mt. Lovcen and other alpine areas of the "Old Montenegro". This name was first mentioned in 1276, after which it has gradually replaced the former names for this geographic and administrative area - Duklja and Zeta. Italian sources also record the names of Montagna Nera, Montenegro, or Monte Negro - wherefrom Montenegro was incorporated into the West-European languages. Geographic regions and contrasts.
There are 40 lakes in Montenegro, and eighty percent of the territory is comprised of forests, natural pasturelands and meadows. The 2,833 plant species and subspecies that grow on the mere 0.14 % of the total surface area of Europe which belongs to Montenegro, make almost a quarter of the European flora.
Seaside
The width of the Adriatic Sea is greatest between Montenegro and Southern Italy (around 200 km), and that part of the Adriatic is at the same time the deepest (greatest depth is 1,330 m at the point 120 km south-west of the Bay of Kotor).
The length of the coastline is 293.5 km, of which 52 km are beaches. The Montenegrin seaside is a very narrow strip of land (2-10 km wide), separated from the inland by high and steep limestone mountains of Rumija, Sutorman, Orjen, and Lovcen. The coast is very indented with numerous bays and coves. The largest and most impressive is the Bay of Kotor, which is the world's southernmost fjord.
In Montenegro there are, at a small space, 4 great National Parks. Each of them will in its own way offer unforgettable natural beauties.
National Park - Skadar Lake
Lake is located in Zeta Scadar valley and is surrounded by mountains and 7 km far from Adriatic Sea. Two Thirds of Lake of Scadar is in Montenegro and rest one third is in Albania. Depending of level of water space of Lake varies from 530 to 370 km2 it is considered 44 km long and 14 km wide. Coast line is very cut especially in north and west side. Low valley of north part of Lake is often flooded.
Natioanal Park - Lovcen
National Park Lovcen is located in rocky region of Dinara Alps. Slopes of Mountain Lovcen steeply rise from coastal region of Budva and west part of Cetinje. Park is bordered on South with highway Budva and Cetinje and on North with old Kotor road. Black Mountain, after which Montenegro got its name, rises to 1749 meters of altitude. Park is 6220 acres large. Office of the Park is at Cetinje.
National Park-Biograd Lake
Park is in mountainous region of Bjelasica that is located in central part of Montenegro between Rivers Tara and Lim and is surrounded with three municipalities: Kolasin, Berane and Mojkovac. Park is 5400 acres large and surrounded with mountains whose tops are over 2000 meters high and with nine glacier and one low land lakes, Lake Biograd. Seat of the Park is in Kolasin.
National Park - Durmitor
The Park is located at wide mountain region in North West of Montenegro, limited by Rivers Piva and Tara between which there are 23 mountain tops over 2300 meters of altitude. Park is 39000 acres large and includes 82 kilometers of canyon of the Tara with altitude of 1600 meters above level of the River. Office of the Park is in Zabljak.
