Geography

While every country in the world has its own geographical wonders, Montenegro is a nation that is rich with a range of fascinating natural environments to explore. Situated along the borders of Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia and the shores of the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro is packed with variety that countries several times its size rarely offer. Although it is only slightly less than 14,000 square kilometers, there are more environments to explore in this country than most would expect. In this way, you might consider it the hidden gem of the Balkans.

The name of this nation itself is derived from two words that mean Black Mountain. Indeed, a huge portion of its land area is made up of mountains covered in black forests similar to those famous in the country of Germany. These poetic wooded areas have the aura of a fairy tale that one might expect to see in a children’s fairy tale book from Hans Christian Anderson or The Brothers Grimm. From these towering mountains flow a variety of rivers such as Cehotina, Moraca, Piva and Tara. In these places the cliffs are steep, the trees are thick and dark, but the views are absolutely breath taking. In some parts of these mountain ranges snow stays on the ground year round, but in most places there are simply long winters and comparatively cool summers. Hiking in Montenegro is definitely an experience that is beyond comparison simply due to the rich and exotic, almost primeval nature of the forests here.

Aside from the swift rivers, Montenegro has other places of water that have intrigued human inhabitants since the earliest times. There are forty different lakes here, but perhaps the most famous is Lake Skadar, where the first civilizations that came to this land settled and established themselves. This is the biggest lake in the country at 50 km in length by 16 km in width with a total surface area in excess of 370 square kilometers. Lakes like this have served as gathering places and points of natural beauty for the people that live here, but there is also sea which draws in a fair number of visitors to the coastal regions each year. Steep limestone cliffs over look the Adriatic and provide inspiring views for all those who come to take in the calm, natural inspiration of these places. Perhaps the most notable of these Adriatic views is the Bay of Kotor which resembles the fjords of Scandanavia with its sheer cliffs that seem to plummet vertically straight into the sea. Technically, this is the southernmost fjord in the world, a sight definitely worth taking in. The extraordinary appearance of this place is due to the fact that it is actually a sunken river basin formed over aeons until today it is a natural gulf.

Having a strong appreciation for the natural appeal of their land, the citizens of Montenegro have established several national parks in which they preserve the pristine elements that make their country unique in terms of its habitats and ecosystems. Biogradska Gora, Durmitor, Lovcen and more offer impressive views of unspoiled plains, forest, mountain and coastal views that are unlike any others in the world. The small population of this country combined with the sheer variety of climates, plants and animals make it quite an opportunity for those with a passion for naturalist settings. Few other places in the Balkans or Europe can boast such beauty largely untouched by modern society.