Montenegro has a population of around 620,000 — roughly the size of a mid-sized European city spread across a country the size of Wales. Montenegrins (47%) are the largest ethnic group, with significant Serbian (30%), Bosniak (8%), and Albanian (5%) populations. The ethnic mix is a legacy of the Ottoman period and the region's complex 20th-century history.
Most Montenegrins are Orthodox Christian, affiliated with either the Serbian Orthodox Church or the Montenegrin Orthodox Church (a distinction that carries real political weight). Around 16% are Muslim, predominantly in the north and east of the country. The religious split reflects the historical border zone between the Ottoman and Byzantine worlds.
Montenegro was famously never fully conquered by the Ottoman Empire — the mountain strongholds held out — and this history of resistance is a significant part of national identity. The national hero Petar II Petrović-Njegoš, a 19th-century prince-bishop and poet, is revered in a way that few national figures anywhere are. His mausoleum sits on the summit of Mount Lovćen; his epic poem The Mountain Wreath is required reading in schools.
The country became part of Yugoslavia after World War I, was reconstituted as a communist republic under Tito, and finally declared independence from the union with Serbia in 2006 after a referendum. The vote was close (55.5% for independence) and the question of Montenegrin versus Serbian identity remains a live political issue.
Montenegrins have a reputation for being unhurried — there's even a local joke that they invented the word "tomorrow." In practice this manifests as relaxed service, a genuine hospitality toward guests, and long evenings in kafanas (traditional bars) that stretch into the night. People are direct and physical in greetings. If you make a genuine effort to talk to locals beyond the tourist track, Montenegro becomes a considerably more interesting place.