Montenegrin diaspora

Montenegrin diaspora

Total population
c. 620,000[1][2]
Regions with significant populations
United States	c. 40,000 (2014)[3]
Argentina	c. 30,000 (2001)[3]
Germany	c. 30,000[3]
France	c. 30,000[4]
Serbia	20,238 (2022)[5]
Luxembourg	c. 12,000 (2001)[3]
Chile	c. 7,000 (2015)[6]
Italy	4,588 (2010)[7]
Canada	4,160 (2016)[8]
Croatia	3,127 (2021)[9]
Netherlands	2,721 (2022)[10]
Slovenia	2,667 (2002)[11]
Switzerland	2,593 (2014)[12]
Bolivia	c. 2,000 (2017)[13]
Bosnia and Herzegovina	1,883 (2013)[14]
Australia	1,554 (2013)[15]
Sweden	1,551 (2022)[16]
United Kingdom	1027 (2011)[17]
North Macedonia	1,023 (2021)[18]
Mexico	800 (2013)[19]
Norway	764 (2023)[20]
Denmark	684 (2023)[21]
Albania	366 (2011)[22]
Russia	181 (2010)[23]
Belgium	129 (2010)[24]
Languages
Predominantly Montenegrin, Serbian, Albanian English, Spanish, German and French, among others
Religion
Majority: Eastern Orthodoxy Minority: Islam, Roman Catholicism and Irreligion
Related ethnic groups
Montenegrins, Montenegrin Americans, Montenegrin Argentine, Montenegrin Germans

The Montenegrin diaspora (Montenegrin: Црногорска дијаспора) consists of communities of ethnic Montenegrins and/or Montenegrin citizens living outside Montenegro. Estimates on its size are only approximate because of incomplete statistical records and naturalization, but (highest) estimates suggest that the Montenegrin diaspora may be as large as the nation's population of 620,000.^[25]

Communities

United States

Main article: Montenegrin Americans

At the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, mass migration of Montenegrins into America occurred. It went in groups, but also individually. First of all, young people from the coastal part of Montenegro were leaving: Boka, Pastrovici, the surroundings of Budva, then from Crmnica, Katun nahija, Gragova, Krivosija, Vilusa, so that in a few years the departure would be extended to the region of Niksic, Bjelopavlici, Piva, Zabljak, Moraca and the whole northern part of Montenegro.

The number of emigrants has grown from year to year. According to the passport book, which was carefully conducted from 1864 to 1914 in the Kingdom of Montenegro, in the United States, according to Pavel Rovinsky, there were 17 thousand young Montenegrins. This is stated in the "Glas Crnogorca", which was at that time in Cetinje, as well as in the "Slobodna Misao" newspaper in Niksic. Interesting is the fact that in 1903, in the course of five months, from the beginning of August to the end of December, 621 Montenegrins went to America. ^[26]

Today, it is estimated that there are 40,000 Montenegrins in the United States and these Montenegrins mainly live in the central and eastern United States, consisting of Albanians from Ulcinj and Tuzi, and Bosniak Muslims of Bar, Plav and Gusinje; much of which is concentrated in New York City and Chicago, and to a lesser extent in Detroit, and recent arrivals from former Yugoslavia in the Los Angeles area.^[3]

Montenegrin flag in Chicago

Montenegrin Americans are found throughout the state of Alaska. About a quarter of all known Montenegrin Americans live in Anchorage. Their presence in Alaska dates back to the gold rushes of the early 20th century.

Argentina

Main article: Montenegrin Argentine

During the early 1900s, Montenegrins from the Kingdom of Montenegro began emigrating to the country, and nowadays there are approximately 50,000 Montenegrins and descendants living in Argentina. Besides Poles (450,000) and Croatians (440,000) they are one of the most populous Slavic communities in Argentina. Currently most of them are located in the northern province of Chaco, while the remaining part lives in Buenos Aires, Tandil, Venado Tuerto, and General Madariaga.^[3]

Descendants of ethnic Montenegrins established Colonia La Montenegrina, the largest Montenegrin colony in South America, in which they are part of even today. General Madariaga is a specially important place for Montenegrins in Argentina since many of them have achieved a remarkable wealth there through the business of cattle breeding, and most Montenegrins and their descendants are buried in its cemetery. Additionally, the Montenegrin-Argentine organization, Yugoslav Society Njegoš (Sociedad Yugoslava Njegoš, previously called the Montenegrin Society and Montenegrin-Yugoslav Society for Mutual Aid before World War II) provides mutual aid inside the town.

Germany

Main article: Montenegrins in Germany

Montenegrins in Germany are supported and represented by various associations.^[27] They number around 30,000. It is the largest Montenegrin diaspora in the EU.

Some Montenegrins immigrated during the 1960s and 1970s as Gastarbeiter ("guest workers") when Montenegro was still a part of Yugoslavia. A minority arrived as refugees during the Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s.

Some Montenegrins still want to migrate to Germany, especially from the northern parts of Montenegro. In 2015, approximately 6,000 attempted to travel into Germany to seek asylum but were unsuccessful.^[28][29] In 2016, 683 Montenegrins were granted work permits. In 2017, this number rose to 876.^[30] In 2018, Germany made it easier for Montenegrins to gain a work permit.

See also

• Montenegro
• Montenegrins
• Montenegrin language
• List of Montenegrins

References

1. "Širom svijeta pola miliona Crnogoraca" (in Montenegrin). RTCG. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
2. "U dijaspori živi još jedna Crna Gora" (in Montenegrin). Montenegrina. 26 October 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
3. Širom svijeta pola miliona Crnogoraca Archived 29 October 2019 at the Wayback Machine Radio i Televizija Crne Gore
4. "Présentation du Monténégro". Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
5. "RZS objavio rezultate popisa o nacionalnoj pripadnosti stanovnika". N1. 29 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
6. "Stojović: U Čileu živi 7000 potomaka Crnogoraca". Montengrina.net. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
7. "Statistiche demografiche ISTAT". Archived from the original on 1 July 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
8. "2016 Census of Population". Statistics Canada. 8 February 2017. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
9. "Population by Ethnicity/Citizenship/Mother tongue/Religion" (xlsx). Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in 2021. Zagreb: Croatian Bureau of Statistics. 2022.
10. "Bevolking; generatie, geslacht, leeftijd en migratieachtergrond, 1 januari" (in Dutch). Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS). Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
11. "Statistini urad RS – Popis 2002". Stat.si. Archived from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
12. "Who are the two million foreigners in Switzerland?". 19 November 2017. Archived from the original on 19 November 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
13. "Bolivija: Po prvi put se okupili potomci iseljenika iz Crne Gore". cdm.me (in Montenegrin). 26 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
14. "1. Stanovništvo prema etničkoj/nacionalnoj pripadnosti – detaljna klasifikacija". Popis.gov.ba. Archived from the original on 21 October 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
15. "Montenegro   Crna Gora   Montenegro". 2013 Census. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018. Total responses: 25,451,383 for total count of persons: 19,855,288.
16. "Population by country of birth and country of Origin". Statistics of Sweden. Archived from the original on 5 July 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
17. "2011 Census: Country of birth (expanded), regions in England and Wales". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
18. "Dabase". Archived from the original on 9 March 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
19. "Census 2011 Data: Resident population by ethnic and cultural affiliation". The Institute of Statistics of Republic of Albania. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
20. "Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents". Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
21. DST statistics, DST statistics. "DST statistics". DST statistics. Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
22. "Census 2011 Data: Resident population by ethnic and cultural affiliation". The Institute of Statistics of Republic of Albania. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
23. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010. Национальный состав населения Archived 6 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
24. "Population par nationalité, sexe, groupe et classe d'âges au 1er janvier 2010" (in French). Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
25. "Analytical study of Montenegrin Diaspora". Western Balkans Info Hub. 29 December 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
26. "Iz istorije crnogorskog iseljeništva". Montenegrina.net. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
27. "NjEMAČKA: Odlično sarađujemo sa Crnom Gorom". Montenegro EAA. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
28. "Građanima CG odbijen azil u Njemačkoj". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
29. "Crnogorci masovno migriraju: Put u azil izlaz iz nemaštine". Radio Slobodna Evropa. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
30. "Šansa za građane Crne Gore: Lakše do posla u Njemačkoj". Caffe del Montenegro. Retrieved 8 March 2018.

External links

• Matica crnogorska (official pages)
• Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (official pages)
• The Montenegrin Association of America
• Article about Montenegrin tribes (in montenegrin language)