Some key dates in Montenegro’s history:
15th-18th Centuries – Montenegro retains substantial measure of autonomy from Ottoman Empire.
1798 – Montenegro acknowledged as independent principality.
1878 – Montenegrin independence recognised under international treaties.
1918 – Following World War One, Montenegro becomes part of Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
1929 – Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
1945 – Together with Serbia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia, Montenegro becomes one of republics in new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under Josip Broz Tito.
1980 – Tito dies.
1991 – Milo Djukanovic becomes Montenegrin prime minister.
Montenegro supports union with Serbia as Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia break away.
1992 – Montenegro joins Serbia in Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Rising nationalist and independence aspirations bring bloody conflict with Croats and Bosnian Muslims.
UN imposes sanctions on Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
1997 – Milo Djukanovic defeats pro-Milosevic candidate in Montenegrin presidential election.
1999 – Milo Djukanovic declares Montenegro not a party to the conflict over Kosovo as Serbian President Milosevic’s actions there spark Nato air strikes.
Montenegro abandons dinar in favour of German deutschemark.
2000 – Milosevic ousted by pro-Western reformers in Belgrade. Montenegrin leadership becomes increasingly independence-minded.
2002 – Montenegro adopts euro as its currency.
2002 – Yugoslav, Montenegrin and Serbian leaders sign EU mediated accord to set up new state, to be called Serbia and Montenegro, in place of Yugoslavia.
2006 – Montenegro holds an independence referendum. Just over the required 55% of voters say yes. Becomes the 192nd member of the UN.
2007 – Montenegro admitted to IMF and World Bank.
2008 – Montenegro recognises Kosovo’s self-declared independence. Applies for EU membership.
2013 – The European Parliament says that Montenegro is on track to achieve EU membership, but calls on it to do more to protect media freedom, women’s rights and gender equality.
2016 – Government accuses Russian-backed forces of coup attempt on eve of parliamentary elections.
2017 – Montenegro joins Nato, upsetting Russia, its traditional ally.
2020 – Freedom House marks Montenegro as a hybrid regime rather than a democracy because of declining standards in governance, justice, elections and media freedom.