II.

Land and Resources

The region covered by the former Serbia and Montenegro has a diverse landscape. Serbia, which lies to the north and east, accounted for 86 per cent of the land area of the country. Rich and fertile plains comprise much of the north, while limestone ranges and basins characterize the east. In the south-east ancient mountains and hills rise up from the plains, while a 199 km (119.4 mi) coastline on the Adriatic Sea forms the south-west boundary, where the Republic of Montenegro is located.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

The Drava, Sava, and Tisza rivers flow through the region, as does the Danube. The largest lake is Lake Scutari, which straddles the border between Montenegro and Albania.

B.

Climate

The region has a varied climate. The north has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, humid, rainy summers. The central region is characterized by both continental and Mediterranean climates, while the south has a Mediterranean climate along the coast with hot, dry summers and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland.

C.

Natural Resources

Minerals are the primary natural resources of the former Serbia and Montenegro. The deposits of antimony and lead are among the most significant in Europe. Coal, oil, gas, zinc, gold, chrome, and copper are also commonly found.

D.

Plants and Animals

In the coastal area the vegetation is predominantly subtropical. The most common trees in this area are palm, cypress, olive, orange, lemon, fig, and cherry. Evergreens, pomegranate shrubs, and grapevines are also abundant. In the lower mountain regions the deciduous trees include oak, elm, maple, walnut, chestnut, willow, ash, and lime.

E.

Environmental Concerns

Environmental issues were largely ignored during the warfare of the 1990s. The international embargo on Serbia placed pressure on the country’s natural resources, and pollution—worsened by outdated technologies—went largely unchecked. In the mid-1990s, less than 10 per cent of the country’s waste water was treated before being released into rivers and lakes, and deforestation was accelerating. In late 1995 the government passed a series of environmental protection laws that stressed standards and procedures for industry. A system of ecological permits was also established to collect funds valued at 1 per cent of the cost of any new industrial project. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia established several recycling centres for industrial waste in 1996, which was proclaimed the Year of Recycling.

The region encompassing the former Serbia and Montenegro is one of the most ecologically varied in Europe, and up to 49,000 species of plants and animals have been catalogued. About 360 endangered plants and animals have been listed for protection, and the former government signed a number of international conservation agreements. The creation of four new national parks was also announced in 1996. Two will be sited on the banks of the Danube, and two will be transborder parks: one linking Serbia, Montenegro, and Albania; and the other on the frontier with Bulgaria. These will complement a biosphere reserve under the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Program, and one natural area declared as a World Heritage Site. Seven new nature reserves are also planned.

Montenegro declared itself the world’s first “environmental state”, pledging to live more harmoniously with nature. The challenge is an immense one, as tourist developments along the coast threaten saltwater estuaries, and industry continues to pollute the air, soil, and water.