Montenegro

Montenegro is a country in the Balkans on the Adriatic Sea.

Principality

 * In 1874, Montenegro issued its first stamps showing Prince Nicholas I. They exist in 3 distinct printings and various perfs, inscribed ПОШТА / БИЉЕТА / ЦР. ГОРЕ.
 * In 1893, definitives were overprinted for the anniversary of printing in Montenegro.
 * In 1894-98, the Prince Nicholas design was reissued in new colors and 2 different perfs.
 * In 1896, commemoratives for the bicentennial of the royal dynasty was released.
 * In 1902, definitives with a new portrait of Prince Nicholas were released.
 * In 1906, Constitution overprints were issued in two printings, reading УСТАВ at top.
 * In 1907, an engraved set of definitives was released.
 * In 1910, Montenegro became an independent kingdom. It issued a special set for the event.
 * In 1913, a new Nicholas I definitive set was issued.

Austrian occupation of World War I

 * Montenegro was invaded by Austrian forces in 1916 with occupation resulting in Austrian stamps overprinted K.u.K MILIT.- / VERWALTUNG / MONTENEGRO, issued in 1917.
 * A further issue overprinted Montenegro exists but was never released with the end of the war.
 * The Montenegrin government in exile overprinted French stamps with S. P. / du M. / Bordeaux. These were eventually declared illegal by France, though some were used for a time by the exile government.





World War II

 * Italian forces invaded the Balkans early in 1941 while issuing Yugoslavian stamps for Montenegro overprinted Montenegro / ЦРНЕ ГОРЕ / 17-IV-41 XIX.
 * Also in 1941, Italian stamps were overprinted ЦРНЕ ГОРЕ.
 * In 1942, the occupying government had been established and surcharges in lire on Yugoslavian stamps were issued, reading Governatorato / del / Montenegro. Airmails were also released with a different overprint style/typeface.
 * In May 1943, a pictorial set was released, inscribed ЦРНЕ ГОРЕ.
 * Italian control ended in September 1943 with Italy's collapse. German forces then occupied Montenegro. In 1943, Yugoslavian stamps were surcharged Deutsche / Milataer- / Verwaltung / Montenegro, again in lire.
 * Italian occupation pictorials were also overprinted Nationaler / Verwaltungsausschuss / 10.XI.1943.
 * German forces evacuated in December 1944, leaving control to Montenegrin fascists. Yugoslav partisans entered Montenegro, making it part of the new Federation of Yugoslavia.

 File:Montenegro it occ C.jpg|From the first Italian occupation issue. File:Montenegro Ital occ B.jpg|Italian occupation government issue. File:Montenegro ital occ A.jpg|Overprinted Italian stamp. File:Montenegro view.jpg|1943 Italian occupation pictorial. File:Montenegro Deutsche.jpg|From the first German occupation issue. File:Montenegro occ Nationaler.jpg|1943 German occupation stamp. File:Montenegro occup air.jpg|German occupation semipostal. File:Montenegro occup semi.jpg|German occupation Red Cross semipostal. 

Serbia and Montenegro
With the breakup of Yugoslavia, in 1992, Montenegro merged with Serbia, adopting the name "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia". It continued to issue stamps looking much like those of the old Socialist Federation. In 2003, it became Serbia and Montenegro. See: Serbia and Montenegro.

In June 2006, Montenegro declared its independence.

Independent Montenegro
 File:Montenegro paragliding.jpg|From the 2009 tourism issue. File:Montenegro 2012.jpg|From the 2012 scenic issue. 