Podgorica

Current name: Podgorica, English pronunciation: POD-gə-reet-sə, Montenegrin pronunciation: [pǒdɡoritsa]; written identically in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian; Albanian: Podgoricë (Albanian definite form: Podgorica); ([pɔdɡɔɾit͡sa]; Montenegrin Cyrillic: Подгорица; lit. 'Under the Hill' Former name: Titograd, Титоград, [tîtoɡraːd] Podgorica is written in Cyrillic as Подгорица, pronounced [pǒdɡoritsa]; UK: , US: ; Podgorica literally means 'under the hill'. Gorica (Горица), a diminutive of the word gora (гора) which is another word for 'mountain' or 'hill', means 'little/small hill', is the name of one of the cypress-covered hillocks that overlooks the city center. Some three kilometres (1.9 miles) north-west of Podgorica lie the ruins of the Roman-era town of Doclea, from which the Roman Emperor Diocletian's mother hailed. …

Podgorica is at the crossroads of several historically important routes, near the rivers Zeta, Morača, Cijevna, Ribnica, Sitnica and Mareza in the valley of Lake Skadar and near the Adriatic Sea, in fertile lowlands with favourable climate. The earliest human settlements were in prehistory: the oldest physical remains are from the late Stone Age. In the Iron Age, the area between the Zeta and Bjelopavlići valleys was populated by two Illyrian tribes, the Labeates and the Docleatae. The population of the town of Doclea was 8,000–10,000, in which all core urban issues were resolved. The high population density (in an area of about 10 km (6 mi) radius) was made possible by the geographical position, favorable climate, and economic conditions and by the defensive positions that were of great importance at that time. …

Podgorica is located in central Montenegro. The area is crossed with rivers and the city itself is only 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) north of Lake Skadar. The Morača and Ribnica rivers flow through the city, while the Zeta, Cijevna, Sitnica and Mareza flow nearby. Morača is the largest river in the city, being 70 m or 230 ft wide near downtown, and having carved a 20 m or 66 ft deep canyon for the length of its course through the city. Except for the Morača and Zeta, other rivers have an appearance of small creeks. The richness in bodies of water is a major feature of the city. In contrast to most of Montenegro, Podgorica lies in a mainly flat area at the northern end of the Zeta plain, at an elevation of 40 m (130 ft). The only exceptions are hills which overlook the city. The most significant is 130. …

Podgorica is home to many Montenegrin cultural institutions and events. It hosts the Montenegrin National Theatre and a number of museums and galleries. The Montenegrin National Theatre is the most significant theatre not only in Podgorica but in all of Montenegro. Podgorica is also host to the City Theatre (Gradsko pozorište), which includes the Children's Theatre and the Puppet Theatre. Although not as rich in museums and galleries as the historic royal capital Cetinje, there are several noteworthy museums: The Podgorica City Museum (Muzej grada Podgorice) preserves Podgorica's rich heritage. Founded in 1950, it has four categories: archaeological, ethnographic, historical, and cultural-historical. It houses artifacts that date back to the Roman and Illyrian eras. The Archaeological Research Centre (Centar za arheološka istraživanja) was founded in 1961. …

Podgorica is not only the administrative center of Montenegro but also its main economic engine. Most of Montenegro's industrial, financial, and commercial base is in Podgorica. Before World War I, most of Podgorica's economy was in trade and small-scale manufacturing, which was an economic model established during the long rule of the Ottoman Empire. After World War II, Podgorica became Montenegro's capital and a focus of the rapid urbanization and industrialization of the SFRY era. Industries such as aluminium and tobacco processing, textiles, engineering, vehicle production, and wine production were established in and around the city. In 1981, Podgorica's GDP per capita was 87% of the Yugoslav average. …

Podgorica public transport system consists of 30 bus lines, including 12 high-frequency urban bus lines which interconnect urban neighborhoods of the city; the rest are suburban lines which provide public transport between city center and adjacent suburban and rural settlements. Suburban lines are often covered by minibus / passenger van vehicles, and their low frequency schedule mainly caters to students travelling daily to schools in central Podgorica. In 2001 - 2022 period, Podgorica public transport was entirely subcontracted to private companies, but this model has led to fragmented ticketing policies, unreliable schedules and sub-par service. Since 2023, public transport service is entirely provided by the city owned Putevi public utility company, which has led to marked improvement of public transport service in Podgorica. …