The Croats have a minority in Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor), a coastal region in Montenegro, the largest of their kind in Tivat. The three municipalities making up the Bay of Kotor (Tivat, Kotor and Herceg-Novi) include 4,519 Croats or 6.70%.[2] They are also known as Bokelji, a common name for all inhabitants for of Boka Kotorska. Tivat is home to the minority political party Croatian Civic Initiative, and to the National Council of Croats in Montenegro. Kotor is home to Croatian Civic Society of Montenegro.

Croats of Montenegro
Hrvati u Crnoj Gori
Хрвати у Црној Гори
Croat minority flag in Montenegro
Total population
5,150 (2023 census)[1]
Regions with significant populations
Tivat Municipality (12.01%)
Kotor Municipality (5.73%)
Herceg Novi Municipality (1.66%)
Languages
Croatian, Montenegrin
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Other South Slavs
Percent of Croats in municipalities of Montenegro in 1953
Ethnic composition of three Boka municipalities in 2003

Religion

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Croats of Montenegro are mainly Catholic. According to the 2011 census, 5,527 (91.80%) Croats declared as such. Since most of them live in the Bay of Kotor, the vast majority of them fall under the Diocese of Kotor.

Places of worship

Demographics

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Settlements in Montenegro with significant Croatian minority (10 percent or more) include (2011):[3]

  • Bogdašići (27 or 47,37%)
  • Donja Lastva (315 or 41,94%)
  • Lepetani (53 or 28,80%)
  • Strp (12 or 24%)
  • Krašići (27 or 20,77%)
  • Muo (115 or 18,58%)
  • Bogišići (33 or 17,93%)
  • Tivat (1,622 or 17,31%)
  • Donji Stoliv (58 or 16,67%)
  • Prčanj (170 or 15,04%)
  • Kavač (93 or 13,86%)
  • Kotor (113 or 11,76%)
  • Škaljari (415 or 10,90%)
Census year
Municipality Number of Croats Percentage
1961
Herceg-Novi 1,544 10.18%
Kotor 3,483 20.92%
Tivat 3,423 57.29%
1971
Herceg-Novi 1,195 6.5%
Kotor 2,612 13.8%
Tivat 3,375 48.73%
1981
Herceg-Novi 702 3.01%
Kotor 1,644 8.03%
Tivat 2,876 30.87%
1991
Herceg-Novi 630 2.28%
Kotor 1,617 7.2%
Tivat 2,663 23.35%
2003
Herceg-Novi 831 2.45%
Kotor 1,842 7.84%
Tivat 2,761 19.73%
2011
Herceg-Novi 662 2.14%
Kotor 1,553 7.84%
Tivat 2,304 16.42%

Croatian Civic Society of Montenegro

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The Croatian Civic Society of Montenegro (Croatian: Hrvatsko građansko društvo Crne Gore) is a Croat community organisation in Montenegro. Their headquarters is located in the coastal town of Kotor, in the Boka kotorska region of Montenegro.

Notable people

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Montenegro 2023" (PDF). Monstat. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  2. ^ Statistical Office of Montenegro: Census 2023 data - Municipalities
  3. ^ Statistical Office of Montenegro: Table N1. Population by ethnicity by settlement
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