Bijelo Polje
Bijelo Polje
Бијело Поље | |
|---|---|
|
Coat of arms of Bijelo Polje Coat of arms | |
| Country |  Montenegro |
| Settlements | 98 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Tarzan Milošević (DPS) |
| • Ruling party | DPS - SDP |
| Area | |
| • Total | 924 km2 (357 sq mi) |
| Population (2003 census) | |
| • Total | 15,883 |
| • Density | 54/km2 (140/sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 50,284 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 84000 |
| Area code | +382 50 |
| ISO 3166-2 code | ME-04 |
| Car plates | BP |
| Website | www.bijelopolje.co.me |
Bijelo Polje (Cyrillic: Бијело Поље) is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 15,883 (2003 census).
Bijelo Polje is the center of Bijelo Polje Municipality (population of 50,284). It is unofficial center of north-eastern region of Montenegro. Bijelo Polje means literally "White Field" in Montenegrin.
History
Bijelo Polje was within the Ottoman Empire until its liberation by a multi-national force during the Balkan Wars (1912). Under Ottoman rule the city was known as Akova.
Bijelo Polje's Church of Saint Peter and Paul is the location of composition of the famous UNESCO Miroslav's Gospel of Miroslav, brother of the Serb ruler Stefan Nemanja.
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
Population
Bijelo Polje is administrative center of Bijelo Polje municipality, which in 2003 had a population of 50,284. The town of Bijelo Polje itself has 15,883 citizens.
Population of Bijelo Polje (city):
- 1981 - 11,927
- 1991 - 16,464
- 2003 - 15,883
Population of Bijelo Polje (municipality):
- 1948 - 36,795
- 1953 - 41,432
- 1961 - 46,651
- 1971 - 52,598
- 1981 - 55,634
- 1991 - 55,268
- 2003 - 50,284
Ethnic groups (1991 census):
- Montenegrins (49.22%)
- Muslims by nationality (41.57%)
- Serbs (7.57%)
Ethnicity in 2003
| Ethnicity | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Serbs | 20,743 | 36.31% |
| Bosniaks | 14,409 | 25.22% |
| Muslims | 9,896 | 17.18% |
| Montenegrins | 9,214 | 16.13% |
| Roma | 146 | 0.26% |
| Croats | 49 | 0.09% |
| Albanians | 35 | 0.06% |
| Other | 165 | 0.29% |
| not declared | 1,033 | 1.81% |
| no data | 1,514 | 2.65% |
| Total | 57,124 | 100% |
Culture and sights
Bijelo Polje was the birthplace of the oral poet Avdo Međedović and of many prominent writers, such as Ćamil Sijarić, Miodrag Bulatović, as well as Risto Ratković, who wrote the first Montenegrin novel "Nevidbog", a story actually set in the city of Bijelo Polje.
City's best known brand is Rada mineral water, vastly consumed in Montenegro during summer months.
Transport
Bijelo Polje is connected with rest of Montenegro by two motorways. It is situated on the main road connecting Montenegro's coast and Podgorica with northern Montenegro and Serbia (E65, E80).
Bijelo Polje is also a station on Belgrade - Bar railway, the last station in Montenegro for trains leaving towards Belgrade, and it serves as regional train station.
Podgorica Airport is 130 km (81 mi) away, and has regular flights to major European destinations.
