Montenegro is a tiny country on the coast of the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe. Its name comes from the Venetian term for "Black Mountain," a reference to the dark, densely forested mountains that cover most of the country. Despite being only slightly larger than Connecticut, Montenegro has an extraordinary range of landscapes: beaches along 180 miles of coastline, Europe's deepest canyon (Tara River Canyon), and mountains over 8,000 feet tall. For most of its history, Montenegro was part of larger countries. After the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, it remained joined with Serbia in a smaller union called Serbia and Montenegro. But many Montenegrins wanted full independence. On May 21, 2006, Montenegro held a referendum -- a special vote where citizens decide an important question. The European Union set a high bar: at least 55 percent of voters had to choose independence for it to count. The result was remarkably close: 55.5 percent voted yes, just barely passing the threshold. Montenegro officially declared independence on June 3, 2006, becoming Europe's newest sovereign nation. Today, Montenegro is working to join the European Union and NATO. Its economy depends heavily on tourism, as visitors from around the world come to see its medieval walled towns, crystal-clear waters, and dramatic mountain scenery.