Bijelo Polje Бијело Поље | |
|---|---|
Town andmunicipality | |
  .jpg) From the top: Bijelo Polje at Night, Church of St. Nicholas, Town Centre | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Bijelo Polje Location of Bijelo Polje in Montenegro | |
| Coordinates:43°02′N19°45′E / 43.04°N 19.75°E /43.04; 19.75 | |
| Country | Montenegro |
| Region | Northern |
| Municipality | Bijelo Polje |
| Settlements | 98 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Assembly |
| • Mayor | Petar Smolović (DPS) |
| Area | |
• Town andmunicipality | 924 km2 (357 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 578 m (1,896 ft) |
| Population (2011 census) | |
| • Rank | 6th in Montenegro |
| • Urban | 12,900 |
| • Rural | 30,651 |
| • Municipality | 46,051 |
| Demonym(s) | Belopoljese Bjelopoljci |
| 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 |
| Climate | Cfb |
| Website | www |
Bijelo Polje[a][b] (Cyrillic: Бијело Поље,pronounced[bîjɛlɔːpɔ̂ʎɛ]) is a town located in theNorthern Region ofMontenegro, situated alongLim River. It has an urban population of 12,900 (2011 census). It is the administrative, economic, cultural and educational centre of northern Montenegro.
Bijelo Polje is the center ofBijelo Polje Municipality (population of 38,662). Bijelo Polje means 'white field' inSerbo-Croatian.
Bijelo Polje's Saint Peter and Paul Church is the place where the UNESCOMiroslav's Gospel ofMiroslav, brother of Serbian rulerStefan Nemanja was written.
During World War II, Bijelo Pole was a prominent location for the anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia, Montenegro in particular.[1]
A significant number ofMuslim families in Bijelo Polje originate from historical Muslim brotherhoods fromKuči, including theAbdići, Adžajlići, Adžibegovići, Alići, Aličkovići, Babajići, Bajramspahići, Bakija, Beganovići, Bektaševići, Biso, Bisonjići, Višnjići, Drekovići, Durovići, Zaimovići, Zajmovići, Zajimovići, Zejnilovići, Zećirovići, Kajevići, Kasumovići, Kolići, Kos, Kočani, Kršići, Kujovići, Kukuljac, Kuči, Kučevići, Ličine, Lukači, Medunjani, Mehovići, Mekići, Mekići (Ličine), Memići, Mulalići, Muratovići, Muslići, Numanovići , Omerovići, Omerhodžići, Pepeljak, Premtići, Radončići, Rastoderi, Rizvanovići, Smailovići, Smakići, Spahići, Ćemani, Fetahovići, Fetići, Hadžajlići, Hadžibegovići, Halilovići, Hodžići, Cokovići, Čokrlije, Džogovići, andŠabovići.[2]
Bijelo Polje is the administrative centre of the Bijelo Polje municipality, which in 2011 had a population of 46,251. The town of Bijelo Polje itself has 12,900 citizens.
Town
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 3,547 | — |
| 1953 | 4,029 | +13.6% |
| 1961 | 5,856 | +45.3% |
| 1971 | 8,925 | +52.4% |
| 1981 | 11,927 | +33.6% |
| 1991 | 16,464 | +38.0% |
| 2003 | 15,883 | −3.5% |
| 2011 | 12,900 | −18.8% |
Municipality
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 36,795 | — |
| 1953 | 41,432 | +12.6% |
| 1961 | 46,651 | +12.6% |
| 1971 | 52,598 | +12.7% |
| 1981 | 55,634 | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 55,268 | −0.7% |
| 2003 | 50,284 | −9.0% |
| 2011 | 46,051 | −8.4% |
| 2023 | 38,662 | −16.0% |
The ethnic composition of the municipality in the 2023 census was as follows: 43.13%Serbs, 31.85%Bosniaks, 14.88%Montenegrins, 7.54ethnic Muslims. A total of 2.6% of the population are part of other ethnic groups.[3]
Bijelo Polje is religiously diverse, with the majority of the population adhering toIslam andEastern Orthodoxy. The Islamic community primarily consists ofBosniaks andethnic Muslims, while Orthodox Christianity is predominantly practiced bySerbs andMontenegrins. Religious institutions, such as mosques and Orthodox churches, are an integral part of the town’s cultural and social fabric, reflecting its multi-ethnic and multi-religious character. Despite historical challenges, Bijelo Polje is known for its peaceful coexistence and tolerance between different religious communities.
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Bijelo Polje was the birthplace of the oral poetAvdo Međedović and of many prominent writers such asĆamil Sijarić,Miodrag Bulatović,Risto Ratković andDragomir Brajković as well as basketball playerNikola Peković and Swedish footballing brothersAjsel andEmir Kujović.
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The major football team isJedinstvo, who have spent several seasons in the country'stop tier. They share theirGradski stadion with lower league teamOFK Borac. The town's basketball teams areJedinstvo andKK Centar.
Bijelo Polje is connected to the rest of Montenegro by two major roads. It is situated on the main road connecting Montenegro's coast andPodgorica with northern Montenegro andSerbia (E65,E80).
Bijelo Polje is also a station onBelgrade–Bar railway, the last station in Montenegro for trains leaving forBelgrade, and it serves as a regional train station.Podgorica Airport is 130 km (81 mi) away, and has regular flights to majorEuropean destinations.
Bijelo Polje has ahumid continental climate (Köppen:Dfb) with warm summers, cold winters, and abundant precipitation year round.
| Climate data for Bijelo Polje (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1950–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.0 (64.4) | 27.0 (80.6) | 26.5 (79.7) | 30.8 (87.4) | 33.5 (92.3) | 35.5 (95.9) | 39.0 (102.2) | 39.8 (103.6) | 36.5 (97.7) | 32.0 (89.6) | 25.5 (77.9) | 20.1 (68.2) | 39.8 (103.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.0 (41.0) | 8.4 (47.1) | 13.1 (55.6) | 17.7 (63.9) | 22.4 (72.3) | 26.3 (79.3) | 28.4 (83.1) | 29.1 (84.4) | 24.0 (75.2) | 18.1 (64.6) | 11.6 (52.9) | 5.0 (41.0) | 17.4 (63.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.8 (25.2) | −2.7 (27.1) | 0.3 (32.5) | 4.3 (39.7) | 8.7 (47.7) | 12.3 (54.1) | 13.8 (56.8) | 13.7 (56.7) | 10.4 (50.7) | 6.4 (43.5) | 1.9 (35.4) | −2.2 (28.0) | 5.3 (41.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −27.6 (−17.7) | −24.5 (−12.1) | −18.2 (−0.8) | −8.6 (16.5) | −4.0 (24.8) | −0.8 (30.6) | 1.2 (34.2) | 2.6 (36.7) | −4.0 (24.8) | −7.2 (19.0) | −15.4 (4.3) | −21.7 (−7.1) | −27.6 (−17.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 63.6 (2.50) | 77.3 (3.04) | 69.0 (2.72) | 70.9 (2.79) | 80.8 (3.18) | 73.9 (2.91) | 69.8 (2.75) | 51.3 (2.02) | 87.2 (3.43) | 85.3 (3.36) | 100.0 (3.94) | 88.3 (3.48) | 917.4 (36.12) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm) | 8.2 | 8.7 | 7.9 | 9.2 | 10.3 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 6.4 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 101.0 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 82 | 76 | 71 | 69 | 72 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 76 |
| Source 1:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[5] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Hydrological and Meteorological Service of Montenegro (humidity 1961–1990)[6][7] | |||||||||||||
.jpg)
(Faruk Međedović) writer
Bijelo Polje istwinned with:[8][9]
Bila Tserkva, Ukraine[10]
Burhaniye, Turkey
Hrubieszów, Poland[11]
Maardu, Estonia[12]
Strumica, North Macedonia
Svishtov, Bulgaria
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