At the recent census in Montenegro, 44.9 percent of citizens said they were Montenegrin and 28.77 percent Serbs, the state statistical office Monstat in Podgorica said Tuesday.

According to Monstat, 43.88 percent of people said they spoke Serbian, while 36.97 percent said they spoke Montenegrin at the April census.

Based on preliminary data, 625,266 people live in the country.

This is 5,000 more than in 2003, when the census recorded around 620,110.

Montenegro is also home to 4.91 percent Albanians, 8.65 Bosniaks, 3.31 percent Muslims, 0,92 percent Croats, and 1.01 percent Roma, Monstat said at a news conference.

4.87 percent refused to declare their nationality.

5.27 percent of the population speak Albanian, 5.33 Bosniak, 0.45 Croatian and 2.63 Serbo-Croatian.

According to the first results of the census conducted from April 1 to 15, there are over 194,700 households and over 316,000 apartments.

Podgorica has the largest population - over 187,000 or 30 percent of the total population. The Montenegrin capital has 50,000 residents more than in 2003.