Nikšić is the second largest city of Montenegro, with a total population of 71,237, located in the west of the country, in the centre of the spacious Nikšić field at the foot of Mount Trebjesa.

It is the center of Nikšić Municipality (Population of 87,950), which is the largest municipality by area and second most inhabited after Podgorica. It is an important industrial, cultural, and educational center.

Nikšić has a humid subtropical climate, which is influenced by the Mediterranean climate drying trend during summer. Average temperature for January is 1.3°C, while average temperature in July is 21.1°C. Average humidity amounts to 68,57%. Nikšić receives 2.245 hours of sunshine per year, with warm and moderately wet summers, and cool and rainy winters. On average, there are 19 days per year with snowfall.

Although Nikšić area has seen human settlements since antiquity, most of the modern Nikšić is a planned city. Very little remains of the Ottoman architectural heritage, despite the long presence of Ottoman Empire in the area. The city layout visible today still follows the 1883 urban plan commissioned by King Nicholas and designed by Croatian architect Josip Slade.

According to this plan, the streets of Nikšić radiate to the north and east from the central city square (today a roundabout), locally known as Skver. The radial streets are intersected by circumferential streets and avenues, thus creating a half-spider web-like street layout.

Nikšić is, alongside Podgorica, one of the biggest industrial centres of Montenegro. A Steel mill (Nikšićka Željezara), bauxite mine, Trebjesa brewery (Nikšićka Pivara), and many more are concentrated in this city. These big industries had struggled to survive the collapse of the socialist economy, but have since recovered. The process of privatization is either finished or still in progress for some of these industries.

Today those industry giants cannot employ as many workers as they could back in the days of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and the economy of Nikšić is slowly transforming into one that is more service-oriented. In 1981 Niksic's GDP per capita was 91% of the Yugoslav average.

Although mostly perceived as an industrial center, Nikšić is also a city of rich cultural heritage. The most significant cultural institution in the city is Centar Za Kulturu (Cultural Center), which incorporates the city's major public cultural establishments. Nikšić is known for its distinctive cultural atmosphere and bohemian art scene, with poet Vitomir Nikolić and singers/songwriters like Miladin Šobić or Marinko Pavićević as prominent representatives of the Nikšić bohemian spirit. Živko Nikolić, a native of Nikšić, is considered the most significant Montenegrin movie director.

Pale is a municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska. It developed during the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. In 1992, it became the seat of the Republika Srpska to lose that status in 1998 when the capital of that entity became Banja Luka. Neighboring municipalities are: Sokolac, Rogatica, Pale-Prac, Trnovo (RS), and the cities of East Sarajevo and Sarajevo.

Part of the municipality was joined by the Dayton Peace Agreement to the Federation of BiH and formed a new municipality called Pale-Praca.

The municipality of Pale includes 492 km² of distinctly mountainous character, with an altitude of 624 to 1916 m. The lowest point is at 624 m above sea level, on the western side of the municipality, where Paljan and Mokranjska Miljacka are merged.

The central part of the municipality of Pale occupies the pale basin, located between the mountain massifs: Jahorina from the south, Gosina from the east, Romanija from the northeast, Ozren from the north and northwest and Trebevic from the west. The seat of the municipality is in the settlement of Pale. Pale trees are located in the basin itself, which takes up an area of ​​about 8.5 km². They are located at an altitude of 820 m.

They have fallen by geographical and natural traits, long known as a climatic health resort and a picnic area. The beauty of the environment, clean air and the proximity of ski slopes on Jahorina represent a natural disposition and a real basis for the development of tourism. Moderately warm and humid climate is present in the lower parts of the municipality, this climate exceeds 1,000 m above sea level, and this climate goes into the mountain climate. A sharp mountain climate is also felt during the summer months, when the air temperature rarely exceeds 25 ° Celsius.

The predominant part of the municipality's territory consists of forest land (64%), and all (34%) agricultural and other land.

In the area of ​​the municipality there are several famous caves: Orlovača, Pećina Source Mokranjska Miljacka, Tito's cave Bogovići, Popova cave and Novak's cave.

One of the most important natural sights is the Orlovača cave, which is arranged for tourist visits. Orlovača (948 m) is situated on the same name in the western part of the Romanija arch, hamlet Donje Sinjevo, settlement Sumbulovac, in the basin of Mokranjska Miljacka, or in the valley of its right tributary of Sinjava.

Extensive research of the Miljacka source included topographic measurements, biospeleological and hydrological research, as well as the examination of the traces of human culture. Research was carried out during 2007-2009. To date, speleologists have explored 7,100 m, making the cave Izvor Mokranjska Miljacka the longest documented cave in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Developers in the area of ​​Paljane municipality are industry, forestry, catering and tourism activities and trade. Due to the geographical and climatic characteristics of the area, the activity of agriculture is less developed. After the end of the war, development began in the field of construction, especially in the field of small economy.

Industrial development in the Municipality of Pag is mainly oriented to the metal, wood and textile industries.

The area of ​​Pale municipality, with its natural conditions, favors the development of the hospitality and tourism industry. It is very attractive for tourists Olympic Center Jahorina, with beautiful skiing grounds, where the winter season lasts for five months. Skiers and other tourists are at the disposal of more than 20 km of well-equipped ski trails connected with seven ski lifts and six ski lifts, a modern ski school and a ski service.

Apart from the benefits for winter tourism, the Municipality of Pale also has excellent conditions for hunting tourism, with extraordinary hunting grounds connected to main, regional and forest roads, as well as hunting lodges.

From natural sights, the most important cave is Orlovača, which is arranged for tourist visits. Clover bears (Ursus spelaeus), as well as an insect from the Coleopter family, were found in the Orlovaca cave.