Introduction

Background: |  |

`
The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family first seized temporary control in 1297, and again in 1331, but were not able to permanently secure their holding until 1419. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.
`

Geography

Location: |  |
`Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy`
Geographic coordinates: |  |
`43 44 N, 7 24 E`
Map references: |  |
`Europe`
Area: |  |
`total: 2 sq km country comparison to the world: 248 land: 2 sq km water: 0 sq km`
Area - comparative: |  |
`about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC`
Land boundaries: |  |
`total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km`
Coastline: |  |
`4.1 km`
Maritime claims: |  |
`territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 12 nm`
Climate: |  |
`Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers`
Terrain: |  |
`hilly, rugged, rocky`
Elevation extremes: |  |
`lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m`
Natural resources: |  |
`none`
Land use: |  |
`arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)`
Irrigated land: |  |
`NA`
Natural hazards: |  |
`NA`
Environment - current issues: |  |
`NA`
Environment - international agreements: |  |
`party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements`
Geography - note: |  |
`second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban`

People

Population: |  |
`30,539 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 214`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 12.3% (male 1,930/female 1,841) 15-64 years: 60.8% (male 9,317/female 9,249) 65 years and over: 26.9% (male 3,640/female 4,562) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 49.4 years male: 48.4 years female: 50.5 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`-0.124% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 208`
Birth rate: |  |
`6.94 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 222`
Death rate: |  |
`8.28 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 91`
Net migration rate: |  |
`0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 70`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.039 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 1.79 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 222 male: 2.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 1.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 89.73 years country comparison to the world: 1 male: 85.77 years female: 93.84 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`1.5 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 186`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`NA`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`NA`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%`
Religions: |  |
`Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%`
Languages: |  |
`French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque`
Literacy: |  |
`definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`total: 18 years male: 18 years female: 17 years (2009)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`1.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 163`

Government

Country name: |  |
`conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco`
Government type: |  |
`constitutional monarchy`
Capital: |  |
`name: Monaco geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October`
Administrative divisions: |  |
`none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo`
Independence: |  |
`1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of Grimaldi)`
National holiday: |  |
`National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)`
Constitution: |  |
`17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002`
Legal system: |  |
`civil law system influenced by French legal tradition`
International law organization participation: |  |
`has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt`
Suffrage: |  |
`18 years of age; universal`
Executive branch: |  |

`
chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
head of government: Minister of State Michel ROGER (since 29 March 2010)
cabinet: Council of Government under the authority of the monarch
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government
`

Legislative branch: |  |
`unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: last held on 3 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%, Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3`
Judicial branch: |  |
`Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)`
Political parties and leaders: |  |
`Monaco Together; Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM)`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`NA`
International organization participation: |  |
`CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OAS (observer), OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Gilles NOGHES chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 234-1530 FAX: (202) 244-7656 consulate(s) general: New York`
Diplomatic representation from the US: |  |
`the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France), under the authority of the US ambassador to France, handles routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco`
Flag description: |  |
`two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; the colors are those of the ruling House of Grimaldi and have been in use since 1339, making the flag one of the world's oldest national banners note: similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red`
National anthem: |  |
`name: "A Marcia de Muneghu" (The March of Monaco) lyrics/music: Louis NOTARI/Charles ALBRECHT note: music adopted 1867, lyrics adopted 1931; although French is much more commonly spoken, only the Monegasque lyrics are official; the French version is known as "Hymne Monegasque" (Monegasque Anthem); the words are generally only sung on official occasions`

Economy

Economy - overview: |  |

`
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. Monaco, however, is not a tax-free shelter; it charges nearly 20% value-added tax, collects stamp duties, and companies face a 33% tax on profits unless they can show that three-quarters of profits are generated within the principality. Monaco was formally removed from the OECD's "grey list" of uncooperative tax jurisdictions in late 2009, but continues to face international pressure to abandon its banking secrecy laws and help combat tax evasion. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$976.3 million (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$NA`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$30,000 (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 44`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 0% industry: 4.9% services: 95.1% (2005)`
Labor force: |  |
`44,000 country comparison to the world: 191 note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.)`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`0% (2005) country comparison to the world: 1`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`NA%`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $863 million expenditures: $920.6 million (2005 est.)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`1.9% (2000) country comparison to the world: 51`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$NA`
Agriculture - products: |  |
`none`
Industries: |  |
`tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`NA kWh`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France`
Exports: |  |
`$716.3 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 161 note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France`
Imports: |  |
`$916.1 million (2005) country comparison to the world: 174 note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France`
Debt - external: |  |
`$18 billion (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 73`
Exchange rates: |  |
`euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.755 (2010) 0.7198 (2009) 0.6827 (2008) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`35,400 (2009) country comparison to the world: 174`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`23,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 207`
Telephone system: |  |
`general assessment: modern automatic telephone system; the country's sole fixed line operator offers a full range of services to residential and business customers domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 100% international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system`
Broadcast media: |  |
`TV Monte-Carlo (TMC) operates a TV network; Radio Monte-Carlo has both an Italian-language and a French-language network; a few private radio stations operating (2008)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.mc`
Internet hosts: |  |
`23,621 (2010) country comparison to the world: 104`
Internet users: |  |
`23,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 188`

Transportation

Heliports: |  |
`1 (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 50 km country comparison to the world: 217 paved: 50 km (2007)`
Merchant marine: |  |
`registered in other countries: 68 (Bahamas 14, Bermuda 2, Comoros 1, Cyprus 1, Liberia 10, Marshall Islands 21, Norway 1, Panama 14, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Vanuatu 1) (2010) country comparison to the world: 62`
Ports and terminals: |  |
`Monaco`

Military

Military branches: |  |
`no regular military forces; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 5,749 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 4,629 females age 16-49: 4,597 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 153 female: 141 (2010 est.)`
Military - note: |  |
`defense is the responsibility of France`

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: |  |
`none`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 25, 2011