The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. 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.
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
1.95 sq km
land
1.95 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
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
Population
32,671 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
15% (male 2,514/female 2,394)
15-64 years
62.3% (male 10,047/female 10,312)
65 years and over
22.7% (male 3,019/female 4,385) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
45.5 years
male
43.4 years
female
47.4 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
0.386% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
9.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
12.92 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
7.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.974 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.688 male(s)/female
total population
0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
5.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male
6.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female
4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
79.82 years
male
75.99 years
female
83.85 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.75 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
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.)
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 rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday
National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)
Constitution
17 December 1962
Legal system
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
head of government
Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005)
cabinet
Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
elections
none; 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 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 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
National and Democratic Union or UND [Guy MAGNAN]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM)
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; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red
Economy - overview
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality 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. 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
note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
NA
GDP - real growth rate
0.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$30,000 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
0%
industry
4.9%
services
95.1% (2005)
Labor force
44,000
note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate
0% (2005)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.9% (2000)
Budget
revenues
$863 million
expenditures
$920.6 million; including capital expenditures of $305 million (2005 est.)
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
note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005)
Imports
$916.1 million
note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France (2005)
Debt - external
$18 billion (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$NA
Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
Currency code
EUR
Exchange rates
euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use
33,700 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular
19,300 (2002)
Telephone system
general assessment
modern automatic telephone system
domestic
NA
international
country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)
Radios
34,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
5 (1998)
Televisions
25,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.mc
Internet hosts
12,720 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
16,000 (2002)
Heliports
1 (2006)
Roadways
total
50 km
paved
50 km (1999)
Merchant marine
registered in other countries: 77 (Bahamas 17, Barbados 1, Bermuda 2, France 1, Georgia 13, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 10, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 4, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Switzerland 2, unknown 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Monaco
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49: 6,256 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49: 4,971 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49: 148 (2005 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003)
