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Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Communications
Transportation
Military
Transnational Issues

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This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006

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| Introduction | Monaco | Top of Page

Background: | 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 | Monaco | Top of Page

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 sq km
Natural hazards: | NA
Environment - current issues: | NA
Environment - international agreements: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: | second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

| People | Monaco | Top of Page

Population: | 32,543 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 2,539/female 2,417) 15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,959/female 10,266) 65 years and over: 22.6% (male 3,015/female 4,347) (2006 est.)
Median age: | total: 45.4 years male: 43.3 years female: 47.3 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate: | 0.4% (2006 est.)
Birth rate: | 9.19 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: | 12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate: | 7.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.69 years male: 75.85 years female: 83.74 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.76 children born/woman (2006 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%
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.)

| Government | Monaco | Top of Page

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: | Monaco
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 the rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday: | National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November
Constitution: | 17 December 1962
Legal system: | based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: | 21 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 [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM) [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | Monaco does not have an embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to 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 | Monaco | Top of Page

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): | $870 million note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough (2000 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | NA
GDP - real growth rate: | 0.9% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $27,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 17% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: | 30,540 (January 1994)
Unemployment rate: | 22% (1999)
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: $518 million expenditures: $531 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)
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: | $NA 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: | $NA 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.)
Economic aid - recipient: | $NA
Currency (code): | euro (EUR)
Exchange rates: | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

| Communications | Monaco | Top of Page

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)
Television broadcast stations: | 5 (1998)
Internet country code: | .mc
Internet hosts: | 716 (2005)
Internet users: | 16,000 (2002)

| Transportation | Monaco | Top of Page

Airports: | none; note - linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service (2005)
Heliports: | 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2005)
Roadways: | total: 50 km paved: 50 km (1999)
Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 81 (The Bahamas 17, Barbados 1, Georgia 12, Hong Kong 1, Isle of Man 1, Italy 6, Liberia 11, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 3, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Switzerland 2, Turkey 1, unknown 1) (2005)
Ports and terminals: | Monaco

| Military | Monaco | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003)

| Transnational Issues | Monaco | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006