Introduction | Monaco |
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 |
Location:
|
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy |
Geographic coordinates:
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43 44 N, 7 24 E |
Map references:
|
Europe |
Area:
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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:
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total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km |
Coastline:
|
4.1 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm |
Climate:
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Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers |
Terrain:
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hilly, rugged, rocky |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m |
Natural resources:
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none |
Land use:
|
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001) |
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
Natural hazards:
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NA |
Environment - current issues:
|
NA |
Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
Population:
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32,409 (July 2005 est.) |
Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,563/female 2,445)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,909/female 10,217) 65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,972/female 4,303) (2005 est.) |
Median age:
|
total: 45.25 years
male: 43.27 years female: 47.19 years (2005 est.) |
Population growth rate:
|
0.43% (2005 est.) |
Birth rate:
|
9.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Death rate:
|
12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Net migration rate:
|
7.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 (2005 est.) |
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 79.57 years
male: 75.7 years female: 83.63 years (2005 est.) |
Total fertility rate:
|
1.76 children born/woman (2005 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:
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French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% |
Religions:
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Roman Catholic 90% |
Languages:
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French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque |
Literacy:
|
definition: NA
total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% |
Government | Monaco |
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco |
Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
Capital:
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Monaco |
Administrative divisions:
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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:
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1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi) |
National holiday:
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National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November |
Constitution:
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17 December 1962 |
Legal system:
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based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal |
Executive branch:
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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:
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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, ITU, 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 |
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. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough. |
GDP (purchasing power parity):
|
$870 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate:
|
0.9% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 17%
industry: NA% services: NA% (2001 est.) |
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; 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; 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) |
Currency code:
|
EUR |
Exchange rates:
|
euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
Communications | Monaco |
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:
|
533 (2004) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
2 (2000) |
Internet users:
|
16,000 (2002) |
Transportation | Monaco |
Highways:
|
total: 50 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
Ports and harbors:
|
Monaco |
Merchant marine:
|
registered in other countries: 54 (2005) |
Airports:
|
none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service (2004 est.) |
Heliports:
|
1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2004 est.) |
Military | Monaco |
Military - note:
|
defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003) |
Transnational Issues | Monaco |
Disputes - international:
|
none |
Sources: The CIA World Fact Book and other public domain Internet sites