Monaco

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Area

Total area: 1.9 sq km
Land area: 1.9 sq km
Comparative area: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

Total 4.4 km, France 4.4 km

Coastline

4.1 km

Maritime Claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

None

Climate

Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain

Hilly, rugged, rocky
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural Resources

None

Land Use

Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 100%

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Note: Second smallest independent state in world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

PEOPLE

Population

31,719 (July 1996 est.)
31,515 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

17% (male 2,737; female 2,685) (July 1996 est.)
17% (male 2,740; female 2,691) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

63% (male 9,746; female 10,318) (July 1996 est.)
63% (male 9,645; female 10,233) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

20% (male 2,288; female 3,945) (July 1996 est.)
20% (male 2,267; female 3,939) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.59% (1996 est.)
0.7% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

10.66 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
10.66 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

12.11 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
12.12 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

7.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
8.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.87 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 78.07 years 91996 est.), 77.9 years (1995 est.)
Male: 74.38 years (1996 est.), 74.18 years (1995 est.)
Female: 81.93 years (1996 est.), 81.8 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.7 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.7 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Monacan(s) or Monegasque(s)
Adjective: Monacan or Monegasque

Ethnic Divisions

French 47%
Monegasque 16%
Italian 16%
Other 21%

Religions

Roman Catholic 95%

Languages

French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy

Labor Force

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
Conventional short form: Monaco
Local long form: Principaute de Monaco
Local short form: Monaco

Digraph

Type

Constitutional monarchy

Capital

Monaco

Administrative Divisions

4 quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence

1419 (rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National Holiday

National Day, 19 November

Constitution

17 December 1962

Legal System

Based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

25 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since NA November 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre (born 14 March 1958)
Head of government: Minister of State Jaques DUPONT (since NA 1995) was appointed by the prince from a list of three candidates presented by the French Government
Cabinet: Council of Government; under the authority of the Prince

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Council (Conseil National)

Elections last held 24 and 31 January 1993 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total) Campora List 15, Medecin List 2, independent 1

Judicial Branch

Supreme Tribunal (Tribunal Supreme)

Political Parties and Leaders

National and Democratic Union (UND); Campora List, Anne-Marie CAMPORA; Medecin List, Jean-Louis MEDECIN

Member of

ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO

National Anthem

National anthem

Flag

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, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. 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. About 55% of Monaco's annual revenue comes from value-added taxes on hotels, banks, and the industrial sector; about 25% of revenue comes from tourism. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $788 million (1994 est.), $558 million (1993 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$25,000 (1994 est.)
$18,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

Unemployment Rate

3.1% (1994)

Budget

Revenues: $660 million (1993 est.), $424 million (1991 est.)
Expenditures: $586 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.), $376 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1991 est.)

Exports

NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and Rebates Monacan trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

Imports

NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and Rebates Monacan trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

Capacity: 10,000 kW standby; power imported from France
Production: NA kWh
Consumption per capita: NA kWh (1993)

Agriculture

None

Economic Aid

Currency

1 French franc (F) = 100 centimes

Exchange Rates

French francs (F) per US$1 - 5.0056 (January 1996), 4.9915 (1995), 5.520 (1994), 5.6632 (1993), 5.2938 (1992), 5.6421 (1991), 5.4453 (1990)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Total: 1.7 km
Standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways

50 km

Ports

Monaco

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

34,600 telephones (1987 est.); automatic telephone system

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: no satellite links; served by cable into the French communications system

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 30,000 (1992 est.)

Television

Broadcast stations: 5
Televisions: 22,000 (1992 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of France

History
World Atlas

last updated: 20 november 1997

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