Introduction
Background
The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling GRIMALDI family first seized control in 1297 but was not able to permanently secure its 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.
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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 - comparative
about three times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 6 km
border countries (1): France 6 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
highest point: Chemin des Revoires on Mont Agel 162 m
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
Land use
agricultural land: 1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 99% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2012)
Population distribution
the second most densely populated country in the world (after Macau); its entire population living on 2 square km
Natural hazards
none
Geography - note
second-smallest independent state in the world (after the Holy See); smallest country with a coastline; almost entirely urban
People and Society
Population
31,223 (July 2021 est.)
note: immigrants make up almost 68% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)
Nationality
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan
Ethnic groups
Monegasque 32.1%, French 19.9%, Italian 15.3%, British 5%, Belgian 2.3%, Swiss 2%, German 1.9%, Russian 1.8%, American 1.1%, Dutch 1.1%, Moroccan 1%, other 16.6% (2016 est.)
note: data represent population by country of birth
Languages
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 90% (official), other 10%
Age structure
0-14 years: 9.41% (male 1,497/female 1,415)
15-24 years: 9.52% (male 1,538/female 1,406)
25-54 years: 30.46% (male 4,779/female 4,644)
55-64 years: 15.47% (male 2,370/female 2,417)
65 years and over: 35.15% (male 4,817/female 6,057) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: NA
youth dependency ratio: NA
elderly dependency ratio: NA
potential support ratio: NA
Median age
total: 55.4 years
male: 53.7 years
female: 57 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
the second most densely populated country in the world (after Macau); its entire population living on 2 square km
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
39,000 MONACO (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 1.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.09 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 89.4 years
male: 85.55 years
female: 93.4 years (2021 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
1.6% (2018)
Physicians density
7.51 physicians/1,000 population (2014)
Hospital bed density
13.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 26.7%
male: 25.7%
female: 27.9% (2016 est.)
Environment
Environment - current issues
no serious issues; actively monitors pollution levels in air and water
Environment - international agreements
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 12.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.05 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Land use
agricultural land: 1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 1% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 0% (2018 est.)
other: 99% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 100% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 46,000 tons (2012 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,484 tons (2012 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 5.4% (2012 est.)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 5 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
local short form: Monaco
etymology: founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name derives from two Greek words "monos" (single, alone) and "oikos" (house) to convey the sense of a people "living apart" or in a "single habitation"
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 4 quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo; note - Moneghetti, a part of La Condamine, is sometimes called the 5th quarter of Monaco
Independence
1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI)
National holiday
National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)
Constitution
history: previous 1911 (suspended 1959); latest adopted 17 December 1962
amendments: proposed by joint agreement of the chief of state (the prince) and the National Council; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of National Council members; amended 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
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Monaco; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen and father unknown
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
head of government: Minister of State Pierre DARTOUT (since 1 September 2020)
cabinet: Council of Government under the authority of the monarch
elections/appointments: 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
description: unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 8 directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 11 February 2018 (next to be held on 28 February 2023)
election results: percent of vote by party - Priorite Monaco 57.7%, Horizon Monaco 26.1%, Union Monegasque 16.2%; seats by party - Priorite Monaco 21, Horizon Monaco 2, Union Monegasque 1; composition - men 16, women 8, percent of women 33.3%
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 5 permanent members and 2 substitutes)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court members appointed by the monarch upon the proposals of the National Council, State Council, Crown Council, Court of Appeal, and Trial Court
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; Civil Court of First Instance
Political parties and leaders
Horizon Monaco [Laurent NOUVION]
Priorite Monaco [Stephane VALERI]
Union Monegasque [Jean-Francois ROBILLON]
International organization participation
CD, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC (national committees), 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 Maguy MACCARIO-DOYLE (since 3 December 2013)
chancery: 888 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
telephone: [1] (202) 234-1530
FAX: [1] (202) 244-7656
email address and website:
info@monacodc.org
https://monacodc.org/index.html
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 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 diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco; +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22, enter zero "0" after the automated greeting; US Embassy Paris, 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris, France
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 symbol(s)
red and white lozenges (diamond shapes); national colors: red, white
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 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
Economic 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 banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. 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.
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. In October 2014, Monaco officially became the 84th jurisdiction participating in the OECD’s Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, an effort to combat offshore tax avoidance and evasion.
Monaco's reliance on tourism and banking for its economic growth has left it vulnerable to downturns in France and other European economies which are the principality's main trade partners. In 2009, Monaco's GDP fell by 11.5% as the euro-zone crisis precipitated a sharp drop in tourism and retail activity and home sales. A modest recovery ensued in 2010 and intensified in 2013, with GDP growth of more than 9%, but Monaco's economic prospects remain uncertain.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$7.672 billion (2015 est.)
$7.279 billion (2014 est.)
$6.79 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate
5.4% (2015 est.)
7.2% (2014 est.)
9.6% (2013 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$115,700 (2015 est.)
$109,200 (2014 est.)
$101,900 (2013 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$6.006 billion (2015 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0% (2013)
industry: 14% (2013)
services: 86% (2013)
Industries
banking, insurance, tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 0%
industry: 16.1%
services: 83.9% (2012 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 896.3 million (2011 est.)
expenditures: 953.6 million (2011 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Exports
$964.6 million (2017 est.)
$1.115 billion (2011)
note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France
Exports - partners
Italy 19%, Germany 14%, United Kingdom 9%, Switzerland 9%, Spain 8%, United States 6%, Belgium 5%
(2019)Exports - commodities
jewelry, perfumes, watches, packaged medicines, plastic products (2019)
Imports
$1.371 billion (2017 est.)
$1.162 billion (2011 est.)
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 - partners
Italy 34%, Switzerland 16%, Germany 9%, United Kingdom 7% (2019)
Imports - commodities
jewelry, recreational boats, cars and vehicle parts, watches, general wares (2019)
Exchange rates
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
0.885 (2017 est.)
0.903 (2016 est.)
0.9214 (2015 est.)
0.885 (2014 est.)
0.7634 (2013 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 26.7%
male: 25.7%
female: 27.9% (2016 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 43,706 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 111.4 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 35,485 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 90.43 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system; the country's sole fixed-line operator offers a full range of services to residential and business customers; competitive mobile telephony market; 4G LTE widely available (2020)
domestic: fixed-line 113 per 100 and mobile-cellular teledensity exceeds 87 per 100 persons (2019)
international: country code - 377; landing points for the EIG and Italy-Monaco submarine cables connecting Monaco to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
TV Monte-Carlo operates a TV network; cable TV available; Radio Monte-Carlo has extensive radio networks in France and Italy with French-language broadcasts to France beginning in the 1960s and Italian-language broadcasts to Italy beginning in the 1970s; other radio stations include Riviera Radio and Radio Monaco
Internet users
total: 38,200 (2021 est.)
percent of population: 97.05% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 20,877 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 53.2 (2020 est.)
Transportation
Heliports
1 (2012)
Railways
note: Monaco has a single railway station but does not operate its own train service; the French operator SNCF operates rail services in Monaco
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Hercules Port
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Ministry of Interior: Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince’s Company of Carabiniers (Palace Guard)), Corps des Sapeurs-pompiers de Monaco (Fire and Emergency), Police Department
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of France