Monaco

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet country code

.mc

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios

34,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Telephones - main lines in use

31,027 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

NA

Television broadcast stations

5 (1998)

Televisions

25,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

none

Budget

revenues: $518 million expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Currency

French franc (FRF); euro (EUR)

Currency code

FRF; EUR

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

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. 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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh note: electricity supplied by France (1999)

Exchange rates

euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996)

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

30,540 (January 1994)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

3.1% (1998)

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

Climate

Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Coastline

4.1 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, 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

Geographic coordinates

43 44 N, 7 24 E

Geography - note

second smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area)

Location

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

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

none

Terrain

hilly, rugged, rocky

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

Capital

Monaco

Constitution

17 December 1962

Country name

conventional long form: Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

Monaco does not have an embassy in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958) head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERQUE (since 5 January 2000) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government

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

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

International organization participation

ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Legal system

based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Council or Conseil National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UND 18

National holiday

National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Political parties and leaders

National and Democratic Union or UND [leader NA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.32% (male 2,503; female 2,375) 15-64 years: 62.23% (male 9,731; female 10,083) 65 years and over: 22.45% (male 2,921; female 4,229) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

13 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.98 years male: 75.04 years female: 83.12 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Net migration rate

7.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

31,842 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

0.46% (2001 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 90%

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 (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service

Heliports

1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille)

Highways

total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Monaco

Railways

total: 1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge

Waterways

none