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.

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N 7 24 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 1.95 km²
Water: 0 km²
Land: 1.95 km²
Comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 4.4 km
Border countries: (1) 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
Extremes highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population: 31,987 (July 2002 est.)
Growth rate: 0.45% (2002 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Monegasque or Monacan
Adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups: French 47% Monegasque 16% Italian 16% other 21%

Languages: French (official) English Italian Monegasque

Religions: Roman Catholic 90%

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,545; female 2,418)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,762; female 10,093)
65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,922; female 4,247) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.45% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 9.6 births/1000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 12.91 deaths/1000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.82 migrant(s)/1000 population (2002 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male/female
Total population: 0.91 male/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.73 deaths/1000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 79.12 years
Female: 83.25 years (2002 est.)
Male: 75.21 years

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: 99%
Male: NA%
Female: NA%

Country name
Conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
Conventional short form: Monaco
Local short form: Monaco
Local long form: Principaute de 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 RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958)
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
Cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
Head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5 January 2000)

Legislative branch
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3
Elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February 2008)

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: Campora List [Anne-Maria CAMPORA]; Medecin List [Jean-Louis MEDECIN]; National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family or RFM [leader NA]

International organization participation: ACCT ECE FAO IAEA ICAO ICC ICRM IFRCS IHO IMO Interpol IOC ITU OPCW OSCE UN UNCTAD UNESCO UPU WHO WIPO WMO WToO

Diplomatic representation
In the us consulates general: New York
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 overview: Monaco situated on the French Mediterranean coast is a popular resort attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001 a major new construction project will extend 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.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: none

Industries: tourism construction small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate: 3.1% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $518 million
Expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

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: $NA

Exchange rates: euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002) 1.1175 (2001) 1.0854 (2000) 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998) 5.8367 (1997)

Electricity
Consumption: NA kWh
Imports note: electricity supplied by France (1999)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 31,027 (1995)
Mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system
General assessment: modern automatic telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system

Internet
Country code: .mc
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: NA

Airports: none; linked to airport in Nice France by helicopter service (2001)

Heliports: 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice France and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002)

Railways
Total: 1.7 km
Standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002)

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)

Disputes international: none