Background: The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family first seized temporary control in 1297 and again in 1331 but were not able to permanently secure their 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.

Geographic coordinates: 43 44 N 7 24 E

Area
Rank: 250
Comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington DC

Coastline: 4.1 km

Climate: Mediterranean with mild wet winters and hot dry summers

Terrain: hilly rugged rocky

Natural resources: none

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: NA

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

Population: 30,510 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 217
Growth rate: -0.066% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 196
Below poverty line: NA%

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

Languages: French (official) English Italian Monegasque

Religions: Roman Catholic 90% (official) other 10%

Population growth rate: -0.066% (2012 est.)
Rank: 196

Birth rate: 6.85 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 222

Death rate: 8.52 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 80

Net migration rate: 1.02 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 52

Environment
Current issues: NA

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 223

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 1

Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 189

Physicians density: 5.81 physicians/1000 population (1995)

Sanitation facility access:

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

Education expenditures: 1.2% of GDP (2004)
Rank: 162

Government type: constitutional monarchy

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 permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI)

National holiday: National Day (Saint Rainier's Day) 19 November (1857)

Constitution: 17 December 1962; modified 2 April 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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

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)

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: Monaco Together; Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM)

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
From the us: the 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 routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco

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

Economy 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 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's reliance on tourism and banking for its economic growth has left it vulnerable to a downturn 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 with GDP growth of 2.5% but Monaco's economic prospects remain clouded in uncertainty tied to future euro-zone growth. Weak economic growth also has deteriorated public finances as the principality recorded a budget deficit of 1.9% of GDP in 2010. 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. 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 166

Real gdp growth rate: -11.5% (2009)
Rank: 130

Real gdp per capita:

Agriculture products: none

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 49,300
Rank: 192

Unemployment rate: 0% (2005)
Rank: 1

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Surplus or deficit: -1.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 74

Taxes and other revenues: 18.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 170

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.5% (2010)
Rank: 22

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Exports: $716.3 million (2005)
Rank: 166

Imports: $916.1 million (2005)
Rank: 180

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates:

Telephones
Main lines in use: 44,500 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 166
Mobile cellular: 31,800 (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 206

Broadcast media: TV Monte-Carlo (TMC) operates a TV network; Radio Monte-Carlo has both an Italian-language and a French-language network; there are a few private radio stations (2008)

Internet
Country code: .mc
Hosts: 26,009 (2012)
Hosts rank: 111
Users: 23,000 (2009)
Users rank: 191

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Roadways
Rank: 217

Merchant marine
Rank: 63

Ports and terminals: Monaco

Disputes international: none