Monaco - Tips
Monaco
Bureau of European and Eurasian
Affairs
June
2007
Background Note:
Monaco
Flag of Monaco is two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and
white.
PROFILE
OFFICIAL
NAME:
Principality of
Monaco
Geography
Area: 1.95 sq. km. (0.8 sq. mi); about the size of New York City's
Central
Park.
City: Capital--Monaco, pop. 32,409 (July 2005
est.).
Terrain:
Hilly.
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry
summers.
People
Nationality: Noun and
adjective--Monegasque.
Population (July 2006 est.):
32,543.
Annual growth rate (2007 est.):
0.386%.
Ethnic groups (2007): French 47%, Italian 16%, Monegasque 16%, other
21%.
Religions: Roman Catholic 90%, other
10%.
Languages: French (official), English, Italian, and
Monegasque.
Education: Years compulsory--10, ages 6-16. Attendance--99%.
Literacy--99%.
Health (2007 est.): Infant mortality--5.27
deaths/1,000 live births. Life
expectancy--75.99
yrs. male; 83.85 yrs. female. Birth rate (2007 est.)--9.12
births/1,000 population. Death rate (2006 est.)--12.92
deaths/1,000
population.
Government
Type: Constitutional
monarchy.
Constitution: December 17, 1962 (amended in April
2002).
Branches: Executive--Prince Albert II (chief of state), Minister of
State
Jean-Paul Proust (head of government),
Council of Government (cabinet under
authority of the monarch).
Legislative--unicameral National Council (24
members). Judicial--Court of First Instance, Court of Appeal, High
Court of
Appeal, Criminal Court, Supreme
Court.
Subdivisions: Four quarters (quartiers)--Monaco-Ville, La
Condamine,
Monte-Carlo,
Fontvieille.
Political parties: Union pour Monaco (UPM), National and Democratic
Union
(UND), Parti Monégasque
(PM).
Suffrage: Universal adult at age
18.
Economy
GDP: Monaco does not publish economic figures such as gross domestic
product,
though estimates placed purchasing power parity GDP at $976.3
million in
2006.
Avg. annual growth rate (2003 est.):
1.89%.
Per capita purchasing power parity GDP (2006 est.):
$30,000.
Work force (2003, 41,708): Private sector--37,949. Public
sector--3,759.
Services--83.5%.
Banking--23.43%. Tourism and hotel--11.64%. Retail--4.92%.
Construction and public works--32.02%.
Industry--6.98%.
Agricultural products:
None.
Industry: Types--tourism, construction, chemicals, food products,
plastics,
precision instruments, cosmetics,
ceramics.
Trade: Imports (2005)--$916.1 million. Exports (2005)--$716.3
million. Note:
full customs integration with France, which collects
and rebates Monegasque
trade duties; also participates in EU
market system through customs union
with
France.
Currency: Monaco, along with France and the other 11 members of the
European
Monetary Union (EMU), adopted the euro (€)as its
official currency on
January 1,
2002. As in other EMU states, euros minted in Monaco have special
Monegasque features on one side of the
coin.
GEOGRAPHY
The Principality of Monaco is the second-smallest independent state
in the
world, after the Holy See (Vatican City). It is
located on the Mediterranean
coast, 18 kilometers (11 mi.) east of
Nice, France, and is surrounded on
three
sides by France. Monaco is divided into four sections: Monaco-Ville,
the old city on a rocky promontory extending into the Mediterranean;
La
Condamine, the section along the
port; Monte-Carlo, the principal residential
and resort area; and
Fontvieille, a newly constructed area reclaimed from the
sea.
The principality is noted for its beautiful natural scenery and mild,
sunny
climate. The average minimum temperature in January and
February is 8oC (47o
F); in July and August the average maximum
temperature is 26oC (78oF).
PEOPLE
In July 2006, Monaco's population was estimated at 32,543, with an
estimated
average growth rate for 2007 of
0.386%.
French is the official language; English, Italian, and Monegasque (a
blend of
French and Italian) also are spoken. The literacy rate is
99%. Roman
Catholicism is the official religion, with freedom of other
religions
guaranteed by the
constitution.
HISTORY
Founded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa, Monaco has been ruled by the
House of
Grimaldi since 1297, except when under French control
from 1789 to 1814.
Designated as a
protectorate of Sardinia from 1815 until 1860 by the Treaty
of
Vienna, Monaco's sovereignty was recognized by the
Franco-Monegasque
Treaty of 1861. The
Prince of Monaco was an absolute ruler until
a
constitution was promulgated in
1911.
In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French
protection
over Monaco. The treaty, formally noted
in the Treaty of Versailles,
established that Monegasque policy would be aligned with French
political,
military, and economic
interests.
A new constitution, proclaimed in 1962, abolished capital
punishment,
provided for
female suffrage, and established a Supreme Court to guarantee
fundamental
liberties.
In 1993, Monaco became an official member of the United Nations with
full
voting rights. It joined the Council of Europe
in
2004.
Three months after the death of his father, Prince Rainier III, on
April 6,
Prince Albert II formally acceded to the throne on
July 12, 2005.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL
CONDITIONS
Monaco has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911,
with the
Prince as chief of state. The executive branch
consists of a Minister of
State (head of
government), who presides over a five-member Council
of
Government (cabinet). The
Minister of State is responsible for foreign
relations. As the Prince's representative, the Minister of State also
directs
the executive services, commands the police, and presides
(with voting
powers) over the
Council of Government. The five members of the Council are
respectively responsible for internal affairs, external affairs,
the
environment,
finance and economy, and social affairs and
health.
Under the 1962 constitution, the Prince shares his power with the
unicameral
National Council. Sixteen of the 24 members of this
legislative body are
elected by list majority
system, and 8 by proportional representation to
serve 5-year terms. The elections were last held on February 9, 2003,
and
will be held next in February 2008. If the
Prince dissolves the National
Council, new
elections must be held within 3 months. Usually meeting twice
annually, the Council votes on the budget and endorses laws proposed
by the
Prince.
Ordinances passed by the National Council are debated in the Council
of
Government, as are the ministerial
decrees signed by the Minister of State.
Once approved, the
ordinances must be submitted to the Prince within 80 days
for his
signature, which makes them legally enforceable. If he does
not
express opposition within 10 days
of submission, they become
valid.
Judicial power is invested in the Prince, who delegates judicial
procedures
to the various courts, which dispense justice in his
name. The independence
of the judges is guaranteed by the
constitution. The Supreme Court is
composed of five chief members and two assistant judges named by the
Prince
on the basis of nominations by the National Council and
other government
bodies. The Supreme Court is
the highest court for judicial appeals and also
interprets the
constitution when necessary. Monaco's legal system, closely
related to that of France, is patterned after the Napoleonic
Code.
The principality's local affairs (the administration of the four
quarters of
Monaco-Ville, La Condamine, Monte Carlo, and Fontvieille)
are directed by the
Communal Council, which consists of 15 elected
members and is presided over
by the
Mayor.
Principal Government
Officials
Chief of State--Prince Albert II, Crown
Prince
Minister of State--Jean-Paul
Proust
Ambassador to the United States and United Nations--Gilles
Noghes
Council of
Government
Interior--Paul
Masseron
Exterior--Jean
Pastorelli
Finance and Economic Affairs--Gilles
Tonelli
Social Affairs and Health--Jean-Jacques
Campana
Environment, Equipment and Urbanism--Robert
Calcagno
National Council President--Stephane
Valeri
President of Supreme Court--Roland
Drago
Director of Judicial Services--Philippe
Narmino
ECONOMY
Monaco, located on the Mediterranean coast, has an economy primarily
geared
toward finance, commerce, and tourism. Low taxes have
drawn many foreign
companies to Monaco; the
companies' production accounts for around 50% of the
€593 million
annual government income (2002). The enterprises pay a 33.33%
tax only if more than 25% of their revenue is generated abroad. Ever
since
Monaco's famed casino opened in 1856, the tourism
industry has been booming.
It currently accounts for close to 25% of
the annual
revenue.
Customs, postal services, telecommunications, and banking in Monaco
are
governed by an economic and customs
union with France. The official currency
is the
euro.
Though official economic statistics are not published, 2006 estimates
placed
the gross domestic product at $976.3 million and the per
capita income at
$30,000. Monaco does not publish
the figures for unemployment, but in 2005
the rate was
estimated to be at
0%.
Monaco is noted for its activity in the field of marine sciences.
Its
Oceanographic Museum,
formerly directed by Jacques Cousteau, is one of the
most
renowned institutions of its kind in the world. Monaco imports
and
exports products and services from
all over the world. There is no commercial
agriculture in
Monaco.
FOREIGN
RELATIONS
Monaco actively participates in the United Nations, which it joined
in 1993.
Monaco joined the Council of Europe on October 4, 2004.
Monaco also is a
member of many international
and intergovernmental organizations, including
Interpol, the UN
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
and the
World Health Organization (WHO). The International
Hydrographic
Bureau (IHB) is
headquartered in
Monaco.
The Principality of Monaco is a sovereign and independent state,
linked
closely to France by the Treaty
of July 1918, which was formally noted in
Article
436 of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919. The foreign policy of Monaco
is one illustration of this accord: France has agreed to defend
the
independence and sovereignty of Monaco, while the Monegasque Government
has
agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with
French interests.
Since then, the relations between the sovereign
states of France and Monaco
have been further defined in the
Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963.
In 2002, Monaco renegotiated its 1918 treaty with France. In 2005, it
was
ratified by both parties and entered into
force. The terms of the treaty:
*Upgrade France's representation in Monaco from
Consulate General to that
of an
embassy;
*Permit, for the first time, other countries to
accredit ambassadors to
Monaco;
and
*Formally recognize the succession scheme set out
in the
1962
Constitution, which extends eligibility to
the Prince's daughters and
other family
members.
Although not a member of the European Union (EU), Monaco is
closely
associated with the economic apparatus of the EU through its customs
union
with France and its reliance upon the euro as its
official currency.
Monaco has 10 diplomatic missions in Western Europe and
permanent
representation at the United Nations and the Council of Europe. It
maintains
honorary consulates in 106 cities in 45 countries.
Seventy-six countries have
consulates general, consulates, or honorary
consulates in or accredited to
Monaco.
U.S.-MONACO
RELATIONS
The United States and Monaco enjoy excellent relations, which both
countries
seek to maintain and strengthen. From 1956 until her death
in 1982, the
American-born Grace Kelly
was married to Prince Rainier III, Prince Albert's
father. The United
States does not yet have a diplomatic mission located in
Monaco.
In December 2006, the United States and Monaco upgraded from consular
to full
diplomatic relations. Shortly after, Ambassador Craig
Stapleton (France) was
accredited to Monaco, and Ambassador Gilles
Noghes became the first
Monegasque ambassador to the United
States.
Principal U.S.
Official
Ambassador (Paris, France)--Craig
Stapleton
The U.S. Embassy in France is located at 2 Avenue Gabriel, Paris 8
(tel. [33]
(1) 4312-2222). The U.S. Consulate General at Marseille is
located at Place
Varian Fry, 13286 Marseille Cedex 6 (tel.
[33]-(4)-91-54-92-00).
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS
INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises
Americans
traveling and residing abroad through Consular Information
Sheets, Public
Announcements, and Travel Warnings.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all
countries and include
information on entry and exit requirements, currency
regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime,
political
disturbances, and
the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
Public
Announcements are issued to disseminate information quickly
about
terrorist threats and other relatively
short-term conditions overseas that
pose significant
risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings
are
issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel
to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or
unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling
abroad
should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau
of Consular Affairs Internet
web site at
http://www.travel.state.gov, where the
current Worldwide Caution,
Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings
can be found. Consular Affairs
Publications,
which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a
safe
trip abroad, are also available at
http://www.travel.state.gov.
For
additional information on international
travel, see
http://www.usa.gov/
Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S citizens who traveling or
residing
abroad to register via the State Department's travel
registration website or
at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate
abroad. Registration will make your
presence and whereabouts known in
case it is necessary to contact you in an
emergency and will
enable you to receive up-to-date information on security
conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be
obtained
by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and
Canada or the regular
toll line 1-202-501-4444 for
callers outside the U.S. and
Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S.
Department of
State's single, centralized public
contact center for U.S.
passport
information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer
service
representatives and operators for TDD/TTY
are available Monday-Friday, 7:00
a.m. to 12:00 midnight,
Eastern Time, excluding federal
holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S.
Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP
(877-394-8747) and a web site at
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the
most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations
or requirements,
and advice on food and drinking water safety for
regions and countries. A
booklet entitled "Health
Information for International Travel"
(HHS
publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S.
Government
Printing Office,
Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202)
512-1800.
Further Electronic
Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at
http://
www.state.gov, the Department of State web
site provides timely, global
access to
official U.S. foreign policy information, including
Background
Notes and daily press briefings
along with the directory of key officers of
Foreign Service
posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC)
provides
security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies
working abroad through its website
http://www.osac.gov
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and
market
information offered by the federal
government and provides trade leads, free
export counseling, help
with the export process, and
more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
provides
authoritative economic, business, and
international trade information from
the Federal
government. The site includes current and
historical
trade-related releases, international market research, trade
opportunities,
and country analysis and provides access to the
National Trade Data Bank.
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See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all
Background
notes
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Monaco
