General information
Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco), is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy. Its area is 2.02 km2 (0.78 sq mi) with a population of 35,000.
Monaco is the name of the country and its capital (and only) city. Foreigners make up the majority of the population at approximately 81%.
Monaco is a constitutional monarchy and principality, with H.S.H. Prince Albert II as the head of state. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco since 1297, and the state’s sovereignty was officially recognized by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. Despite Monaco being independent, its national defence is the responsibility of France.
Geography
Monaco is the second smallest country (by size) in the world; only the Vatican City is smaller. Monaco is also the world’s second smallest monarchy, and one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The state consists of only one municipality (commune). There is no geographical distinction between the State and City of Monaco, although responsibilities of the government (state-level) and of the municipality (city-level) are different. According to the constitution of 1911, the principality was subdivided into three municipalities:
- Monaco (Monaco-Ville), the old city on a rocky promontory extending into the Mediterranean, known as the Rock of Monaco, or simply Le Rocher (the Rock), where the palace is located
- Monte Carlo, the principal residential and resort area with the Monte Carlo Casino in the east and northeast
- La Condamine, the northwest section including the port area, Port Hercule
The municipalities were merged into one in 1917, after accusations that the government was acting according to the motto «divide and conquer» and they were accorded the status of wards (quartiers) thereafter.
- Fontvieille was added as fourth ward, a newly constructed area reclaimed from the sea (in the 1970s)
- Moneghetti became the fifth ward, created from a part of La Condamine
- Larvotto became the sixth ward, created from a part of Monte Carlo
- La Rousse/Saint Roman (including Le Ténao) became the seventh ward, also created from a part of Monte Carlo
Subsequently, three additional wards were created:
- Saint Michel, from a part of Monte Carlo
- La Colle, from a part of La Condamine
- Les Révoires, from a part of La Condamine
Climate
Monaco has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), which is influenced by the oceanic climate and the humid subtropical climate.
As a result, it has warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Cool and rainy interludes can interrupt the dry summer season, the average length of which is also shorter. Summer afternoons are infrequently hot (indeed, temperatures over 30 °C are rare) as the atmosphere is temperate by constant sea breezes. On the other hand, the nights are very mild, this being due to the fairly high temperature of the sea in summer. Generally, temperatures do not drop below 20 °C in this season. In winter, frosts and snowfalls are extremely rare, generally occurring once or twice every ten years.
The average daytime temperature at the time of the 2013 European Conference, in late spring, will be around 22°C.
Demographics
Monaco’s population is unusual in that the native Monegasques are a minority in their own country. The largest proportion of residents are French nationals (28%), followed by Monegasque (21.6%), Italians (19%), English speakers (7.5% UK & 1% USA), and Germans, Swiss, and Belgians (2.5% to 3% each); another 15% is labeled as «other» populations. A Monacoian is the term used to describe a person living in Monaco who is not a citizen of Monaco.
Law and Government
Monaco has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as head of state. The executive branch consists of a Minister of State (the head of government), who presides over a five-member Council of Government. Until 2002, the Minister of State was a French citizen appointed by the prince from among candidates proposed by the French government; since a constitutional amendment in 2002, the Minister of State can be French or Monegasque. However, H.S.H. Prince Albert II appointed, on March 3, 2010, the Frenchman H.E. Mr Michel Roger as Minister of State.
Under the 1962 constitution, the prince shares his power with the unicameral National Council (parliament). The twenty-four members of this legislative body are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms. The principality’s local affairs are directed by the Communal Council, which consists of fifteen elected members and is presided over by the mayor.
