# Monaco

> microstate in Western Europe

**Wikidata**: [Q235](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monaco)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/monaco

## Summary
Monaco is a sovereign city-state and microstate located in Western Europe on the French Riviera. It is the second-smallest country in the world, encompassing an area of just 2.08 square kilometers, and operates as a constitutional principality with Prince Albert II serving as the current head of state.

## Key Facts
- **Classification**: Sovereign state, unitary state, principality, and city-state.
- **Location**: Western Europe, bordered by France, and situated on the French Riviera and Maritime Alps.
- **Area**: 2.08 square kilometers.
- **Inception**: Established on January 8, 1297.
- **Population**: 38,423 (as of 2024).
- **Capital**: Monaco City.
- **Head of State**: Albert II, Prince of Monaco (since April 6, 2005).
- **Head of Government**: Philippe Mettoux, Minister of State (since July 4, 2025).
- **Official Language**: French.
- **Official Religion**: Roman Catholicism.
- **Currency**: Euro (adopted January 1, 1999); previously used the Monegasque franc (until January 1, 2002).
- **Time Zone**: UTC+01:00 (Central European Time).
- **Driving Side**: Right.
- **Calling Code**: +377.
- **Top-Level Domain**: .mc.
- **ISO Codes**: Alpha-2: MC, Alpha-3: MCO, Numeric: 492.
- **Legislature**: National Council.
- **Executive Body**: Council of Government.
- **Highest Judicial Authority**: Supreme Court of Monaco.
- **Highest Point**: Chemin des Révoires (161 meters).
- **Lowest Point**: Mediterranean Sea (0 meters).
- **Age of Majority**: 21 years old.
- **VAT Rate**: 19.6%.
- **Emergency Numbers**: 112 (general), 17 (police), 18 (fire department).
- **UN Membership**: Joined May 28, 1993.
- **Interpol Status**: Founder member (joined June 21, 1950).

## FAQs
**What is the geography of Monaco like?**
Monaco is a microstate in Western Europe with a total area of 2.08 square kilometers, making it the second-smallest country in the world. It is located on the French Riviera and the Maritime Alps, sharing a border exclusively with France, and has a highest point of 161 meters at Chemin des Révoires.

**Who governs Monaco?**
Monaco is a constitutional monarchy and hereditary principality led by Prince Albert II as the head of state. The government is headed by the Minister of State, currently Philippe Mettoux, and legislative power is vested in the National Council.

**What international organizations is Monaco a member of?**
Monaco is a member of the United Nations (since 1993), the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It is also a founder member of Interpol and participates in the Eurocontrol, UNESCO, the World Health Organization, and the Universal Postal Union, among others.

**What are the cultural and linguistic characteristics of Monaco?**
The official language is French, and the state religion is Roman Catholicism. The national motto is "Deo Juvante" (With God's Help), the patron saint is Devota, and the national anthem is "Hymne monégasque."

**What is the economic and infrastructure context of Monaco?**
Monaco uses the euro as its currency and had a nominal GDP of approximately $8.6 billion in 2021. The country operates on a 230-volt electrical system with Type E plugs, drives on the right side of the road, and has a 100% urban population with no rural residents.

## Why It Matters
Monaco holds a unique position in global geography and politics as one of the few remaining city-states and principalities. Its dense urbanization and high GDP per capita make it a significant economic hub despite its diminutive size. As a founder member of Interpol and an active participant in the United Nations and various European organizations, Monaco plays a role in international diplomacy, security, and cooperation. Its distinct legal status, coextensive with the Commune of Monaco since 1918, and its specific constitutional framework provide a unique model of microstate governance that balances traditional monarchy with modern state institutions.

## Notable For
- **Microstate Status**: One of the smallest countries in the world by area (2.08 km²).
- **Founder Member**: Helped found Interpol in 1950.
- **Urbanization**: Maintains a 100% urban population with 0% rural population recorded in recent years.
- **High Density**: High population density with over 38,000 residents in a small area.
- **Historical Continuity**: The Grimaldi family has ruled since the state's inception in 1297.
- **Tourism Brand**: Uses the tourism slogan "Easy going Monaco."
- **Diplomatic Reach**: Maintains diplomatic relations with major powers including the United States, China, Russia, and the European Union.
- **Twinning Relationships**: Twinned with Kuwait City, Lucciana, and Rivne (since 2015).

## Body

### Geography and Location
Monaco is a microstate situated in Western Europe, specifically on the French Riviera and within the Maritime Alps. It is bordered entirely by France, with the Mediterranean Sea and Ligurian Sea serving as its maritime boundaries. The country covers a total area of 2.08 square kilometers. Its geographical coordinates are approximately 43.73°N latitude and 7.42°E longitude. The highest elevation is Chemin des Révoires at 161 meters, while the lowest point is the Mediterranean Sea at 0 meters. Monaco is coextensive with the Commune of Monaco, a status established in 1918.

### Government and Politics
Monaco is defined as a sovereign state, unitary state, principality, and city-state. Its inception dates back to January 8, 1297. The state operates as a constitutional and hereditary monarchy. The current head of state is Albert II, Prince of Monaco, who has held the position since April 6, 2005, succeeding Rainier III and Louis II. The head of government is the Minister of State, a role currently held by Philippe Mettoux as of July 4, 2025. The executive body is the Council of Government, while legislative power is exercised by the National Council. The highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court of Monaco. The official age of majority in the state is 21 years.

### Demographics
Monaco has a population of 38,423 as of 2024, reflecting a steady increase from 22,454 in 1960 and 32,081 in 2000. The population is entirely urban, with a rural population recorded as 0% in recent years (2019–2022). Demographic data indicates a slight female majority in recent years; for instance, in 2022, the female population was 18,596 compared to a male population of 17,872. Residents are referred to by various demonyms including Monégasque, Monacan, and Monegasque.

### Economy and Infrastructure
The economy of Monaco utilizes the euro (€) as its official currency, having adopted it in 1999, replacing the Monegasque franc. The nominal GDP was approximately $8.59 billion USD in 2021. The standard VAT rate is 19.6%. Infrastructure includes a postal code system centered on 98000 and a telephone country code of +377. The top-level internet domain is .mc. Electrical standards are set at 230 volts with a frequency of 50 Hz, utilizing Type E, Europlug, and British-style plugs. Traffic flows on the right-hand side of the road, and the license plate code is MC.

### Culture and Society
French is the official language of the state. The Roman Catholic Church is the state religion. The national motto is "Deo Juvante" (With God's Help), while a tourism slogan used is "Easy going Monaco." The national anthem is "Hymne monégasque," and the patron saint is Saint Devota. The state flag is the flag of Monaco, and the coat of arms of Monaco serves as the national heraldic symbol.

### International Relations
Monaco maintains an active international presence. It joined the United Nations on May 28, 1993. It is a member of the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (since June 25, 1973), and Eurocontrol (since 1997). Notably, Monaco is a founder member of Interpol, having joined on June 21, 1950. Other memberships include the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (1997), the International Hydrographic Organization, UNESCO (1949), the Universal Postal Union (1955), the International Telecommunication Union (1908), the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (1970), and the World Health Organization. It participates in the Visa Waiver Program (since 1991) and is an observer state in the International Civil Defence Organisation. Monaco maintains diplomatic relations with numerous entities, including Italy, Germany, France, Japan, the European Union, Taiwan, the United States, Russia, and the People's Republic of China.

### History and Territory
Historically, Monaco replaced the Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune. During the French Revolution, it was known as Fort-Hercule (1793–1814) and was attached to the District of Menton. It was also replaced by the Alpes-Maritimes department during that period. The state is distinct from the Commune of Monaco and Monaco City, although it is coextensive with the commune.

### Identifiers and Technical Data
Monaco is recognized by numerous international codes and identifiers. ISO 3166-1 codes are MC (Alpha-2), MCO (Alpha-3), and 492 (Numeric). The UN M49 code is 492. The IOC country code is MON, and the ITU letter code is MCO. The WIPO ST.3 code is MC. Library and authority identifiers include the ISNI 0000000121814116, VIAF ID 130909670, and BNF ID 11945108x. The MusicBrainz area ID is 6f26d528-4467-3ecb-b105-10daf3466b40. The state is also cataloged in the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names (ID 7005758) and the GeoNames database (ID 2993457).

### Social Media and Digital Presence
The government maintains a digital presence across various platforms. The verified Twitter account is @gvtMonaco, and the Facebook page is GvtMonaco. The Instagram handle is mairiedemonaco, and the official YouTube channel is mairiedemonacomc. A subreddit, r/Monaco, exists for English-speaking discussion. The state also has a presence on Quora and various other topic-specific platforms.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.nicematin.com/vie-locale/philippe-mettoux-nomme-ministre-d-etat-988832)
2. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/monaco)
3. [La Constitution de la Principauté. Constitution of Monaco](http://www.gouv.mc/Gouvernement-et-Institutions/Les-Institutions/La-Constitution-de-la-Principaute)
4. [Source](http://www.city-adm.rv.ua/RivnePortal/ukr/city_partners/Monaco.aspx)
5. Virtual International Authority File
6. BnF authorities
7. FANTOIR
8. OpenStreetMap
9. [Source](https://data.iana.org/time-zones/tzdb-2021e/europe)
10. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
11. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Europe/MONACO)
12. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
13. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/monaco)
14. [International Hydrographic Organization](https://www.iho.int/srv1/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=452&lang=en)
15. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
16. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
17. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=199)
18. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
19. [Source](https://www.dhs.gov/visa-waiver-program-requirements)
20. [Source](http://icdo.org/who-we-are/members/observer-states.html)
21. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/monaco)
22. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
23. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
24. [Source](https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/)
25. FIPS 10-4
26. MusicBrainz
27. World Bank Open Data
28. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
29. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Population-et-emploi)
30. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Actualites/Population-officielle-2020)
31. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Actualites/Population-officielle-2021)
32. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Actualites/Population-officielle-2022)
33. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Population-et-emploi/Recensement-de-la-population)
34. [Source](https://www.mairie.mc/principaute-monaco-monte-carlo)
35. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
36. [Source](https://www.ui.se/landguiden/lander-och-omraden/europa/monaco/)
37. The National Terminology Database for Irish
38. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
39. [Source](http://chartsbin.com/view/edr)
40. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
41. [Source](https://tapchicongthuong.vn/michael-jackson-truoc-nam-1975-duoc-phien-am-thanh-manh-khac-lac-khac-ton--va-hon-100--ten-quoc-gia--dia-danh--ca-si--dien-vien-dien-anh--doc-len-rat-la-tai-65715.htm)
42. [Source](https://trinm.wordpress.com/2010/08/22/lan-man-v%E1%BB%81-vi%E1%BB%87t-hoa-d%E1%BB%8Ba-danh-va-ten-danh-nhan/)
43. [International Numbering Resources Database](http://www.itu.int/net/itu-t/inrdb/e129_important_numbers.aspx)
44. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
45. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
46. [La Constitution de la Principauté](https://www.gouv.mc/Gouvernement-et-Institutions/Les-Institutions/La-Constitution-de-la-Principaute#eztoc81068_1)
47. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)
48. [Source](https://www.imsee.mc/Population-et-emploi/Demographie)
49. [Gazetteer](https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/gaz/blob/master/src/ontology/gaz_countries.csv)
50. iNaturalist