A state in Southern Europe, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by French territory on land.
Area - 2 km² (of which 0.2 km² has been reclaimed from the sea in recent years). Capital - Monaco (3 thousand). Administratively, it is a single commune made up of merged city districts: Monaco, La Condamine, Monte Carlo, Moneghetti, and Fontvieille. Population - about 32 thousand (as of 2002); of these, the indigenous people - Monegasques - number 7 thousand, French - 10 thousand, Italians - 6.5 thousand, English - 1.7 thousand. The official language is French, with Monegasque, Italian, and English also widely spoken. Religion: 95% of believers are Catholics. The currency is the euro, and Monaco has the right to mint so-called "Monegasque euros" (coins mainly for collectors and tourists).
Official relations with the Russian Federation at the consular level were established in 1996.
National holiday - November 19 - Prince's Day (the feast day of the late Prince Rainier III, who died in 2005, father of the current prince).
Monaco is a constitutional hereditary monarchy (principality). According to the constitution, it is a "sovereign and independent state within the framework of common principles of international law and special conventions with France."
The head of state is the prince (since 2005 - Prince Albert II of the Grimaldi dynasty). Legislative power belongs to the prince and the National Council (parliament), consisting of 24 deputies elected for 5 years by universal direct voting. Only Monegasques have the right to vote. The last elections were held in 2003. The executive power is exercised by the government minister appointed by the prince (since 2005 - J.-P. Proust) and the Government Council led by him, which includes 5 advisors in addition to the government minister.
Main political organizations: Union for the Principality (leader - S. Valeri), National Union for the Future of Monaco (C. Boisson), Union for the Development of Monegasque Society (R. Giordano), National Democratic Union (J. L. Campora).
The Monaco Trade Union Federation has 5 thousand members.
In 1297, the fortress of Monaco, previously built by the Genoese, was captured by the Grimaldi family. Since 1419 - a principality. From 1524 to 1641 - under Spanish rule, then mainly under French protection. From 1793 to 1814 - part of France. Since 1861 - an independent state. In 2002, a number of amendments were made to the constitution adopted in 1962, significantly democratizing the state structure of the principality. New agreements signed with France in 2002-2004 strengthened Monaco's sovereignty. The Principality of Monaco is a member of many international organizations, including the UN, OSCE, and the Council of Europe.
The preferential tax regime has led to the establishment of a modern economic infrastructure in Monaco over the past decades, with developed trade, banking services, and industry (3,740 firms and enterprises employing over 41 thousand people). The most dynamically developing sectors are the banking sector (about 80 banks and financial companies) and the service sector (17 hotels, 118 restaurants). In trade, there are 1,100 enterprises and over 400 export-import firms; in industry - over 100 environmentally friendly enterprises (precision engineering, pharmaceuticals, textiles, etc.). The budget is formed from taxes on trade, operations (50%) and real estate, customs duties, as well as income from state monopolies on the sale of tobacco, matches, and postage stamps (6%) and the gambling business (7%). Significant income comes from cultural, sports, and business tourism (the principality has powerful cultural and exhibition complexes, up to 800 international congresses are organized annually, major tennis and other sports tournaments, auto rallies, music and circus festivals, various exhibitions, etc.).
Monthly publications include the magazines "Monaco Actualité," "Monte-Carlo Méditerranée," and the newspaper "Gazette de Monaco." There is an official bulletin "Journal de Monaco," a powerful radio station "Radio Monte-Carlo," and a television channel "TMC."
