World Factbook
Monaco
Principauté de Monaco
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white history: uses the colors of the ruling House of Grimaldi; colors have been in use since 1339, making it one of the world's oldest national flags
note: similar to the flags of Indonesia (longer) and Poland (colors reversed)
Capital
name
Monaco
etymology
founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name's origin is unclear; it could derive from the Greek term monoikos (solitary), the Ligurian word monegu (rock), or the Basque word muno (mountain)
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
geographic coordinates
43 44 N, 7 25 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
the father must be a citizen of Monaco; in the case of a child born out of wedlock, the mother must be a citizen and father unknown
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Constitution
history
previous 1911 (suspended 1959); latest adopted 17 December 1962
amendment process
proposed by joint agreement of the chief of state (the prince) and the National Council; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of National Council members
Country name
etymology
founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name's origin is unclear; it could derive from the Greek term monoikos (solitary), the Ligurian word monegu (rock), or the Basque word muno (mountain)
local long form
Principauté de Monaco
local short form
Monaco
conventional long form
Principality of Monaco
conventional short form
Monaco
Independence
1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI)
Legal system
civil law system influenced by French legal tradition
Government type
constitutional monarchy
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court (consists of 5 permanent members and 2 substitutes)
subordinate courts
Court of Appeal; Civil Court of First Instance
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court members appointed by the monarch upon the proposals of the National Council, State Council, Crown Council, Court of Appeal, and Trial Court
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Government under the authority of the monarch
chief of state
Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
head of government
Minister of State Christophe MIRMAND (since 21 July 2025)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government
National holiday
National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)
National color(s)
red, white
Political parties
Monegasque National Union (includes Horizon Monaco, Primo!, Union Monegasque) Horizon Monaco Priorite Monaco or Primo! Union Monegasque
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
24 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
National Council (Conseil national)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
2/5/2023
expected date of next election
February 2028
percentage of women in chamber
45.8%
parties elected and seats per party
Monegasque National Union - l’Union (24)
National anthem(s)
title
"A Marcia de Muneghu" (The March of Monaco)
history
music adopted 1867, lyrics adopted 1931; only the Monegasque lyrics are official; the French version is known as "Hymne Monegasque" (Monegasque Anthem); the words are usually only sung on official occasions
lyrics/music
Louis NOTARI/Charles ALBRECHT
National symbol(s)
red and white lozenges (diamond shapes)
Administrative divisions
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 4 quarters ( quartiers , singular - quartier ); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo
note: Moneghetti, part of La Condamine, is sometimes called the fifth quarter of Monaco
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 244-7656
chancery
888 17th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006
telephone
[1] (202) 234-1530
chief of mission
Ambassador Maguy MACCARIO DOYLE (since 3 December 2013)
consulate(s) general
New York
email address and website
info@monacodc.org https://monacodc.org/index.html
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
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 diplomatic and consular matters concerning Monaco; +(33)(1) 43-12-22-22, enter zero "0" after the automated greeting; US Embassy Paris, 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris, France
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt