Country name
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco

Government type constitutional monarchy

Capital Monaco

Administrative divisions none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Independence 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution 17 December 1962

Legal system based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958)
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government
cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5 January 2000)

Legislative branch unicameral National Council or Conseil National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UND 18
elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003)

Judicial branch Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders Campora List [Anne-Maria CAMPORA]; Medecin List [Jean-Louis MEDECIN]; National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family or RFM [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders NA

International organization participation ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red

NOTE: The information regarding Monaco on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Monaco Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Monaco Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.