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General Information
Area: 1.95 sq km (0.75 sq miles).
Population: 31,963 (official estimate 2000).
Population Density: 16,391 per sq km.
Capital: Monaco-Ville. Population: 1234 (1987).
GEOGRAPHY: Monaco is second only to the Vatican as the smallest independent state in Europe. Set on the Mediterranean coast of France just a few miles from the Italian border, the principality is a constitutional monarchy and relies largely on foreign currency for an economic base. Its principal industry is tourism. The country is a narrow ribbon of coastline backed by the Alpes-Maritimes foothills, creating a natural amphitheatre overlooking the sea, with the population centred in four districts. Monaco-Ville is set on a rocky promontory dominating the coast. The Palace is the home of the Grimaldi family, the oldest ruling house in Europe. Monaco-Ville also boasts a fine Romanesque cathedral among its other attractions. La Condamine is the area around the Port, while Monte-Carlo is the main centre for business and entertainment. Fontvieille has been set aside as an area for new light industrial and residential development.
Government: Constitutional monarchy. Head of State: Prince Rainer III since 1949. Head of Government: Minister of State Patrick Leclercq since 2000.
Language: French. Monégasque (a mixture of French Provençal and Italian Ligurian), English and Italian are also spoken. Native Monégasques make up only a minority of Monaco’s population.
Religion: Roman Catholic (Monaco has a Catholic Bishop) with Anglican minorities.
Time: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are in use.
Communications:
Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 377. Outgoing international code: 00.
Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network covers the whole principality. Network operators include Itineris, SFR and Bouygues.
Fax
All hotels have facilities.
Internet
ISPs include Monaco Internet (website: www.monaco.net). There is at least one Internet cafe.
Telegram
Available at hotels and post offices. Telephones and telegraphic services are open 0800-2100 daily at the main post office (see below).
Post
Same rates as France. The main post office is at The Scala Palace, Beaumarchais Square. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1900, Sat 0800-1200. There are special Monégasque stamps.
Press
The principal regional daily is Nice-Matin (which includes two pages on Monaco). The Monaco Hebdo covers Monaco’s current affairs. The Journal de Monaco, an internal government journal, is published weekly. Other newspapers include Monaco Actualité, Gazette Monaco-Côte d’Azur and Monte Carlo Méditerranée. French newspapers are widely available, as are English books and magazines. The Riviera Reporter, the only English-language magazine for residents in the French riviera, is published every two months.
BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change.
BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice):
Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov):
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
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