Monaco - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Monaco, it was founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century B.C., the name derives from two Greek words "monos" (single, alone) and "oikos" (house) to convey the sense of a people "living apart" or in a "single habitation". The Government system in this country is the constitutional monarchy type and the different Administrative divisions includes: none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo; note - Moneghetti, a part of La Condamine, is sometimes called the 5th quarter of Monaco
National symbols
Red and white lozenges (diamond shapes); national colors: red, white.
The flag
The National flag of Monaco has two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; the colors are those of the ruling House of Grimaldi and have been in use since 1339, making the flag one of the world's oldest national banners.
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note: similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red
The National Anthem
| Title | "A Marcia de Muneghu" (The March of Monaco) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Louis NOTARI/Charles ALBRECHT |
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note: music adopted 1867, lyrics adopted 1931; although French is commonly spoken, only the Monegasque lyrics are official; the French version is known as "Hymne Monegasque" (Monegasque Anthem); the words are generally only sung on official occasions
More about the government of Monaco
| Date of Independence | 1419 (beginning of permanent rule by the House of GRIMALDI) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857) |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by French legal tradition |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| Constitution | |
| History | Previous 1911 (suspended 1959); latest adopted 17 December 1962 |
| Amendments | 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; amended 2002 |
| 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 |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005) |
| Head of government | Acting Minister of State Isabelle BERRO-AMADEI (since 10 January 2025) |
| Cabinet | Council of Government under the authority of the monarch |
| Elections/appointments | the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature name | National Council (Conseil national) |
| Legislative structure | Unicameral |
| Number of seats | 24 (all directly elected) |
| Electoral system | Proportional representation |
| Scope of elections | Full renewal |
| Term in office | 5 years |
| Most recent election date | 2/5/2023 |
| Parties elected and seats per party | Monegasque National Union - l’Union (24) |
| Percentage of women in chamber | 45.8% |
| Expected date of next election | February 2028 |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court (consists of 5 permanent members and 2 substitutes) |
| 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 |
| Subordinate courts | Court of Appeal; Civil Court of First Instance |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Maguy MACCARIO DOYLE (since 3 December 2013) |
| Chancery | 888 17th Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 234-1530 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 244-7656 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://monacodc.org/index.html |
| Consulate(s) general | New York |
| 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 |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Monaco
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Monaco
Want to know more about Monaco? Check all different factbooks for Monaco below.
