Monaco (2003) | Ireland (2008) | |
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 | 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,551; female 2,445)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,814; female 10,130) 65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,937; female 4,253) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 20.8% (male 442,664/female 413,556)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,387,803/female 1,385,355) 65 years and over: 11.7% (male 212,782/female 266,926) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | none | turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products |
Airports | none; linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service (2002) | 34 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 15
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 16 (2007) |
Area | total: 1.95 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 70,280 sq km
land: 68,890 sq km water: 1,390 sq km |
Area - comparative | about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC | slightly larger than West Virginia |
Background | Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center. | Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern (Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland is being implemented with some difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed and began to implement the St. Andrews Agreement, building on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998. |
Birth rate | 9.46 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 14.4 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $518 million
expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995) |
revenues: $93.85 billion
expenditures: $91.07 billion (2007 est.) |
Capital | Monaco | name: Dublin
geographic coordinates: 53 19 N, 6 14 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers | temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time |
Coastline | 4.1 km | 1,448 km |
Constitution | 17 December 1962 | adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937 |
Country name | conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire |
Currency | euro (EUR) | - |
Death rate | 12.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.79 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $1.841 trillion (30 June 2007) |
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 | chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael COLLINS
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $719 million (2005) |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA | - |
Economy - overview | Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major new construction project will extend the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough. | Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth averaging 6% in 1995-2007. Agriculture, once the most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Although the exports sector, dominated by foreign multinationals, remains a key component of Ireland's economy, construction has most recently fueled economic growth along with strong consumer spending and business investment. Property prices have risen more rapidly in Ireland in the decade up to 2006 than in any other developed world economy. Per capita GDP is 40% above that of the four big European economies and the second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg, and in 2007 surpassed that of the United States. The Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, invest in infrastructure, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign investment. A slowdown in the property market, more intense global competition, and increased costs, however, have compelled government economists to lower Ireland's growth forecast slightly for 2008. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 24.09 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | - | 1 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France |
2.045 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | - | 24.13 billion kWh (2005) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% | Celtic, English |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998) | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
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)
head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERCQ (since 5 January 2000) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch 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 |
chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6% note: government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats, and independent members of Parliament |
Exports | $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France | 23,360 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products |
Exports - partners | - | US 18.7%, UK 17.9%, Belgium 14.4%, Germany 7.8%, France 5.8%, Italy 4.2% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 5%
industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 5.3% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 43 44 N, 7 24 E | 53 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban | strategic location on major air and sea routes between North America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides within 100 km of Dublin |
Heliports | 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2002) | - |
Highways | total: 50 km
paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 27.2% (2000) |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs; increasing consumption of South American cocaine; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money laundering - using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies involving the offshore financial community - remains a concern |
Imports | $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France | 204,400 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | - | data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing |
Imports - partners | - | UK 37.5%, US 11.5%, Germany 9.6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2006) |
Independence | 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi) | 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 5% (2006 est.) |
Industries | tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products | steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 5.63 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 5.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | 4.7% (2007 est.) |
International organization participation | ACCT, ECE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO | ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council) | Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet) |
Labor force | 30,540 (January 1994) | 2.21 million (2007 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture: 6%
industry: 27% services: 67% (2006 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km |
total: 360 km
border countries: UK 360 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (1998 est.) |
arable land: 16.82%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 83.15% (2005) |
Languages | French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque | English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard |
Legal system | based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16 members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional representation; to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held NA February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3 |
bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats; 49 members elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; to serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held NA July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, other 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.27 years
male: 75.37 years female: 83.37 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 77.9 years
male: 75.27 years female: 80.7 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
Location | Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy | Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain |
Map references | Europe | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 NM | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | total: 27 ships (1000 GRT or over) 116,091 GRT/161,808 DWT
by type: cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 3 (Spain 1, US 2) registered in other countries: 18 (Bahamas 2, Bermuda 1, Bulgaria 1, Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Isle of Man 1, Netherlands 9, Panama 1, UK 1, unknown 1) (2007) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | - | Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireann): Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps) (2006) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 0.9% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November | Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March |
Nationality | noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan |
noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
adjective: Irish |
Natural hazards | NA | NA |
Natural resources | none | natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum, limestone, dolomite |
Net migration rate | 7.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | - | gas 1,855 km (2007) |
Political parties and leaders | National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA] | Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY, acting leader]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 32,130 (July 2003 est.) | 4,109,086 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 7% (2005 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.44% (2003 est.) | 1.143% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Monaco | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998) | AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | total: 1.7 km
standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge (2002) |
total: 3,237 km
broad gauge: 1,872 km 1.600-m gauge (37 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants) (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90% | Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.002 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female total population: 0.989 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system |
general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave radio relay
domestic: microwave radio relay international: country code - 353; landing point for the Hibernia-Atlantic submarine cable with links to the US, Canada, and UK; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 31,027 (1995) | 2.097 million (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | 4.69 million (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 5 (1998) | 4 (many repeaters) (2001) |
Terrain | hilly, rugged, rocky | mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast |
Total fertility rate | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.86 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.1% (1998) | 5% (2007 est.) |
Waterways | none | 956 km (pleasure craft only) (2007) |