Saint Barthelemy (2008) | Monaco (2006) | |
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 |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 15.2% (male 2,539/female 2,417)
15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,959/female 10,266) 65 years and over: 22.6% (male 3,015/female 4,347) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | none |
Airports | 1 | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 |
- |
Area | 21 sq km | total: 1.95 sq km
land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | less than an eighth of the size of Washington, DC | about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century. France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barthelemy retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity. | The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family secured control in the late 13th century, and a principality was established in 1338. 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. |
Birth rate | - | 9.19 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $719.2 million
expenditures: $864.1 million; including capital expenditures of $283.1 million (2004) |
Capital | name: Gustavia
geographic coordinates: 17 53 N, 62 51 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight savings: +1 hour, starts 20 March and ends 17 October |
name: Monaco
geographic coordinates: 43 44 N, 7 25 E 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 |
Climate | tropical, with practically no variation in temperature; has two seasons (dry and humid) | Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers |
Coastline | - | 4.1 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 17 December 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy
conventional short form: Saint Barthelemy local long form: Collectivite d'outre mer de Saint-Barthelemy local short form: Saint-Barthelemy |
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco |
Death rate | - | 12.91 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $18 billion (2000 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas collectivity of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) under the authority of the US ambassador to France is accredited to Monaco |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas collectivity of France) | Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | - | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $NA |
Economy - overview | The economy of Saint Barthelemy is based upon high-end tourism and duty-free luxury commerce, serving visitors primarily from North America. The luxury hotels and villas host 70,000 visitors each year with another 130,000 arriving by boat. The relative isolation and high cost of living inhibits mass tourism. The construction and public sectors also enjoy significant investment in support of tourism. With limited fresh water resources, all food must be imported, as must all energy resources and most manufactured goods. Employment is strong and attracts labor from Brazil and Portugal. | Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | - | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne du Vitet 286 m |
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m |
Environment - current issues | with no natural rivers or streams, fresh water is in short supply, especially in summer, and provided by desalinization of sea water, collection of rain water, or imported via water tanker | NA |
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 |
Ethnic groups | white, Creole (mulatto), black, Guadeloupe Mestizo (French-East Asia) | French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - NA (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by Prefect Dominique LACROIX (since 21 March 2007)
head of government: President of the Territorial Council Bruno MAGRAS (since 16 July 2007) cabinet: Executive Council; note - there is also an advisory, economic, social, and cultural council elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Council is elected by the members of the Council for a five-year term election results: Bruno MAGRAS unanimously elected president by the Territorial Council on 16 July 2007 |
chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June 2005) 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 |
Exports | - | $656.5 million $NA
note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | 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 |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 17%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 0.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 17 90 N, 62 85 W | 43 44 N, 7 24 E |
Geography - note | - | second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban |
Heliports | - | 1 (2006) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | - | $636.6 million $NA
note: full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France |
Independence | none (overseas collectivity of France) | 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 5.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.9% (2000) |
International organization participation | UPU | ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO |
Irrigated land | - | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council) |
Labor force | - | 41,110
note: includes workers from all foreign countries (2004) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005) |
Languages | French (primary), English | French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Council (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 July 2007 (next to be held July 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - SBA 72.2%, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 9.9%, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 7.9%, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 9.9%; seats by party - SBA 16, Action-Equilibre-Transparence 1, Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy 1, Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy 1 |
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 February 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UNAM 21, UND 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.69 years
male: 75.85 years female: 83.74 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
Location | located approximately 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe | Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | - | registered in other countries: 77 (Bahamas 17, Barbados 1, Bermuda 2, France 1, Georgia 13, Isle of Man 3, Liberia 10, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 8, Norway 4, Panama 9, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Switzerland 2, unknown 1) (2006) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs ceremonial duties (2003) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789); note - local holiday is St. Barthelemy Day, 24 August | National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November |
Nationality | - | noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan |
Natural hazards | - | NA |
Natural resources | has few natural resouces, its beaches being the most important | none |
Net migration rate | - | 7.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Action-Equilibre-Transparence [Maxime DESOUCHES]; Ensemble pour Saint-Barthelemy [Benoit CHAUVIN]; Saint-Barth d'Abord! or SBA [Bruno MAGRAS]; Tous Unis pour Saint-Barthelemy [Karine MIOT-RICHARD] | National and Democratic Union or UND [Guy MAGNAN]; Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 6,852 (1999 March census) | 32,543 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | 0.4% (2006 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998) |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jehovah's Witness | Roman Catholic 90% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 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 (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age, universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: fully integrated access
domestic: direct dial capability with both fixed and wireless systems international: country code - 590; undersea fiber-optic cable provides voice and data connectivity to Puerto Rico and Guadeloupe |
general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
domestic: NA international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 33,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 19,300 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 5 (1998) |
Terrain | hilly, almost completely surrounded by shallow-water reefs, with 20 beaches | hilly, rugged, rocky |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.76 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Transportation - note | nearest airport for international flights is Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) located in Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles) | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 22% (1999) |