$NA
Exchange rates:
Moldovan lei (MDL) per US dollar - 10.326 (2008 est.), 12.177 (2007), 13.131 (2006), 12.6 (2005), 12.33 (2004)
Communications ::Moldova
Telephones - main lines in use:
1.115 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 73
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2.423 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 117
Telephone system:
general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau; some modernization is under way
domestic: depending on location, new subscribers may face long wait for service; multiple private operators of GSM mobile-cellular telephone service are operating; GPRS system is being introduced; a CDMA mobile telephone network began operations in 2007; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity 85 per 100 persons
international: country code - 373; service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - at least 3 (Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 29, shortwave NA (2006)
Television broadcast stations:
40 (2006)
Internet country code:
.md
Internet hosts:
367,150 (2009) country comparison to the world: 52
Internet users:
850,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 96
Transportation ::Moldova
Airports:
11 (2009) country comparison to the world: 154
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 1,906 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 1,138 km country comparison to the world: 87 broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 12,666 km country comparison to the world: 130 paved: 12,117 km
unpaved: 549 km (2007)
Waterways:
424 km (on Dniester and Prut rivers) (2008) country comparison to the world: 87
Merchant marine:
total: 39 country comparison to the world: 78 by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 32, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 2, petroleum tanker 1
foreign-owned: 17 (Egypt 1, Romania 3, Russia 3, Syria 1, Turkey 3, Ukraine 5, Yemen 1) (2008)
Military ::Moldova
Military branches:
National Army: Land Forces, Rapid Reaction Forces, Air and Air
Defense Forces (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary service; male registration required at age 16; 12-month service obligation (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,161,924
females age 16-49: 1,187,771 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 877,665
females age 16-49: 987,356 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 31,633
female: 30,214 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.4% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 166
Transnational Issues ::Moldova
Disputes - international:
Moldova and Ukraine operate joint customs posts to monitor the transit of people and commodities through Moldova's break-away Transnistria region, which remains under OSCE supervision
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Moldova is a major source and, to a lesser extent, a transit country for women and girls trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; Moldovan women are trafficked to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe; girls and young women are trafficked within the country from rural areas to Chisinau; children are also trafficked to neighboring countries for forced labor and begging; labor trafficking of men to work in the construction, agriculture, and service sectors of Russia is increasingly a problem
tier rating: Tier 3 - Moldova does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government failed to follow-up on allegations of officials complicit in trafficking cited in the 2007 Report, and it did not demonstrate proactive efforts to identify trafficking victims (2008)
Illicit drugs:
limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Monaco (Europe)
Introduction ::Monaco
Background:
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.
Geography ::Monaco
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy
Geographic coordinates:
43 44 N, 7 24 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 2 sq km country comparison to the world: 248 land: 2 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 4.4 km
border countries: France 4.4 km
Coastline:
4.1 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 12 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers
Terrain:
hilly, rugged, rocky
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mont Agel 140 m
Natural resources:
none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air
Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban
People ::Monaco
Population:
32,965 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 211
Age structure:
0-14 years: 14.6% (male 2,466/female 2,349)
15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,184/female 10,395)
65 years and over: 23% (male 3,068/female 4,503) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 45.7 years
male: 43.6 years
female: 47.7 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.394% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 165
Birth rate:
9.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 209
Death rate:
12.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33
Net migration rate:
7.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 5 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 191 male: 5.77 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.09 years country comparison to the world: 21 male: 76.3 years
female: 84.09 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.75 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan
Ethnic groups:
French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%
Languages:
French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Education expenditures:
4.4% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 93
Government ::Monaco
Country name:
conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
conventional short form: Monaco
local long form: Principaute de Monaco
local short form: Monaco
Government type:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
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
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 rule by the House of Grimaldi)
National holiday:
National Day (Saint Rainier's Day), 19 November (1857)
Constitution:
17 December 1962; modified 2 April 2002
Legal system:
based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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: 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:
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 3 February 2008 (next to be held in February 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - UPM 52.2%, REM 40.5%, Monaco Together 7.3%; seats by party - UPM 21, REM 3
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:
Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
Monaco or UNAM); Rally and Issues for Monaco or REM; Monaco Together
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITSO, ITU, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Schengen
Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNWTO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador to the US and Representative to the UN Gilles NOGHES
chancery: 3400 International Drive NW, Suite 2K-100, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 234-1530
FAX: (202) 552-5778
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the 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 routine diplomatic and consular matters concerning 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
Economy ::Monaco
Economy - overview:
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$976.3 million (2006 est.) country comparison to the world: 201 note: Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates are extremely rough
GDP (official exchange rate):