Monaco

Monaco, the second smallest country in the world at two square kilometers, is located on the Mediterranean coast and shares a land border with France. It is a prosperous country (2009 per capita gross domestic product [GDP] $30,000) and the population of 32,965 (as of July 2009) enjoys a high standard of living similar to French metropolitan areas. Life expectancy of 76.3 years for men and 84.09 for women is 19th highest in the world. The population is 90 percent Roman Catholic; the leading ethnic groups are French (47 percent), Monegasque (natives of Monaco; 16 percent), and Italian (16 percent). Because Monaco does not levy an individual income tax, many rich foreigners reside there, making Monaco an extremely cosmopolitan country.

[Page 973]The Monaco Constitution was revised in 1962 to include female suffrage. Women are equal by law in most aspects of life, and domestic violence is prohibited and rare. One exception to the general rule of equality is that unlike men, women who are naturalized Monegasque citizens cannot transfer that citizenship to their children. Women hold about one-quarter of seats in the national Parliament and have served in key posts, including the mayor of Monaco and as members of the Crown Council, National Council, and Economic Council. Women comprise about 40 percent of the nonagricultural labor force and many hold professional positions.

In 2009, Monaco became one of the last countries in the world to legalize abortion, but restricts it to specific circumstances including rape, fetal deformity, and mortal danger to the mother. Monegasque social security allows referrals to France for abortion (where abortion on demand is available through the first trimester and emergency contraception is available), although it does not cover fees for the procedure or medication. Monaco provides a high standard of maternal and childcare. The infant mortality rate is 5 per 1,000 live births, in the middle range for European countries but the lower quarter for all nations. The birth rate in 2009 was 9.1 per 1,000 population, among the lowest in the world, and the fertility rate was below replacement levels (1.75 children per woman), but one of the world's highest net migration rates (7.58 migrants per 1,000 population) resulted in a positive population growth rate of 0.394 percent).