<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 1419 (rule by the House of Grimaldi)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day, 19 November
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 17 December 1962
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 25 years of age; universal
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> Prince RAINIER III (since NA November 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre (born 14 March 1958)
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Minister of State Jacques DUPONT (since NA 1991)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Government; under the authority of the Prince
<item><hi format=bold>National Council (Conseil National):</hi> elections last held on 24 January 1988 (next to be held NA); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(18 total) UND 18
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> National and Democratic Union (UND); Democratic Union Movement (MUD); Monaco Action; Monegasque Socialist Party (PSM)
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> ACCT, CSCE, ECE, IAEA, ICAO, IMF (observer), IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>honorary consulate(s) general:</hi> Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
<item>• <hi format=ital>honorary consulate(s):</hi> Dallas, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, and Washington
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<item><hi format=bold>US diplomatic representation:</hi> no mission in Monaco, but the US Consul General in Marseille, France, is accredited to Monaco
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> 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