Who are the Monegasques?

The most recent instalment, made public at the end of 2024 by the Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (Monaco Statistics) showed that the Principality of Monaco had 38,367 residents. This means that the population has increased by 2.8% compared with 2016, and has almost doubled since 1951. The gender breakdown is close to parity (50.8% female). Due to its small size, the country has a record population density of 18,445.7 inhabitants per square kilometre.

141 nationalities

Monaco, a cosmopolitan city state, plays host to representatives from 141 different nationalities. However – and for the first time in recent history – Monegasque nationals make up the largest community in the Principality, at 9,179 people, ahead of the French (8,473) and Italian (7,515) communities. “Between 1908 and 1938, fewer than one in ten residents were Monegasque nationals. They have steadily increased as a share of the population since then. Conversely, French nationals, who accounted for nearly 60% of residents in 1962, have declined as a share of the population, making up 22.1% of residents in 2023. Meanwhile, the proportion of Italians has remained fairly stable since 1962, accounting for 19.6% of inhabitants in 2023,” explains Monaco Statistics. The institute adds: “In 2023, more than four in ten residents were nationals of a country other than the three noted above, whereas in 1962, this figure was less than one in ten.”

Life expectancy of 90 years for women!

The Demography Observatory, which is also produced by Monaco Statistics, provides some other key figures. These include the fertility rate, which is 2.1 children per woman, the lowest rate since 2005. However, “despite this decline, the rate remains significantly higher than that of other European countries.”

Life expectancy for Monegasques at birth is 86.8 years (83.9 years for men and 90 years for women), one of the longest life expectancies in the world. According to Monaco Statistics, a range of “favourable” socio-economic factors, such as standard of living, the healthcare system and working conditions, explain this particular figure. “Almost all Monegasque nationals live in Monaco, in an environment with a broad healthcare offering, to which access is further facilitated by the small size of the country – with the latter additionally enjoying a Mediterranean, and therefore fairly mild, climate.”