Demographic Study of Monaco: Low Births, Highest Death Rate in History

A new study of Monaco’s demography was recently published as part of a collaboration between Monaco Statistics, the Registry Office and the IT Department at Monaco’s City Hall. The population studied was made up exclusively of Monegasque nationals, or 9,611 people.

Almost 95% of Monegasques live in the Principality. The majority of those who live abroad reside in France. More than 8,600 Monegasques were born in Monaco or France, or nine out of ten people. Almost 750 were born in a country other than Monaco, France or Italy, or 7.8%.

Lowest Birth Rate since 1985

Annual growth was relatively modest at 0.4% in 2021 following 0.9% in 2020. It is still a relatively older population: the average age of Monegasques is 44.5 years old. Half of the population is over 46.9 years old. Almost 15% of Monegasques are 75 years old.

96 births took place in 2021 (49 males and 47 females) for a birth rate of 10.0‰, the lowest since 1985. Average age of mothers at the birth of their first child has been increasing since 1950 and reached between 32.5 and 33.6 years old. For fathers, that number is between 35.1 and 36.0 years old. The Total Fertility Rate is 2.5 children per woman. For all births since 1951, the sex ratio at birth is 107.1 boys per 100 girls.

Record number of deaths in 2021

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, 101 Monegasques have died, the highest level ever recorded (43 men and 58 women). Life expectancy at birth remains at its highest level at 86.7 years (84.9 years for men and 88.7 years for women). The average age at death has risen steadily over the past 60 years, from 67.8 years in the early 1950s to 83.7 years in 2020-2021.

Since 2000-2002, life expectancy has increased significantly more for men (+6.5 years) than for women (+3.1 years). As a result, the gap between women and men continues to narrow. The gap between women and men is 3.6 years in 2020-2021 compared to 7.5 years in 2000-2009.

40% of Monegasques are married

41.8% of Monegasques are single and 39.8% are married. Almost half of Monegasques between 30 and 39 years old are married. More than a quarter of Monegasques aged 50 to 59 are divorced or separated. The proportion of single people decreases with age and stabilizes at around 5% from the age of 60.

85 marriages involving at least one Monegasque spouse were celebrated in 2021. The marriage rate is 8.8‰, slightly below the average observed over the last ten years. The mean age at marriage remains high at 32.4 years for men and 30.9 years for women.

The number of divorces in 2021 is not definitively known yet, given delays in legal procedures, but there were 30 divorces in 2020, a rate of 3.1‰. This is the lowest rate observed for over 30 years. Nearly half of 1990-1999 marriages have ended in divorce.

8 people were naturalized by Sovereign Ordinance in 2021

Monegasques who obtained nationality by Sovereign Ordinance of Naturalization represent 14.0% of the total population. 3 men and 5 women acquired nationality by Sovereign Ordinance of Naturalization in 2021.

Two-thirds of Monegasque nationals (74.9% of men and 60.1% of women) acquired their nationality by filiation. Nearly one Monegasque in five acquired nationality by marriage (7.7% of men and 27.8% of women). Less than two thirds of those eligible in 2011 have acquired nationality through marriage.