Portal:Monaco

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The Monaco Portal
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Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is recognised as one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. The official language is French; Monégasque, English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents.

With an area of 2.08 km² (0.80 sq mi), Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City. Its population of 38,367 in 2023 makes it the most densely populated sovereign state. Monaco has the world's shortest coastline: 3.83 km (2.38 mi). The principality is about 15 km (9.3 mi) from the border with Italy and consists of nine administrative wards, the largest of which is Monte Carlo.

The principality is governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II as head of state, who wields political power despite his constitutional status. The prime minister, who is the head of government, can be either a Monégasque or French citizen; the monarch consults with the Government of France before an appointment. Key members of the judiciary are detached French magistrates. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861, with Monaco becoming a full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco's independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France, besides maintenance of two small military units. (Full article...)

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Selected location article

Grace Kelly, in *To Catch a Thief*, points towards the road (circled) which was later named after her.

The Avenue Princesse Grace is an avenue in the Larvotto ward of Monaco. It is named after Grace Kelly, Princess consort of Monaco. It is the most expensive street in the world according to Engel & Völkers. Property along the street is on average worth $17,750 per square foot or £73,000 per square metre. (Full article...)

List of articles
Casino Gardens and Terraces Columbus Hotel Monaco Fort Antoine Theatre Grimaldi Forum Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo Hotel Metropole, Monte Carlo Japanese Garden, Monaco Jardin Exotique de Monaco Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology New National Museum of Monaco Oceanographic Museum Odeon Tower St Martin Gardens Zoological Garden of Monaco

Selected pictures

Image 1Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Monaco)
Image 2Public art in Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 3Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate (from Monaco)
Image 4Fontvieille and its new harbour (from Monaco)
Image 51978 Monégasque franc coin with an effigy of Rainier III (from Monaco)
Image 6Photochrom of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 7Satellite view with border (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 8Hôtel de Paris (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 9Fontvieille (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 10
Land reclamation in Monaco since 1861
(from Monaco)
Image 11Enlargeable, detailed map of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 12Oceanographic Museum (from Monaco)
Image 13A view of the 2011 Monaco Porsche Supercup. Motor racing is very popular, with one course encompassing almost the whole country. (from Monaco)
Image 14Albert II, Prince of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 15Prince's Palace of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 16Satellite view of Monaco, with the France–Monaco border shown in yellow (from Monaco)
Image 17The Monaco harbour during the days of the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 18Charles Leclerc (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 19Prince Albert I of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 20Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 21In the centre is La Condamine. At the right with the smaller harbour is Fontvieille, with The Rock (the old town, fortress, and Palace) jutting out between the two harbours. At the left are the high-rise buildings of La Rousse/Saint Roman. (from Monaco)
Image 22
Panoramic view of La Condamine and Monte Carlo
(from Monaco)
Image 23View of the Rock of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 24Stade Louis II, home of AS Monaco FC (from Monaco)
Image 25
Panoramic view of Monaco from the Tête de Chien (Dog's Head) high rock promontory
(from Monaco)
Image 26Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 27Monaco-Ville (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 28Monte Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 29Sainte-Dévote Chapel (from Monaco)
Image 30View of Monaco in 2016 (from Monaco)
Image 31Jacques I, Prince of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 32Rainier I, victor of the naval battle at Zierikzee and first sovereign Grimaldi ruler of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 33A map of the County of Nice showing the area of the Italian kingdom of Sardinia annexed in 1860 to France (light brown). The area in red had already become part of France before 1860 (from Monaco)
Image 34Palace guards in Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 35Formation lap for the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix (from Monaco)
Image 36
Panoramic view of Monaco City and the port of Fontvieille
(from Monaco)
Image 37The Mayor of Monaco announcing concessions, ending the absolute monarchy of Prince Albert I in 1910 (from Monaco)
Image 38Logo of the princely government of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 39Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 40Monte Carlo Casino (from Monaco)
Image 41The location of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 42Monaco (as part of the Republic of Genoa) in 1494 (from Monaco)
Image 43La Condamine (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 44Embassy of Monaco, Paris, France (from Monaco)
Image 45Port Hercules (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 46Monaco's flag and its coat of arms (from Monaco)
Image 47Benjamin Balleret (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 48The marriage of actress Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III brought media attention to the principality. (from Monaco)
Image 49The Rock of Monaco in 1890 (from Monaco)
Image 50Wards of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 51Monte Carlo Casino (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 52Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)

Selected ward

A view of Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo (/ˌmɒnti ˈkɑːrloʊ/ MON-tee KAR-loh, Italian: [ˈmonte ˈkarlo]; French: Monte-Carlo [mɔ̃te kaʁlo], or colloquially Monte-Carl [mɔ̃te kaʁl]; Monégasque: Munte Carlu [ˈmuŋte ˈkaɾlu]; lit. 'Mount Charles') is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally, the name also refers to a larger district, the Monte Carlo Quarter (corresponding to the former municipality of Monte Carlo), which besides Monte Carlo/Spélugues also includes the wards of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins and Saint Michel. The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000. Monaco has four traditional quarters. From west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. Near the quarter's western end is the "world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling center ... that has made Monte Carlo an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth". It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, Café de Paris and Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo). The quarter's eastern part includes the community of Larvotto with Monaco's only public beach, as well as its new convention center (the Grimaldi Forum), and the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. At the quarter's eastern border, one crosses into the French town of Beausoleil (sometimes referred to as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur), and 8 kilometres (5 mi) to its east is the western border of Italy. (Full article...)

List of articles
La Condamine Fontvieille, Monaco Larvotto Jardin exotique Monaco-Ville Les Moneghetti Ravin de Sainte-Dévote La Rousse

Selected environment article

The Rock of Monaco (French: Rocher de Monaco; Monégasque: Roca de Mùnegu) is a 62-metre (203 ft) tall monolith on the Mediterranean coast of the Principality of Monaco. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and the Port Hercules. (Full article...)

List of articles
Land reclamation in Monaco Mont Agel Port Hercules Tête de Chien

Selected arts article

The Eurovision Song Contest 1976 was the 21st edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in The Hague, Netherlands, following the country's victory at the 1975 contest with the song "Ding-a-dong" by Teach-In. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS), the contest was held at the Nederlands Congrescentrum on 3 April 1976 and was hosted by 1957 Dutch Eurovision winner Corry Brokken.

Eighteen countries took part in the contest with Sweden, Malta and Turkey opting not to return to the contest after participating the previous year. Malta would not return to the contest again until 1991. On the other hand, Austria and Greece returned to the competition, having been absent since 1972 and 1974 respectively. (Full article...)

Selected religion article

The history of the Jews in Monaco goes back at least a century, most notably to the time of the Holocaust. Monaco had a very small Jewish presence before World War II, numbering approximately 300 people. During the war, the principality's government issued false identity papers to its Jewish residents to protect them from Nazi deportation. Prince Louis II refused to dismiss Jewish civil servants and protected Édouard de Rothschild from deportation. However, Monaco's police arrested and turned over 42 Central European Jewish refugees to the Nazis. Sixty Jews were arrested 27–28 August 1942, and ninety in total, according to The Algemeiner.

In 1948, the Association Cultuelle Israelite de Monaco was founded as the official organization of Monaco's Jewish community, and it provides the community with a synagogue, Hebrew school and kosher food store. Today's Jewish community in Monaco consists primarily of retirees from France and the United Kingdom, and there is also a small population of North African and Turkish Jews. (Full article...)

Selected sports article

Circuit de Monaco (last modified in 1998)

The 1999 Monaco Grand Prix (formally the LVII Grand Prix Automobile de Monaco) was a Formula One motor race held on 16 May 1999 at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo, Monaco. It was the fourth race of the 1999 Formula One season. The 78-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher after starting from second position. It was Schumacher's 16th win with Ferrari, breaking the record held by Niki Lauda. His team-mate Eddie Irvine finished second with Mika Häkkinen third for the McLaren team.

The race was Schumacher's second win of the season, his fourth at Monaco, and the result meant that he extended his lead in the Drivers' Championship, to eight points over Irvine and twelve over Häkkinen. Ferrari extended their lead in the Constructors' Championship, twenty-four points ahead of McLaren and twenty-eight ahead of Jordan with 12 races of the season remaining. (Full article...)

Selected education article

The American College of Monaco was a tertiary institution located in Monte Carlo, Monaco, that operated from 1968 until 1970. The college offered a four-year degree program and was reportedly established by the Principality at the request of Princess Grace.

The college held classes in the Hotel Hermitage behind the Hotel de Paris, and the famous Monte Carlo Casino during its first academic year. After that, the school relocated to the Hotel Splendid, on the border of Beausoleil. Prince Rainier III was the Chancellor of the School, and the famous oceanographer, Jacques Yves Cousteau, was a member of its Board of Academic Overseers. (Full article...)

Selected transportation article

Port Hercules (French: Port Hercule [pɔʁ ɛʁkyl]) is the only deep-water port in Monaco. The port has been in use since ancient times. The modern port was completed in 1926, and underwent substantial improvements in the 1970s. It covers almost 40 acres (160,000 m²), enough to provide anchorage for up to 700 vessels. The port is located in the La Condamine district. Harbour pilots are required for all vessels longer than 30 metres. The depth of water in the harbour ranges from seven metres for standard berths and up to 40 metres for the outer piers and cruise ship docks. (Full article...)