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, trailing only Macau. 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 1Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate (from Monaco)
Image 2Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Monaco)
Image 3Albert II, Prince of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 41978 Monégasque franc coin with an effigy of Rainier III (from Monaco)
Image 5Jacques I, Prince of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 6Benjamin Balleret (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 7Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 8Stade Louis II, home of AS Monaco FC (from Monaco)
Image 9Sainte-Dévote Chapel (from Monaco)
Image 10The location of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 11Satellite view with border (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 12
Panoramic view of Monaco City and the port of Fontvieille
(from Monaco)
Image 13Embassy of Monaco, Paris, France (from Monaco)
Image 14Monte Carlo Casino (from Monaco)
Image 15Hôtel de Paris (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 16Monte Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 17Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 18Wards of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 19The Monaco harbour during the days of the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 20Fontvieille and its new harbour (from Monaco)
Image 21Monaco (as part of the Republic of Genoa) in 1494 (from Monaco)
Image 22Rainier I, victor of the naval battle at Zierikzee and first sovereign Grimaldi ruler of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 23Satellite view of Monaco, with the France–Monaco border shown in yellow (from Monaco)
Image 24
Land reclamation in Monaco since 1861
(from Monaco)
Image 25Monte Carlo Casino (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 26A view of the 2011 Monaco Porsche Supercup. Motor racing is very popular, with one course encompassing almost the whole country. (from Monaco)
Image 27Oceanographic Museum (from Monaco)
Image 28The marriage of actress Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III brought media attention to the principality. (from Monaco)
Image 29The Mayor of Monaco announcing concessions, ending the absolute monarchy of Prince Albert I in 1910 (from Monaco)
Image 30Formation lap for the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix (from Monaco)
Image 31Photochrom of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 32View of the Rock of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 33Palace guards in Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 34Public art in Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 35In 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 36The Rock of Monaco in 1890 (from Monaco)
Image 37Fontvieille (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 38La Condamine (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 39Logo of the princely government of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 40Monaco's flag and its coat of arms (from Monaco)
Image 41Prince's Palace of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 42Enlargeable, detailed map of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 43Charles Leclerc (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 44Port Hercules (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 45
Panoramic view of Monaco from the Tête de Chien (Dog's Head) high rock promontory
(from Monaco)
Image 46Monaco-Ville (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 47Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 48
Panoramic view of La Condamine and Monte Carlo
(from Monaco)
Image 49Prince Albert I of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 50A 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 51Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 52View of Monaco in 2016 (from Monaco)

Selected ward

Lamarck Square, Les Moneghetti; this square contains, a garden, a post office, and a police station; the parish church (Sacred Heart) is 46 metres (50 yd) away.

Les Moneghetti (Monégasque: Muneghëti [muneˈɡeti]) is the north-central ward in the Principality of Monaco, bordering neighboring France. Moneghetti was incorporated in La Condamine. (Full article...)

List of articles
La Condamine Fontvieille, Monaco Larvotto Jardin exotique Monaco-Ville Monte-Carlo 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

The 2001 Monaco Grand Prix (formally the Grand Prix de Monaco 2001) was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Monaco in La Condamine and Monte Carlo on 27 May. It was the seventh race of the 2001 Formula One World Championship and the 59th Monaco Grand Prix. Michael Schumacher won the 78-lap race for the Ferrari team. His teammate Rubens Barrichello finished second with Jaguar's Eddie Irvine third.

Michael Schumacher led the World Drivers' Championship going into the event and his team Ferrari were first from McLaren in the World Constructors' Championship. McLaren's David Coulthard, who qualified in pole position by setting the fastest lap in qualifying, stalled at the start of the formation lap because of an electronic launch control system fault, leading to Schumacher inheriting his position. Schumacher maintained the lead in the first laps with Mika Häkkinen second and Barrichello third. Häkkinen responded to Schumacher's pace before he lost second to Barrichello on lap 13 because his car pulled to the right. Schumacher continued to lead until he made a pit stop on the 55th lap, relinquishing it to Barrichello for four laps. He would return to first position and held it to achieve his fourth victory of the season and the 48th of his career. (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...)