Monaco

I

Introduction

Monaco, small country in southwestern Europe. Monaco lies on the Mediterranean Sea at the foot of the Maritime Alps, forming an enclave in southeastern France. After Vatican City, Monaco is the smallest nation in the world, with a land area of just 1.95 sq km (0.75 sq mi).

Located just east of Nice on the French Riviera and near the border with Italy, Monaco is one of Europe’s most popular resort areas. Sheltered by the lower slopes of the rugged Alps, Monaco enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. Tourism is an economic mainstay of Monaco, which is famed for its fine beaches and hotels, its casinos, and the annual Monaco Grand Prix automobile race.

Tiny Monaco is highly urbanized, making it the most densely populated nation in the world. Villas, hotels, shops, and high-rise apartments climb up the rocky hills. To meet demands for more space, Monaco has created new land by dumping rock and earth along the shore. Monaco’s small harbor provides anchorage and docking facilities for cruise ships, luxury yachts, and smaller pleasure craft.

Although independent, Monaco is closely associated with France in economic matters and foreign affairs. Princes of the Grimaldi family from Genoa have ruled Monaco for most of the last seven centuries. Today, Monaco remains a principality (a territory ruled by a prince). Under a constitution adopted in 1962, the prince shares power with an elected legislature. In 1993 Monaco became a full member of the United Nations (UN), and in 2004 it joined the Council of Europe.

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II

People

Monaco’s estimated population in 2009 was 32,965. Monaco’s population density, at 16,483 persons per sq km (42,689 per sq mi), is higher than any other nation. The citizens of Monaco are called Monégasques.

A

Language and Religion

Less than 20 percent of Monaco’s residents are native-born citizens, or Monégasque. Most of the residents are French, with sizable Italian, American, and British communities. French, the official language, is spoken by about half the population as a mother tongue. About 16 percent of the population speaks Monégasque, a mixture of French and Italian dialects, as a first language. Italian and English are also spoken. Monaco is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.

B

Districts

Monaco is divided into four districts, or quartiers: Monaco-Ville, La Condamine, Fontvieille, and Monte Carlo. Monaco-Ville, an ancient fortified town, is the oldest district and capital of the principality. A scenic area of narrow streets, it covers a flat-topped rocky peninsula that rises 60 m (200 ft) above the Mediterranean. At the edge of the peninsula is Monaco’s royal palace, overlooking Monaco-Ville. An internationally respected Oceanographic Museum (Musée Océanographique), which contains one of Europe’s best aquariums and was once under the direction of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, is built into the peninsula’s steep face.

La Condamine, the chief port area and business district, lies at the foot of the peninsula, between Monte Carlo and Monaco-Ville. Fontvieille, an industrial and residential district west of Monte Carlo, is built largely on land reclaimed from the sea since the early 1980s.

Monte Carlo is the main residential and resort area, with its fashionable hotels, high-rise apartments, beaches, and the famed Monte Carlo Casino. Within the casino complex is the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo (designed by 19th century French architect Charles Garnier), an opera and ballet house, and the headquarters of the Ballets de Monte Carlo. Renowned as a glamorous playground for the wealthy, Monte Carlo hosts international fashion shows, sporting events, and is the center of the Monaco Grand Prix, a prestigious Formula One automobile racing event held annually in May. Auto racing fans also enjoy the Monte Carlo Rally, an event held every January.

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