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

The Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo is a palace style Belle Époque in the heart of Monaco on the French Riviera . It belongs to the Société des bains de mer de Monaco. It was built in 1890 and 1896 the architect Nicolas Marquet with the participation of Gustave Eiffel. (Full article...)

List of articles
Casino Gardens and Terraces Avenue Princesse Grace Columbus Hotel Monaco Fort Antoine Theatre Grimaldi Forum Hôtel de Paris 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 1Formation lap for the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix (from Monaco)
Image 2Monaco (as part of the Republic of Genoa) in 1494 (from Monaco)
Image 3Wards of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 4Enlargeable, detailed map of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 5Rainier I, victor of the naval battle at Zierikzee and first sovereign Grimaldi ruler of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 61978 Monégasque franc coin with an effigy of Rainier III (from Monaco)
Image 7The Rock of Monaco in 1890 (from Monaco)
Image 8Fontvieille and its new harbour (from Monaco)
Image 9Logo of the princely government of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 10Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate (from Monaco)
Image 11Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 12La Condamine (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 13
Land reclamation in Monaco since 1861
(from Monaco)
Image 14Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 15Jacques I, Prince of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 16Oceanographic Museum (from Monaco)
Image 17
Panoramic view of La Condamine and Monte Carlo
(from Monaco)
Image 18Monaco-Ville (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 19Satellite view with border (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 20A view of the 2011 Monaco Porsche Supercup. Motor racing is very popular, with one course encompassing almost the whole country. (from Monaco)
Image 21View of Monaco in 2016 (from Monaco)
Image 22
Panoramic view of Monaco from the Tête de Chien (Dog's Head) high rock promontory
(from Monaco)
Image 23Port Hercules (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 24Monte Carlo (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 25Prince Albert I of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 26In 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 27The Monaco harbour during the days of the 2016 Monaco Grand Prix (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 28A 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 29View of the Rock of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 30Sainte-Dévote Chapel (from Monaco)
Image 31Monaco's flag and its coat of arms (from Monaco)
Image 32Hôtel de Paris (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 33Albert II, Prince of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 34Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 35The location of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 36The Mayor of Monaco announcing concessions, ending the absolute monarchy of Prince Albert I in 1910 (from Monaco)
Image 37The marriage of actress Grace Kelly to Prince Rainier III brought media attention to the principality. (from Monaco)
Image 38Photochrom of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 39Stade Louis II, home of AS Monaco FC (from Monaco)
Image 40Fontvieille (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 41Palace guards in Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 42Benjamin Balleret (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 43Monte Carlo Casino (from Monaco)
Image 44Prince's Palace of Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 45Lycée Albert Premier of Monaco (from Monaco)
Image 46Satellite view of Monaco, with the France–Monaco border shown in yellow (from Monaco)
Image 47
Panoramic view of Monaco City and the port of Fontvieille
(from Monaco)
Image 48Charles Leclerc (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 49Monte Carlo Casino (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 50Embassy of Monaco, Paris, France (from Monaco)
Image 51Public art in Monaco (from Outline of Monaco)
Image 52Seaside façade of the Salle Garnier, home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo (from Monaco)

Selected ward

Sainte-Dévote Chapel

Ravin de Sainte-Dévote (French pronunciation: [ʁavɛ̃ də sɛ̃t devɔt]; Monégasque: Valu̍n de Santa Devota, English: Ravine of Saint Devota) is a ward in the Principality of Monaco. (Full article...)

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

Selected environment article

The Tête de Chien (Monégasque: Testa de Can; "Dog's Head") is a 550 m (1,804 ft) high rock promontory near the village of La Turbie in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France. It overlooks the Principality of Monaco, and is the highest point on the Grande Corniche road.

The American diplomat Samuel S. Cox, in his 1870 travel book Search for Winter Sunbeams in the Riviera, Corsica, Algiers and Spain wrote that the Tête de Chien more resembled a tortoise than a dog's head, and believed that Tête de Chien, or rather Testa de Can, was a corruption of Testa de Camp ("Field Head"), as it was where Caesar stationed his troops after the conquest of Gaul. Vere Herbert, the heroine of Ouida's 1880 novel Moths is described as living under the Tête de Chien, "...within a few miles of the brilliant Hell [Monaco]." (Full article...)

List of articles
Land reclamation in Monaco Mont Agel Port Hercules Rock of Monaco

Selected arts article

The Opéra de Monte-Carlo is an opera house which is part of the Monte Carlo Casino located in the Principality of Monaco.

With the lack of cultural diversions available in Monaco in the 1870s, Prince Charles III, along with the Société des bains de mer, decided to include a concert hall as part of the casino. The main public entrance to the hall was from the casino, while Charles III's private entrance was on the western side. It opened in 1879 and became known as the Salle Garnier, after the architect Charles Garnier, who designed it. (Full article...)

Selected religion article

The Catholic Church in Monaco is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.

The country forms a single archdiocese: the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco, which is part of the Catholic Church in France since the beginning of its history. Per the Constitution of Monaco (Art. 9) Catholicism is the official church of Monaco, and is the majority religion; religious freedom is also guaranteed by the constitution. In 2023, the country was scored 4 out of 4 for religious freedom. (Full article...)

Selected sports article

The Monte Carlo Rally or Rallye Monte-Carlo (officially Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo) is a rallying event organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco. From its inception in 1911 by Prince Albert I, the rally was intended to demonstrate improvements and innovations in automobiles, and promote Monaco as a tourist resort on the Mediterranean shore. Before the format changed in 1997, the event was a “concentration rally” in which competitors would set off from various starting points around Europe and drive to Monaco, where the rally would continue to a set of special stages. The rally now takes place along the French Riviera in Monaco and southeast France. (Full article...)

Selected education article

The International School of Monaco (ISM) is an independent, co-educational, not-for-profit day school located in Monaco. Founded in 1994, ISM has over 800 students aged 3 to 18 years old, drawn from over 50 nationalities.

ISM offers a bilingual education in English and French for students in the Primary School (Kindergarten to Year 6). From Year 7 onwards, the Secondary School offers a programme taught in English, leading to internationally-recognised academic qualifications. The University of Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations are offered at the end of Year 11, following a two-year course of study. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) examinations are offered at the end of Year 13, following a two-year course of study. The school offers both the IBDP and, since September 2020, the IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme). (Full article...)

Selected transportation article

Transport in Monaco is facilitated with road, air (helicopter), rail, and water networks. Rail transport is operated by SNCF with only Monaco Monte Carlo station seeing passenger service and the total length of the line inside the Principality is 1.7 km (1.1 mi). Monaco has five bus routes operated by Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco. There are also two other bus routes which connect Monaco with neighboring regions such as Nice and Menton. (Full article...)

Selected biography

Romeo Acquarone (1895 – 1980) was a professional tennis player born in Monaco. He became a French citizen in 1937. Acquarone won the Bristol Cup in France in 1920 (beating Joseph Negro in the final). The Bristol Cup was the top professional tournament in the world in the 1920s. (Full article...)