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 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 widely recognised as one of the most expensive and wealthiest places in the world. The official language of the principality is French. In addition, Monégasque, English and Italian are spoken and understood by many residents.
The early history of Monaco is primarily concerned with the protective and strategic value of the Rock of Monaco, the area's chief geological landmark, which served first as a shelter for ancient peoples and later as a fortress. Part of Liguria's history since the fall of the Roman Empire, from the 14th to the early 15th century the area was contested for primarily political reasons. Since that point, excepting a brief period of French occupation, it has remained steadily under the control of the House of Grimaldi.
The politics of Monaco take place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, with the Prince of Monaco as head of state, with some powers devolved to several advisory and legislative bodies.
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.
The Office de radiodiffusion-télévision française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1975, with providing public radio and television in France. All programming, especially news broadcasts, were under strict control of the national government.
The Constitution of Monaco, first adopted in 1911 after the Monégasque Revolution and heavily revised by Prince Rainier III on 17 December 1962, outlines three branches of government, including several administrative offices and a number of councils, who share advisory and legislative power with the prince.
Monaco has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 24 times since its debut in 1959. The country's only win in the contest came in 1971, when Séverine performed "Un banc, un arbre, une rue". As a result, Monaco was expected to host the contest in 1972, but it ultimately declined. Monaco is the only microstate to have won the contest to date.
TMC is a Franco–Monégasque general entertainment television channel, owned by the French media holding company Groupe TF1.
Radio Monte Carlo (RMC) is the name of radio stations owned and managed by several different entities:
Monaco chose its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in an internal selection by national broadcaster, Télé Monte Carlo. Séverine Ferrer was chosen to represent the principality with the song "La Coco-Dance", written and composed by J. Woodfeel and Iren Bo and choreographed by Bruno Vandelli.
The European Broadcasting Area (EBA) is defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) as such:
The Principality of Monaco has currently a single railway station, Monaco - Monte Carlo, part of the Marseille–Ventimiglia railway line. The station was originally opened in 1867, but extensively rebuilt in 1999. The length of railway within the Principality is 1.7 km (1.1 mi), giving Monaco the third-smallest railway system in the world.
Marco Piccinini is a Monegasque sport personality, businessman, and politician.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Monaco:
RMC is a private French-Monégasque radio station created in 1943, broadcasting from France with studios in Paris and Monte-Carlo. RMC stands for Radio Monte-Carlo.
The Caroli Group is a Monegasque company founded in 1978 in Monte Carlo, which has diversified since. It encompasses real estate development, communication and media.
The Automobile Club de Monaco is a motoring club based in Monaco. The club serves as the governing body for motorsport within Monaco, and organises the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix and Monte Carlo Rally. It is a member of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, representing Monaco as a mobility and sporting club.
The Municipality of Monaco is the only administrative division of the Principality of Monaco, and is coterminous with the state as a whole.
Charlotte Barale, known professionally as Carole Chabrier, is a Franco-Monegasque television presenter, who has broadcast on the networks Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française, TF1, TMC, and RMC.
TVMonaco (TVM) is the state-owned television station in Monaco, that launched on 1 September 2023. It broadcasts a range of programmes, including news, talk shows, and documentaries, designed to showcase and promote Monégasque culture.
