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 politics of Monaco take place within the framework of a semi-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.
Monte Carlo is officially an 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, 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, Monaco-Ville, La Condamine, and Monte Carlo.
Louis II was Prince of Monaco from 26 June 1922 to 9 May 1949.
Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, styled Hereditary Princess of Monaco between 1922 and 1944, was the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III. From 1922 until 1944, she was the Hereditary Princess of Monaco, heiress presumptive to the throne.
Prince Pierre of Monaco, Duke of Valentinois was the father of Rainier III of Monaco. He was a promoter of art, music, and literature in Monaco and served as the head of the country's delegation to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and to the International Olympic Committee.
Fontvieille is the southernmost ward in the Principality of Monaco. It was developed by Italian engineer Gianfranco Gilardini and designed by architect Manfredi Nicoletti, between the 1970s and the 1990s.
La Condamine is the central ward in the Principality of Monaco. Its landmarks include Port Hercules, the Rainier III Nautical Stadium, and the Princess Antoinette Park. Its farmer's market at the Place d'Armes dates from 1880 and is a great source of local pride for its "authentic Monegasque" essence.
Monaco City is the southcentral ward in the Principality of Monaco. Located on a headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, it is nicknamed The Rock. The name "Monaco City" is misleading: it is not itself a city, but a historical and statistical district. It holds most of the country's political and judicial institutions: the Prince's Palace, the town hall, the government, the National Council, the Municipal Council, the courts and a prison.
Charles III was Prince of Monaco and Duke of Valentinois from 20 June 1856 to his death. He was the founder of the famous casino in Monte Carlo, as his title in Monegasque and Italian was Carlo III. He was born in Paris, the only son of Florestan, Prince of Monaco, and Maria Caroline Gibert de Lametz.
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.
The sovereign prince is the monarch and head of state of the Principality of Monaco. All reigning princes have taken the name of the House of Grimaldi, although since 1731 have belonged to other families in the male line. When Prince Rainier III died in 2005, he was Europe's longest reigning monarch. The Grimaldi family, which has ruled Monaco for eight centuries, is Europe's longest-ruling royal family.
Elizabeth-Ann (Noghès) de Massy was the daughter of Princess Antoinette of Monaco and Alexandre-Athenase Noghès. She was a first cousin of the reigning Prince Albert II and niece of Prince Rainier III. She was the godmother of her first cousin Princess Stéphanie of Monaco.
The Monaco succession crisis of 1918 arose because France objected to the prospect of a German national inheriting the throne of the Principality of Monaco. Prince Albert I had only one legitimate child, the Hereditary Prince Louis, then heir apparent to the principality. As World War I drew to a close, Prince Louis, at the age of forty-eight, remained (legally) childless, unmarried, and unbetrothed.
La Colle was a northwestern residential area in the Principality of Monaco, part of the traditional Quartier of Moneghetti. It was also one of the ten modern administrative wards of Monaco until 2013, when it was merged with Les Révoires to form Jardin Exotique.
Les Révoires is a northwestern area in the Principality of Monaco. It is a residential and tourist area, part of the traditional quarter of La Condamine. In 2008, it had a population of 2,545. Les Révoires was a ward of Monaco until 2013, when it was merged with La Colle into the new Jardin Exotique ward.
Franco-Monegasque relations are the special relationship between France and Monaco.
Monaco is known for its wide range of architecture for a small country. The geography of Monaco, which consists of sharp hills and narrow coastline, influences the Monacan architecture. The narrow roads have led to architectural construction being built into the hills in limited amounts of space. This limited space has, more recently, the issue of construction in Monaco has created social disruption.
Mexico–Monaco relations are the diplomatic relations between the United Mexican States and the Principality of Monaco. Both nations are members of the United Nations.
