Principauté de Monaco Principality of Monaco
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Deo Juvante"  (Latin) "With God's Help"
Anthem: Hymne Monégasque
Location of  Monaco  (circled in inset) on the European continent  (white)
Capital		Monaco[1]
Largest Most populated quartier		Monte Carlo
Official languages		French [2]
Demonym		Monégasque or Monagasque
Government		Constitutional monarchy and Principality
-	Prince	Albert II
-	Minister of State	Jean-Paul Proust
-	President of the National Council	Stéphane Valeri (UPM)
Independence
-	House of Grimaldi	1297
Area
-	Total	1.95 km² (233rd) 0. The national Flag of Monaco has two equal horizontal bands of red (top and white making it similar to the flags of Indonesia, Singapore The Royal Arms of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II are his arms of dominion in right of Monaco. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Hymne Monégasque (in English: Monégasque Anthem) is Monaco 's National anthem. In 1995 Monaco 's population was estimated at 30744 with an estimated average growth rate of 059% Monte-Carlo ( Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco 's various administrative areas sometimes erroneously An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is A principality (or princedom) is a monarchical feudatory or Sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of Prince The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign Monarch and Head of state of the Principality of Monaco. Early life Born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Albert attended the Albert I High School graduating with distinction in 1976 The Minister of State is the head of the government of Monaco, though he is appointed by and subordinate to the Prince or Princess of Monaco. Jean-Paul Proust (born 1940 is the current Minister of State of Monaco. The Union for Monaco is a centrist political alliance in Monaco. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To aid in the comparison of sizes of different geographic regions areas between 1  Km² (100 Hectares and 10 km² (1000 hectares are listed below This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. 76 sq mi
-	Water (%)	0. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 0
Population
-	2007 estimate	32,671 (210th)
-	2000 census	32,020
-	Density	16,754/km² (2nd) 47,358/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$976 million (?)
-	Per capita	$70,670 (€50,000) (Mid Sept. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' 07 est. ) (2/3)
HDI (2003)		n/a (n/a) (unranked)
Currency		Euro (EUR)
Time zone		CET (UTC+1)
-	Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Internet TLD		.mc
Calling code		+377

Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco (Monégasque: Principatu de Múnegu, French: la Principauté de Monaco) is a small sovereign city-state located in Western Europe. This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The territory lies on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea and is completely enclosed by France. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Monaco is often regarded as a tax haven, and many of its inhabitants are wealthy and from foreign countries (including France), although they are not a majority. A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all ^[3]

Monaco is a Constitutional Monarchy and Principality with Prince Albert II as head of state. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is A principality (or princedom) is a monarchical feudatory or Sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of Prince Early life Born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Albert attended the Albert I High School graduating with distinction in 1976 The Grimaldi family has ruled over Monaco since 1292 and the state's sovereignty was officially recognized by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. The Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861 granted sovereignty to Monaco. Despite being independent, Monaco’s defense is still the responsibility of France.

Monaco is the world’s second most densely populated country, surpassed only by the Macau Special Administrative Region in southeast China. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. Monaco is also the smallest French-speaking country. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people In Political geography and International politics, a country is a Political division of a geographical entity

Administrative division

Monaco is a small country in Europe, and the distinction between the State and City of Monaco is purely theoretical. The state in fact consists of one municipality (commune) only. A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly denotes a City, Town, or Village, or According to the constitution of 1911, the principality was subdivided into three municipalities:

• Monaco (Monaco-Ville), the old city on a rocky promontory extending into the Mediterranean, known as the Rock of Monaco, or simply le Rocher (the rock), where the palace is located
• Monte Carlo, the principal residential and resort area with the Monte Carlo Casino in the east and northeast
• La Condamine, the northwest section including the port area. A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity A principality (or princedom) is a monarchical feudatory or Sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of Prince Monaco-Ville is the original Fortified town of Monaco. The Palais Princier (Prince's Palace Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the Oceanographic The Rock of Monaco ( French: Rocher de Monaco) is a 141 meter (459 foot tall Monolith on the Mediterranean coast of the Principality of Monte-Carlo ( Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte-Carlu) is one of Monaco 's various administrative areas sometimes erroneously The Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Monaco. For the French academician geographer and mathematician see Charles Marie de La Condamine.

The three municipalities were merged into one in 1954 (after accusations that the government was acting according to the motto "divide and conquer"), and they had the status of wards (quartiers) thereafter.

• Fontvieille was added as fourth ward, a newly constructed area reclaimed from the sea (in the 1970s)
• Moneghetti became the fifth ward, created from a part of La Condamine
• Larvotto became the sixth ward, created from a part of Monte Carlo
• La Rousse/Saint Roman (including Le Ténao) became the seventh ward, also created from a part of Monte Carlo

Subsequently, three additional wards were created:

• Saint Michel, from a part of Monte Carlo
• La Colle, from a part of La Condamine
• Les Révoires, from a part of La Condamine

An additional ward is planned by new land reclamation, to be settled from 2014:

• Le Portier

Currently the principality is subdivided into 10 wards (with their official numbers - Le Portier, the planned ward, is anticipated as number 11):

For statistical purposes, the wards of Monaco are further subdivided into 173 city blocks (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States. The Larvotto (or Larvotto Terano) is one of the quartiers of Monaco. Saint Michel is a residential area of Monte Carlo in the principality of Monaco. For the French academician geographer and mathematician see Charles Marie de La Condamine. For the French academician geographer and mathematician see Charles Marie de La Condamine. La Colle is a quartier of the Principality of Monaco. It was formally a ward located in the quartier of La Condamine. Cap-d'Ail is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. Les Révoires is a district of the Principality of Monaco, an administrative ward and part of the quartier of La Condamine. Moneghetti is an area ('modern quartier' of the Principality of Monaco, and an administrative Ward in the traditional quartier of La Condamine. Fontvieille is the newest of the four traditional quarters (districts in the Principality of Monaco, and one of ten Wards for modern administrative purposes A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of Urban planning and Urban design. A census block is the smallest geographic unit used by the United States Census Bureau for tabulation of 100-percent data (data collected from all houses rather than a sample The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

History

Main article: History of Monaco

View of Monte Carlo

The territory of the Principality of Monaco

Monaco first gained its name from the nearby Phocaean Greek colony, in the sixth century BC, which referred to the Ligurians as Monoikos, from the Greek Μόνοικος "single house", from μόνος "alone, single" + οίκος "house", which bears the sense of a people either settled in a "single habitation" or of "living apart" from others. 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 This article is about the ancient city For the modern city see Foça Phocaea, or Phokaia, (Φώκαια (modern-day Foça The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area and turned away the previous gods. Hercules is the Roman name for the Mythical Greek hero Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. As a result a temple was constructed there by Phocaeans, the temple of Hercules Monoikos. Because the only temple of this area was the "House" of Hercules, the city was called Monoikos. ^[4]

Following a land grant from Emperor Henry VI in 1191, Monaco was re-founded in 1228 as a colony of Genoa. Henry VI (November 1165 – 28 September 1197) was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197 Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King The Most Serene Republic of Genoa (Repubblica di Genova was an independent state in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast from the 11th century Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297, when François Grimaldi ("Malizia", Italian for "The Malicious") and his men captured the fortress protecting the famous Rock of Monaco while he was dressed as a Franciscan monk – or, in Italian Monaco, although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name. Franesco Grimaldi (François called il Malizia (the Cunning was the Genoese leader of the Guelphs who captured the Rock of Monaco on the night of The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. The Rock of Monaco ( French: Rocher de Monaco) is a 141 meter (459 foot tall Monolith on the Mediterranean coast of the Principality of The term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic MONK is a Monte Carlo software package for simulating nuclear processes particularly for the purpose of determining the neutron multiplication factor or k-effective Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy.

From 1793 to 1814, Monaco was under French control. Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1814 ( MDCCCXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Congress of Vienna designated Monaco as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia from 1815 until 1860 when the Treaty of Turin ceded to France the surrounding county of Nice (as well as Savoy). The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of the major powers of Europe, chaired by the Austrian statesman Clemens Wenzel von Metternich Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) Year 1815 ( MDCCCXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting Nice (nis Niçard Occitan: Niça norm or Nissa, Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek For the two French départements of the region of Savoy see Savoie and Haute-Savoie Savoy ( French During this time there was unrest in the towns of Menton and Roquebrune, which declared independence, hoping for annexation by Sardinia. Menton (mɑ̃tɔ̃ Occitan: Menton in classical norm or Mentan in Mistralian norm Italian: Mentone) is a commune Sardinia (sɑrˈdɪnɪə Sardegna Sardigna or Sardinnya is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily) The unrest continued until the ruling prince gave up his claim to the two towns (some 95% of the country), and they were ceded to France in return for four million francs. This transfer and Monaco's sovereignty was recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. The Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861 granted sovereignty to Monaco.

Until the 1911 constitution, the princes of Monaco were absolute rulers. Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The following is a Chronological list of rulers of Monaco. Most belong to the House of Grimaldi; exceptions which consist primarily of the principality's Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French protection over Monaco. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The treaty, part of the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monegasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military, and economic interests. The Treaty of Versailles was one of the peace treaties at the end of World War I.

In 1943, the Italian army invaded and occupied Monaco, setting up a Fascist administration. Fascism is a totalitarian nationalist and corporatist ideology Shortly thereafter, following Mussolini's collapse in Italy, the Nazi German Wehrmacht occupied Monaco and began the deportation of the Jewish population. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Among them was René Blum (Paris, 13 March 1878 - Auschwitz, 30 April 1943), who founded the Ballet de l'Opera in Monte Carlo. René Blum ( Paris, 13 March 1878 - Auschwitz, 30 April 1943) Choreographer, was the founder of the Ballet He was held in the Drancy deportation camp outside of Paris, France from where he was then shipped to the Auschwitz concentration camp where he died. Drancy is a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, France. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. "Auschwitz" redirects here For the town see Oświęcim Auschwitz-Birkenau () was the largest of Nazi Germany

Rainier III, Prince of Monaco acceded to the throne following the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, in 1949. Rainier III Prince of Monaco (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi 31 May 1923 &ndash 6 April 2005) styled His Serene Highness Louis II Prince of Monaco ( 12 July 1870 &ndash 9 May 1949) was the Sovereign Prince of Monaco from 26 June Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A new constitution, proclaimed in 1962, abolished capital punishment, provided for women's suffrage, and established a Supreme Court of Monaco to guarantee fundamental liberties. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations, with full voting rights. Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that, should there be no heirs to carry on the Grimaldi dynasty, the principality would still remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Monaco's military defense, however, is still the responsibility of France.

On 31 March 2005, Prince Rainier III, too ill to exercise his duties, relinquished them onto his only son and heir, Prince Albert Alexandre Louis. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Prince Rainier died on 6 April 2005, after a reign of fifty-six years, and his son succeeded him as Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Early life Born in the Prince's Palace of Monaco, Albert attended the Albert I High School graduating with distinction in 1976

Following a period of official mourning, Prince Albert II formally assumed the princely crown on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at Monaco cathedral, where his father had been buried three months earlier. Events 1191 - Saladin 's garrison surrenders ending the two-year Siege of Acre. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. His accession to the Monegasque throne was a two-step event, with a further ceremony, drawing heads of state for an elaborate levée, held on 19 November 2005 at the historic palace in Monaco-Ville. Events 1095 - The Council of Clermont, called by Pope Urban II to discuss sending the First Crusade to the Holy Land Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Albert II is also the son of the late princess Grace, once the actress, Grace Kelly. Grace Patricia Kelly (later Grace Princess of Monaco; November 12 1929 &ndash September 14 1982 was an Academy Award -winning American film and

Law and government

View of the Port of Hercules, La Condamine, Monaco

Monaco has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as Head of state. For the French academician geographer and mathematician see Charles Marie de La Condamine. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Reigning Prince or Princess of Monaco is the sovereign Monarch and Head of state of the Principality of Monaco. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The executive branch consists of a Minister of State (the head of government), who presides over a four-member Council of Government (the Cabinet). In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. The Minister of State is the head of the government of Monaco, though he is appointed by and subordinate to the Prince or Princess of Monaco. This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of Government, typically representing the executive branch. The minister of state is a French citizen appointed by the prince from among candidates proposed by the French government. Under the 1962 constitution, the prince shares his power with the unicameral National Council (parliament). Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber The twenty-four members of this legislative body are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to The principality's local affairs are directed by the Communal Council, which consists of fifteen elected members and is presided over by the mayor.

Economy

Fontvieille and its new harbour

Monte Carlo Casino

One of Monaco's main sources of income is tourism; each year many are attracted to its casino and pleasant climate. Fontvieille is the newest of the four traditional quarters (districts in the Principality of Monaco, and one of ten Wards for modern administrative purposes The Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most famous tourist attractions of Monaco. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel In 2001, a major new construction project extended the pier used by cruise ships in the main harbour. The principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, non-polluting industries such as cosmetics and biothermics.

The state retains monopolies in numerous sectors, including tobacco and the postal service. In Economics, a monopoly (from Greek monos, alone or single + polein, to sell exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient Tobacco is an Agricultural product recognized as an addictive drug processed from the fresh Leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The telephone network (Monaco Telecom) used to be owned by the state; it now owns 45%, while the remaining 55% is owned by Cable and Wireless (49%) and Compagnie Monégasque de Banque (6%). Basic principle A traditional landline telephone system also known as "plain old telephone service" (POTS, commonly handles both signaling and audio information Cable & Wireless ( is a British Telecommunications company In the mid-1980s it became the first company in the UK to offer an alternative Telephone It is still, however, a monopoly. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

Monaco is not a member of the European Union but is very closely linked to it via a customs union with France, and as such its currency is the same as that of France: the euro. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e Prior to 2002, Monaco minted their own franc coins, the Monegasque franc. The franc ( ISO 4217: MCF was the official currency of the Principality of Monaco until 2002 ( de facto, 1999 de jure) when it changed to Monaco has acquired the right to mint euro coins with Monegasque designs on their national side. Linguistic Monegasque euro coins feature two separate designs for the first two series of coins and also two separate designs for the €1 and €2 coins for the first series

Tax haven

The State has no income tax for individuals. As commonly used, individual refers to a Person or to any specific object in a collection The lack of personal income tax has led to a considerable number of wealthy "tax refugee" residents from European countries who derive the majority of their income from activity outside Monaco; celebrities such as Formula One drivers attract most of the attention, but the vast majority of them are considerably less well-known business people. A celebrity is a widely-recognized or famous person who commands a high degree of public and media attention

In 2000, a report by French parliamentarians Arnaud Montebourg and Vincent Peillon alleged that Monaco has lax policies with respect to money laundering, including within its famed casino, and that the government of Monaco puts political pressure on the judiciary so that alleged crimes are not properly investigated. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) Arnaud Montebourg (born October 30, 1962, in Clamecy, Nièvre) is a French politician and a deputy of the fifth district of Saone Vincent Benoît Camille Peillon (born 7 July 1960 in Suresnes) is a French politician and Member of the European Parliament for the

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued in 1998 a first report on the consequences of the tax havens financial systems. A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all Monaco did not appear in the list of these territories until 2004, when OECD became indignant regarding the Monegasque situation^[5] and denounced it in its last report^[6] (as well as Andorra, the Principality of Liechtenstein, Liberia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands) underlining its lack of co-operation as regards financial information disclosure and availability. Andorra, officially the Principality of Andorra ( Catalan: Principat d'Andorra) is a small Landlocked country in western The Principality of Liechtenstein (Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny doubly landlocked Alpine country in Western Europe, bordered by Switzerland Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI is a Micronesian nation of islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

In 2000, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) underlined that Monaco suffers a great lack of adequate resources. The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF also known by its French name Groupe d'action financière sur le blanchiment de capitaux (GAFI is an The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF also known by its French name Groupe d'action financière sur le blanchiment de capitaux (GAFI is an ^[7] The Principality is no longer blamed in the FATF 2005 report,^[8] as well as all other territories in 2006. The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF also known by its French name Groupe d'action financière sur le blanchiment de capitaux (GAFI is an ^[9]

Since 2003, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Monaco, along with 36 other territories, as a tax haven. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic A tax haven is a place where certain Taxes are levied at a low rate or not at all ^[10]

The Council of Europe also decided to issue reports naming tax havens. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 22 territories, Monaco included, were thus evaluated between 1998 and 2000 on a first round. Monaco is the only territory that refuses to perform the second round, initially forecast between 2001 and 2003, whereas the 21 other territories are implementing the third and last round, planned between 2005 and 2007. ^[11]

Geography of Monaco

Main article: Geography of Monaco

Monaco is completely bordered by France to the north, west, and south; to the east it is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea. With a total area of a land border of and a coast measuring the Principality of Monaco is the second-smallest independent state in the world after the Vatican City This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

Sport

Football

Football in Monaco is overwhelmingly dominated by AS Monaco FC, a club which plays in the French League, which they have won on seven occasions. Football in Monaco is one of the leading sports in the small Principality of Monaco, enoying large popularity alongside moter racing and yachting The Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club is a Monegasque football club founded in 1919 Current Teams (2008-2009 Ligue 1 teams in European competitions The original European Cup of 1955-56 featured Real Madrid against Stade The club plays their games at the Stade Louis II. The Stade Louis II is a Stadium located in the Fontvieille district of Monaco.

There is also a Monaco national football team who play matches against other small nations, islands and dependencies. The Monaco national football team is not recognized by the FIFA. They are currently seeking membership of FIFA which would allow them to try and qualify for the FIFA World Cup. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (French for International Federation of Association Football) The FIFA World Cup, occasionally called the Football World Cup, but usually referred to simply as the World Cup, is an international Association football

Every year Monaco plays host to the UEFA Super Cup and the draw for the UEFA Champions League. The European Super Cup ( UEFA Super Cup) is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup and the Champions See also List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup is a seasonal club

Monaco Grand Prix

Since 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix has been held annually in the streets of Monaco. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. It is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world, along with the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, and historically known simply as "The 500" is an American The 24 Hours of Le Mans ( 24 Heures du Mans) is a sports car endurance race held annually since near the town of Le Mans, Sarthe, The erecting of the circuit takes six weeks to complete, and the removal after the race another three weeks. Circuit de Monaco is the name given to a motor racing circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the Principality The circuit has many elevation changes and tight corners, along with a tunnel. This together with being incredibly narrow make it perhaps the most demanding Formula One track. Only two drivers have ever crashed into the harbour, the most famous being Alberto Ascari in 1955 (Ascari would lose his life four days later at Monza). Alberto Ascari ( July 13, 1918 &ndash May 26, 1955) was an Italian Racing driver and twice Formula One Results from the 1955 Formula One Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 22, 1955 Race report Moss had been signed by Mercedes for Monza ( Munscia in Western Lombard) is a city on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy The other was Paul Hawkins during the 1965 race. Paul Hawkins (born October 12 1937 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia &ndash died May 26 1969 at Oulton Results from the 1965 Monaco Grand Prix held at Monaco on May 30, 1965.

Monte Carlo Rally

The Monte Carlo Rally has been held since 1911, having originally been held at the behest of Albert I, Prince of Monaco, and is, like the principality's Grand Prix, organised by the Automobile Club de Monaco. The Monte Carlo Rally (officially Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo) is a Rallying event organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco who also organize Early life Born Albert Honoré Charles Grimaldi on 13 November 1848 in Paris France, the son of Prince Charles III (1818-1889 and Countess It has long been considered to be one of the toughest and most prestigious events in rallying and since 1973 has been the opening round of the World Rally Championship. Rallying is a form of motor competition that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars History Early The World Rally Championship was formed from well-known international rallies nine of which were previously part of the International Championship

Other Sports

The Monte Carlo Masters is currently held annually in neighbouring Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, as a professional tournament for men as part of tennis' ATP Masters Series. The Monte Carlo Masters is an annual Tennis tournament for male professional players held in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, a commune that Roquebrune-Cap-Martin ( Roccabruna-Capo Martino in Italian is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Tennis is a sport played between two players ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles) The ATP Masters Series is a series of nine Tennis tournaments that are part of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP tour held annually throughout the year The tournament has been held since 1897. Golf's Monte Carlo Open was also held at the Monte Carlo Golf Club at Mont Agel in France between 1984 and 1992. The Monte Carlo Open was a European Tour golf tournament which was played annually from 1984 to 1992

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Monaco has ten state-operated schools, including seven nursery and primary schools, one secondary school (Collège Charles III), one lycée that provides general and technological training (Lycée Albert 1er), and one lycée that provides vocational and hotel training. ^[12] There are also two grant-aided denominational private schools (including Institution François d'Assise Nicolas Barré) and (Ecole des Sœurs Dominicaines) and one international school (International School of Monaco).

Colleges and universities

• International University of Monaco

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Monaco

Monaco's population is unusual in that the native Monegasques are a minority in their own country. The International University of Monaco ( IUM) formerly the University of Southern Europe is an independent institution located in the Principality of Monaco In 1995 Monaco 's population was estimated at 30744 with an estimated average growth rate of 059% Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco. The largest proportion of residents are French nationals (47%), followed by Monegasque (16%), and Italians (16%). The remaining 21% belong to one of the other 125 nationalities that make up Monaco's international population.

Languages

French is the only official language, but Italian, English, and the two local languages, Monégasque (a local variety of Ligurian) and Occitan, are also spoken. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Monégasque (natively Munegascu) is a Romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco. Ligurian is also the name of an extinct language of Italy Ligurian is a Gallo-Romance language currently spoken in Liguria Occitan ( IPA BrE: /ˈɒksɪtn/ AmE: /ˈɑksəˌtɑn/ known also as Lenga d'òc or Langue d'oc (native name occitan The literacy rate is 99%.

The Monégasque language is expected to experience a revival in the near future following a recent decision to teach it to all children in Monaco's schools.

Religion

Cathedral of Monaco

Roman Catholic

The official religion is Roman Catholicism, with freedom of other religions guaranteed by the constitution. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos There are five Catholic parish churches in Monaco and one cathedral presided over by an archbishop. This article is about the history and organisation of the cathedral In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated Bishop. In the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion and others this means that they lead

Anglican

There is one Anglican church (St. Paul's Church), located in the Avenue de Grande Bretagne in Monte Carlo. See also Anglicanism The Anglican Communion is an international association of national Anglican churches In 2007 this had a formal membership of 135 Anglicans resident in the principality, but was also serving a considerably larger number of Anglicans temporarily in the country, mostly as tourists. The church site also accommodates an English-language library of over 3,000 books. ^[13]

Jewish

The Association Culturelle Israelite de Monaco (founded 1948) is a house that has been converted into a synagogue, a community Hebrew school, and kosher food shop, located in Monte Carlo. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of There are weekly services on Shabbat. Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath Several organizations, including WIZO and B’nai B’rith, are active in the Jewish community of Monaco. The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith ( IPA: /bəneɪ 'brɪθ/ Hebrew: בני ברית "Sons of the Covenant " is the oldest continually-operating PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The community (approximately 1,500 strong) is mainly retired Jews from Britain (40%) and North Africa. There are also several Turkish and French Ashkenazi families. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Half the population is Ashkenazi, while the other half are Sephardic. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural ^[14]

Security

See also: Law enforcement in Monaco

See also: Military of Monaco

The wider defence of the nation is provided by France. Law enforcement in Monaco is provided by an armed national Police force consisting of 517 men and women The Principality of Monaco, which is the world's second smallest nation (after the Vatican City State) has a very limited military capability and would depend entirely upon This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

Monaco has no navy or air force, but on both a per-capita and per-area basis, Monaco has the largest police force (515 police officers for 32,000 people) and police presence in the world. Its police includes a specialist unit which operates patrol and surveillance boats. There is also a small military consisting of a (mainly ceremonial) bodyguard unit for the Prince and his palace called the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince which numbers 112 officers and men and is equipped with modern weapons such as M-16 rifles and 9 mm pistols, and a militarized (and armed) fire and civil defence Corps. The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers) is the main ceremonial unit of the military force of Monaco.

The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers) is the main ceremonial unit of the military force of Monaco. The Principality of Monaco, which is the world's second smallest nation (after the Vatican City State) has a very limited military capability and would depend entirely upon It was created by Prince Honoré IV in 1817 for the protection of the Principality and the Princely family. Honoré IV Prince of Monaco ( 17 May 1758 Monaco &ndash 16 February 1819 Paris was Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Year 1817 ( MDCCCXVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The company numbers exactly 121 officers and men; while the NCOs and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in the French Army. A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer) also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an Armed force The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre (Land Army is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and its largest Together with the local fire service, the Carabiniers form Monaco's total public forces. In addition to their guard duties, the company patrols the Principality's beaches and coastal waters, as well as duties around the Palace in Monaco-Ville. Monaco-Ville is the original Fortified town of Monaco. The Palais Princier (Prince's Palace Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the Oceanographic

Flag

The flag of Monaco reflects the heraldic colours of the Grimaldi family. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. It is one of the world's oldest national flag designs. The flag of Monaco is identical to that of Indonesia (except for the ratio of height to width). The national flag of Indonesia, which is known as Sang Merah Putih ("The Red and White" in Indonesian, is based on the flag of the 13th The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. ^[15]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Monaco

Several train systems serve Monaco. Transport in Monaco Rail Transport Railways total 17 km ( SNCF operates service through Monaco Monte Carlo station

The closest airport is Cote d'Azur Airport in Nice, France. Nice (nis Niçard Occitan: Niça norm or Nissa, Italian: Nizza or Nizza Marittima, Greek This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Some airlines marketed Monaco via Nice Airport. ^[16]

See also

References

External links

• Official Government Portal
• Monaco Embassy in Washington, DC USA
• Official website of the Prince's Palace of Monaco
• ahead of London in Real estate prices
• Official website for Tourism
• CIA Factbook Entry for Monaco
• Permanent Mission of Monaco to the United Nations
• Monte Carlo -- all you need to know before coming in Monaco *
• MonacoRevue.com -- Online magazine in English about Monaco's people and lifestyle *
• Photos of Monaco in 3d (Anaglyphs)*
• Monaco Announces Its First GDP Figures*
• History of Monaco: Primary documents
• In the House of Grimaldi, a reprint of a 1993 article from the author's personal website
• (French) Order of the doctors of Monaco
• (French) La Principauté - The first monthly newspaper of Monaco, available also on line in 3D version
• (French) Official Statistical Report 2006 (with detailed information about the 10 wards)PDF (1. Trans World Airlines ( TWA) renamed TWA Airlines LLC in 2001 was a major U 24 MiB)
• Monaco travel guide from Wikitravel