Monaco
{{Infobox Country or territory|common_name = Monaco|native_name =Principauté de Monaco|conventional_long_name = Principality of Monaco|image_flag = Flag of Monaco.svg|image_coat = Coat of arms of Monaco.png|image_map = Europe_location_MCO.png|map_caption = |national_motto = "Deo Juvante"(Latin)"With God's Help"]|capital = Monaco Monaco is a city state, the only city is thus the capital and has the same limit as the country. Monaco-Ville ("Monaco Town") is often mistaken as the capital city, it is simply a district (quartier) with the old town. Monaco territory and general description from the official government website|largest_settlement_type = Most populated quartier|largest_settlement = Monte Carlo|government_type = [Constitutional monarchy(Principality)]|leader_title2 = Minister of State (Monaco)|leader_name1 = Albert II, Prince of Monaco|leader_name2 = Jean-Paul Proust-->|area_rank = 231st|area_magnitude = 1 E6|percent_water = 0.0|population_estimate = 32,671|population_estimate_year = 2007|population_estimate_rank = 210th |population_density_km2 = 18,285|population_density_sq_mi = 47,358 |established_event1 = House of Grimaldi|currency = [Euro|utc_offset = +1|time_zone_DST = [Central European Summer Time|utc_offset_DST = +2|demonym = Monegasque|cctld = .mc.2 [Monégasque language, english language, and Italian language are also spoken.-->
The Principality of Monaco (Principatu de Munegu in original language) () (), more commonly known as Monaco, is a country in Western Europe located along the French Riviera between the Mediterranean Sea and France. It is one of six European microstates.
Monaco is the world's List of countries by population density and second-smallest independent nation; with a population of just 32,410 and an area of 1.96 square kilometers (485 acres), Monaco is the world's smallest French language-speaking polity.
Geography The Principality of Monaco is the second-smallest independent state in the world, after Vatican City. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, 18 kilometers (11 mile) east of Nice and near the Italy border. It is surrounded on three sides by France (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Région). It consists of a narrow strip along the coast at the bottom of the foothills of the Alps and its highest point is "Le Rocher" at 141 meters (459 foot (unit of length)).
The principality is noted for its natural scenery and mild, sunny climate.Monaco's climate is the moderate Medditterranean climate. The average minimum temperature in January and February is 8°Celsius (47 °Fahrenheit); in July and August the average maximum temperature is 26 °C (78 °F).
Monaco is a narrow coastal strip. Its physical geography includes a long beach and steep cliffs that rise vertically upwards to heights of 63 meters (206 ft) above sea level.
Administrative division The distinction between State and City of Monaco is purely theoretical. The state in fact consists of one municipality (commune) only. According to the constitution of 1911, the principality was subdivided into three municipalities:
The three municipalities were merged into one in 1917 (after accusations that the government was acting according to the motto "divide and conquer"), and they had the status of wards (quartiers) thereafter.
Subsequently, three additional wards were created:
An additional ward is planned by new land reclamation, to be settled from 2014:
Currently the principality is subdivided into 10 wards (with their official numbers - Le Portier, the planned ward, is anticipated as number 11):
{| class="wikitable"! Nr || Ward ]of 2000) || Densitykm−2||City blockCity block(îlots)||Remarks|-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Former municipality of Monaco-Ville|-| 05 || Monaco-Ville ]|-| 01 || Monte Carlo (Bd. Des Moulins-Av. de la Madone)|| align="right" | 281,461 || align="right" | 3,034 || align="right" | 10779||align="right" | 20|| the casino and resort area|-| 02 || Saint Roman (Annonciade-Château Périgord)|| align="right" | 105,215|| align="right" | 3,223 || align="right" | 30633||align="right" | 15|| in the northeast, incl. Le Ténao (Larvotto-Bd Psse Grace)|| align="right" | 328,479 || align="right" | 5,443 || align="right" | 16570||align="right" | 15|| eastern beach area|-| 10 || [Saint Michel, Monaco (Psse Charlotte-Park Palace)|| align="right" | 142,223|| align="right" | 3,807 || align="right" | 26768||align="right" | 24|| central residential area|-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Former municipality of La Condamine] || align="right" | 237,283 || align="right" | 3,847 || align="right" | 16213||align="right" | 27|| port area in the northwest|-| 07 || La Colle, Monaco (Plati-Pasteur-Bd Charles III)|| align="right" | 188,073 || align="right" | 2,822 || align="right" | 15005||align="right" | 15|| on the western border with Cap d'Ail (Hector Otto-Honoré Labande)|| align="right" | 75,747 || align="right" | 2,515 || align="right" | 33203||align="right" | 11|| containing the Jardin Exotique|-| 09 || [Moneghetti (Bd Rainier III-Bd de Belgique|| align="right" | 107,056 || align="right" | 3,003 || align="right" | 28051 || align="right" | 18|| |-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | new land reclaimed from the sea|-| 06 || Fontvieille, Monaco || align="right" | 324,157|| align="right" | 3,292 || align="right" | 10156||align="right" | 9|| started 1971|-| 11 || Le Portier ]s (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States.
History Monaco apparently first gained its name from the nearby Phocaean Ancient Greece colony of Marseille, in the sixth century BC, which referred to the Ligurians as Monoikos, from the Greek Μόνοικος — μόνος + οίκος, "single house", which bears the sense of a people either settled in a "single habitation" or of "living apart" from others. According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area. A temple was constructed there by Phoceans, the temple of Hercules Monoikos.
Following a land grant from Emperor Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor in 1191, Monaco was re-founded in 1228 as a colony of Republic of Genoa. Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297, when François Grimaldi ("Malizia", "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 language Monaco, although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name.
From 1793 to 1814, Monaco was under French control. 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). During this time there was unrest in the towns of Menton and Roquebrune, which declared independence, hoping for annexation by Sardinia. The unrest continued until the ruling prince gave up his claim to the two towns (some 95% of the country) to France in return for four million francs. This transfer and Monaco's sovereignty was recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861.
Until the 1911 constitution, the List of rulers of Monaco were Absolute monarchy. In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, part of the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monegasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military, and economic interests.
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco acceded to the throne following the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, Prince of Monaco, in 1949. 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. In 1993, Monaco became a member of the United Nations, with full voting rights.
In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco clarified that if there are no heirs to carry on the dynasty, the principality will remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defence, however, is still the responsibility of France.
By 31 March 2005, Prince Rainier III had become too ill to exercise his duties and relinquished them to his son Albert II, Prince of Monaco. On 6 April 2005, Prince Rainier died and his son succeeded him as Albert II of Monaco. Prince Albert II of Monaco formally became the ruler of Monaco on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass (liturgy) at the cathedral where his father was buried three months before, after a reign of fifty-six years. His accession to the throne was a two-step event with another ceremony drawing heads of state for an elaborate ceremony held on 19 November 2005. He is the son of the late actress and princess Grace Kelly.
Law and government , MonacoMonaco has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as Head of state. The Executive (government) consists of a Minister of State (Monaco) (the head of government), who presides over a four-member Council of Government (the Cabinet). 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 Unicameralism National Council (parliament). The twenty-four members of this Legislature body are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms. The principality's local affairs are directed by the Communal Council, which consists of fifteen elected members and is presided over by the mayor.
Monaco became a member of the United Nations in 1991, and received its first foreign diplomatic representative on 16 February 2006, when a French Ambassador was accredited to the Principality.
On both a per-capita and per-area basis, Monaco has the largest police force (517 police officers for 32,000 people) and police presence in the world.
The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers) is the military force of Monaco. Although Monaco's defence is the responsibility of France, it maintains a small force for the protection of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. It was formed by Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco in 1817 for the protection of the Principality. The company numbers exactly 112 officers and men; while the non-commissioned officer and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in the French Army. 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 other duties around the Palace in Monaco-Ville.
Economy and its new harbour.One of Monaco's main sources of income is tourism; each year many are attracted to its casino and pleasant climate. 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.
Monaco is one of the most expensive places on Earth. As of February 2007, Monaco had Europe's most expensive real estate, ahead of even London. The principality is often regarded as a tax haven, and most of its inhabitants are millionaires from other countries.
The state retains Monopoly in numerous sectors, including tobacco and the postal service. 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%). 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. Prior to 2002, Monaco minted their own franc coins, the Monegasque franc. Monaco has acquired the right to mint euro coins with Monegasque designs on their national side.
Tax haven The State has no income tax for individuals. The lack of personal income tax has led to a considerable number of wealthy "tax refugee" residents from European countries, who earn the majority of their income from activity outside Monaco; Celebrity such as Formula One drivers attract most of the attention, but the majority of them are business people.
In 2000, a report by French French National Assembly 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 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued in 1998 a first report on the consequences of the tax havens financial systems. Monaco does not appear in the list of these territories until 2004, when OECD became indignant regarding the Monegasque situation Declaration of April 18th, 2004, by the representative of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration Gabriel Makhlouf regarding the list of alleged tax havens non-cooperatives countries comparable and denounces it in its last report Stage Report 2004: Project of OECD on the detrimental tax practices, OECD, Paris, 2004 (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.
In 2000, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) underlined that Monaco suffers a great lack of adequate resources. Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2000 The Principality is no longer blamed in the FATF 2005 report, Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2005 as well as all other territories in 2006. Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2006
Since 2003, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Monaco, along with 36 other territories, as tax havens. « Financial Centres with Significant Offshore Activities » in Offshore Financial Centres. The Assessment Program. A Progress Report Supplementary Information, IMF, Washington, 2005
The Council of Europe also decided to issue reports naming tax havens. 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. First Mutual Evaluation Report on the Principality of Monaco, Moneyval, Strasbourg, 2003
Monaco Grand Prix Since 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix has been held annually in the streets of 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 erecting of Circuit de Monaco takes six weeks to complete, and the removal after the race another three weeks. 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 Monaco Grand Prix.
Education 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, which compares favorably to those in neighboring southern France), and one lycée that provides vocational and hotel training.
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
Demographics Monaco's population is unusual in that the native Monegasques are a minority in their own country. 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. At 45, Monaco's average age is the highest in the world.
Languages French language is the only official language, but Italian language, English language, and the two local languages, Monégasque language (a local variety of Ligurian language (Romance)) and Occitan, are also spoken. The literacy rate is 99%. The Monégasque language is expected to experience a revival in the near future following a decision to teach it to all children in Monaco's schools.
Religion of MonacoRoman Catholic Church is the official religion, with freedom of other religions guaranteed by the constitution. There are five Roman Catholic parish churches in Monaco and one cathedral presided over by an archbishop.
There is one Anglican Communion church (St Paul's Church), located in the Avenue de Grande Bretagne in Monte Carlo. 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.See the website of St Paul's Church, Monaco.
There were a few Jews who lived in Monaco prior to World War II. These Jews were predominately Ashkenazim from France. To save their Jewish citizens from Nazi persecution, the government issued false papers to the Jews during the war.
The Jewish community of Monaco was founded in 1948, with the creation of the official representative body, the Association Culturelle Israelite de Monaco. Today, the vast majority of the Jewish community lives in Monte Carlo. The community is mainly comprised of retired Jews from Britain (40%) and North Africa. Approximately 1,000 Jews live today in Monaco. There are also several Turkish and French Ashkenazi families. Half the population is Ashkenazi, while the other half are Sephardic.
The Association Culturelle Israelite de Monaco is a house that has been converted into a synagogue, a community Hebrew school, and kosher food shop, all located in Monte Carlo. The community does have a rabbi, Rabbi M. Isaac Amsellem, who leads weekly services and teaches classes. There are weekly services on Shabbat. Several organizations, including WIZO and B’nai B’rith, are active in the Jewish community of Monaco.
Israel has diplomatic relations with Monaco and is represented by its consul in Marseilles.
Security Monaco has no army or air force, but has a small coast guard consisting of three small patrol boats. Security is provided by an armed police force consisting of 517 men and women. There is also 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 9mm pistols. The defense of the nation is provided by France.
Flag The flag of Monaco reflects the heraldic colors of the Grimaldi family. 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).
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The Principality of Monaco (Principatu de Munegu in original language) () (), more commonly known as Monaco, is a country in Western Europe located along the French Riviera between the Mediterranean Sea and France. It is one of six European microstates.
Monaco is the world's List of countries by population density and second-smallest independent nation; with a population of just 32,410 and an area of 1.96 square kilometers (485 acres), Monaco is the world's smallest French language-speaking polity.
Geography The Principality of Monaco is the second-smallest independent state in the world, after Vatican City. It is located on the Mediterranean coast, 18 kilometers (11 mile) east of Nice and near the Italy border. It is surrounded on three sides by France (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Région). It consists of a narrow strip along the coast at the bottom of the foothills of the Alps and its highest point is "Le Rocher" at 141 meters (459 foot (unit of length)).
The principality is noted for its natural scenery and mild, sunny climate.Monaco's climate is the moderate Medditterranean climate. The average minimum temperature in January and February is 8°Celsius (47 °Fahrenheit); in July and August the average maximum temperature is 26 °C (78 °F).
Monaco is a narrow coastal strip. Its physical geography includes a long beach and steep cliffs that rise vertically upwards to heights of 63 meters (206 ft) above sea level.
Administrative division The distinction between State and City of Monaco is purely theoretical. The state in fact consists of one municipality (commune) only. 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 casino in the east and northeast
- La Condamine, the northwest section including the port area
The three municipalities were merged into one in 1917 (after accusations that the government was acting according to the motto "divide and conquer"), and they had the status of wards (quartiers) thereafter.
- Fontvieille, Monaco 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
- 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, Monaco, 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):
{| class="wikitable"! Nr || Ward ]of 2000) || Densitykm−2||City blockCity block(îlots)||Remarks|-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Former municipality of Monaco-Ville|-| 05 || Monaco-Ville ]|-| 01 || Monte Carlo (Bd. Des Moulins-Av. de la Madone)|| align="right" | 281,461 || align="right" | 3,034 || align="right" | 10779||align="right" | 20|| the casino and resort area|-| 02 || Saint Roman (Annonciade-Château Périgord)|| align="right" | 105,215|| align="right" | 3,223 || align="right" | 30633||align="right" | 15|| in the northeast, incl. Le Ténao (Larvotto-Bd Psse Grace)|| align="right" | 328,479 || align="right" | 5,443 || align="right" | 16570||align="right" | 15|| eastern beach area|-| 10 || [Saint Michel, Monaco (Psse Charlotte-Park Palace)|| align="right" | 142,223|| align="right" | 3,807 || align="right" | 26768||align="right" | 24|| central residential area|-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | Former municipality of La Condamine] || align="right" | 237,283 || align="right" | 3,847 || align="right" | 16213||align="right" | 27|| port area in the northwest|-| 07 || La Colle, Monaco (Plati-Pasteur-Bd Charles III)|| align="right" | 188,073 || align="right" | 2,822 || align="right" | 15005||align="right" | 15|| on the western border with Cap d'Ail (Hector Otto-Honoré Labande)|| align="right" | 75,747 || align="right" | 2,515 || align="right" | 33203||align="right" | 11|| containing the Jardin Exotique|-| 09 || [Moneghetti (Bd Rainier III-Bd de Belgique|| align="right" | 107,056 || align="right" | 3,003 || align="right" | 28051 || align="right" | 18|| |-| colspan=6 align=center bgcolor="#EFEFEF" | new land reclaimed from the sea|-| 06 || Fontvieille, Monaco || align="right" | 324,157|| align="right" | 3,292 || align="right" | 10156||align="right" | 9|| started 1971|-| 11 || Le Portier ]s (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States.
History Monaco apparently first gained its name from the nearby Phocaean Ancient Greece colony of Marseille, in the sixth century BC, which referred to the Ligurians as Monoikos, from the Greek Μόνοικος — μόνος + οίκος, "single house", which bears the sense of a people either settled in a "single habitation" or of "living apart" from others. According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area. A temple was constructed there by Phoceans, the temple of Hercules Monoikos.
Following a land grant from Emperor Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor in 1191, Monaco was re-founded in 1228 as a colony of Republic of Genoa. Monaco has been ruled by the House of Grimaldi since 1297, when François Grimaldi ("Malizia", "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 language Monaco, although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name.
From 1793 to 1814, Monaco was under French control. 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). During this time there was unrest in the towns of Menton and Roquebrune, which declared independence, hoping for annexation by Sardinia. The unrest continued until the ruling prince gave up his claim to the two towns (some 95% of the country) to France in return for four million francs. This transfer and Monaco's sovereignty was recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861.
Until the 1911 constitution, the List of rulers of Monaco were Absolute monarchy. In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, part of the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monegasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military, and economic interests.
Rainier III, Prince of Monaco acceded to the throne following the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, Prince of Monaco, in 1949. 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. In 1993, Monaco became a member of the United Nations, with full voting rights.
In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco clarified that if there are no heirs to carry on the dynasty, the principality will remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defence, however, is still the responsibility of France.
By 31 March 2005, Prince Rainier III had become too ill to exercise his duties and relinquished them to his son Albert II, Prince of Monaco. On 6 April 2005, Prince Rainier died and his son succeeded him as Albert II of Monaco. Prince Albert II of Monaco formally became the ruler of Monaco on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass (liturgy) at the cathedral where his father was buried three months before, after a reign of fifty-six years. His accession to the throne was a two-step event with another ceremony drawing heads of state for an elaborate ceremony held on 19 November 2005. He is the son of the late actress and princess Grace Kelly.
Law and government , MonacoMonaco has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as Head of state. The Executive (government) consists of a Minister of State (Monaco) (the head of government), who presides over a four-member Council of Government (the Cabinet). 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 Unicameralism National Council (parliament). The twenty-four members of this Legislature body are elected from lists by universal suffrage for five-year terms. The principality's local affairs are directed by the Communal Council, which consists of fifteen elected members and is presided over by the mayor.
Monaco became a member of the United Nations in 1991, and received its first foreign diplomatic representative on 16 February 2006, when a French Ambassador was accredited to the Principality.
On both a per-capita and per-area basis, Monaco has the largest police force (517 police officers for 32,000 people) and police presence in the world.
The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabiniers) is the military force of Monaco. Although Monaco's defence is the responsibility of France, it maintains a small force for the protection of the Sovereign Prince of Monaco. It was formed by Honoré IV, Prince of Monaco in 1817 for the protection of the Principality. The company numbers exactly 112 officers and men; while the non-commissioned officer and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in the French Army. 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 other duties around the Palace in Monaco-Ville.
Economy and its new harbour.One of Monaco's main sources of income is tourism; each year many are attracted to its casino and pleasant climate. 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.
Monaco is one of the most expensive places on Earth. As of February 2007, Monaco had Europe's most expensive real estate, ahead of even London. The principality is often regarded as a tax haven, and most of its inhabitants are millionaires from other countries.
The state retains Monopoly in numerous sectors, including tobacco and the postal service. 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%). 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. Prior to 2002, Monaco minted their own franc coins, the Monegasque franc. Monaco has acquired the right to mint euro coins with Monegasque designs on their national side.
Tax haven The State has no income tax for individuals. The lack of personal income tax has led to a considerable number of wealthy "tax refugee" residents from European countries, who earn the majority of their income from activity outside Monaco; Celebrity such as Formula One drivers attract most of the attention, but the majority of them are business people.
In 2000, a report by French French National Assembly 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 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) issued in 1998 a first report on the consequences of the tax havens financial systems. Monaco does not appear in the list of these territories until 2004, when OECD became indignant regarding the Monegasque situation Declaration of April 18th, 2004, by the representative of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration Gabriel Makhlouf regarding the list of alleged tax havens non-cooperatives countries comparable and denounces it in its last report Stage Report 2004: Project of OECD on the detrimental tax practices, OECD, Paris, 2004 (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.
In 2000, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) underlined that Monaco suffers a great lack of adequate resources. Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2000 The Principality is no longer blamed in the FATF 2005 report, Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2005 as well as all other territories in 2006. Review to Identify Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories: Increasing the Worldwide Effectiveness of Anti-Money Laundering Measures, FATF, Paris, 2006
Since 2003, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified Monaco, along with 36 other territories, as tax havens. « Financial Centres with Significant Offshore Activities » in Offshore Financial Centres. The Assessment Program. A Progress Report Supplementary Information, IMF, Washington, 2005
The Council of Europe also decided to issue reports naming tax havens. 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. First Mutual Evaluation Report on the Principality of Monaco, Moneyval, Strasbourg, 2003
Monaco Grand Prix Since 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix has been held annually in the streets of 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 erecting of Circuit de Monaco takes six weeks to complete, and the removal after the race another three weeks. 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 Monaco Grand Prix.
Education 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, which compares favorably to those in neighboring southern France), and one lycée that provides vocational and hotel training.
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
Demographics Monaco's population is unusual in that the native Monegasques are a minority in their own country. 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. At 45, Monaco's average age is the highest in the world.
Languages French language is the only official language, but Italian language, English language, and the two local languages, Monégasque language (a local variety of Ligurian language (Romance)) and Occitan, are also spoken. The literacy rate is 99%. The Monégasque language is expected to experience a revival in the near future following a decision to teach it to all children in Monaco's schools.
Religion of MonacoRoman Catholic Church is the official religion, with freedom of other religions guaranteed by the constitution. There are five Roman Catholic parish churches in Monaco and one cathedral presided over by an archbishop.
There is one Anglican Communion church (St Paul's Church), located in the Avenue de Grande Bretagne in Monte Carlo. 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.See the website of St Paul's Church, Monaco.
There were a few Jews who lived in Monaco prior to World War II. These Jews were predominately Ashkenazim from France. To save their Jewish citizens from Nazi persecution, the government issued false papers to the Jews during the war.
The Jewish community of Monaco was founded in 1948, with the creation of the official representative body, the Association Culturelle Israelite de Monaco. Today, the vast majority of the Jewish community lives in Monte Carlo. The community is mainly comprised of retired Jews from Britain (40%) and North Africa. Approximately 1,000 Jews live today in Monaco. There are also several Turkish and French Ashkenazi families. Half the population is Ashkenazi, while the other half are Sephardic.
The Association Culturelle Israelite de Monaco is a house that has been converted into a synagogue, a community Hebrew school, and kosher food shop, all located in Monte Carlo. The community does have a rabbi, Rabbi M. Isaac Amsellem, who leads weekly services and teaches classes. There are weekly services on Shabbat. Several organizations, including WIZO and B’nai B’rith, are active in the Jewish community of Monaco.
Israel has diplomatic relations with Monaco and is represented by its consul in Marseilles.
Security Monaco has no army or air force, but has a small coast guard consisting of three small patrol boats. Security is provided by an armed police force consisting of 517 men and women. There is also 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 9mm pistols. The defense of the nation is provided by France.
Flag The flag of Monaco reflects the heraldic colors of the Grimaldi family. 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).
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- Transport in Monaco
- Rail transport in Monaco
- Communications in Monaco
- Foreign relations of Monaco
- International University of Monaco
- Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince
- Music of Monaco
- AS Monaco FC, local football (soccer) team.
- Stade Louis II, the team's home stadium.
- Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
- Oceanographic Museum
- List of Monegasque people
- List of rulers of Monaco
- Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco
Notes
External links
- Official website of the Prince's Palace of Monaco
- ahead of London in Real estate prices
- Monaco yacht show
- 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
- Order of the doctors of Monaco
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