Monaco, formally the Principality of Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco) is a city-state in Europe, located on the Mediterranean Sea on the south coast of France. The country has 38,000 inhabitants and is fully urbanized.

Geography

According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER, Monaco comprises approximately 2 km² of land on the Mediterranean Sea east of Nice and is surrounded by France. The land measures 3.3 by 0.5 to 1 kilometer and is fully built-up. It is the most densely populated country in the world. Monaco is located on the slopes of the Marine Alps, the highest point is 164 meters above sea level. Monaco consists of narrow streets and tall buildings. The main port is Port Hercules, where expensive yachts are moored.

The country is divided into 4 districts, of which Monte Carlo is the best known. Monte Carlo is often synonymous with Monaco. The country is further divided into 11 districts.

Monaco has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. The average maximum temperature ranges from 13°C in January to 27°C in July. The annual average precipitation is 744 mm, a large part of which falls in autumn and winter. Summers are dry and sunny. However, the constant sea breeze means that temperatures above 30°C are relatively rare.

Demographics

Monaco had 38,400 inhabitants in 2015. See Monaco population density. The Monegasques are a minority in their own country, the largest group being the French with 28%, followed by the Monegasques with 22% and Italians with 18%. Furthermore, the picture is diffuse with numerous small minority groups such as British, Belgians, Germans, Swiss and Americans. The official language of Monaco is French, but Italian is also quite widely spoken. English is also spoken.

Economy

Monaco has the second highest nominal GDP per capita, at $153,000. There are more jobs than residents in Monaco, 48,000 French and Italians commute to work in Monaco. Monaco has the least poverty in the world and the highest number of millionaires and billionaires in the world. The main source of income of the country is tourism, especially the casinos attract many (rich) tourists to Monaco. The banking sector is also large. Monaco is not a member of the European Union but is in a customs union with France and therefore pays with the euro and has no border controls. Monaco has high social insurance taxes but no income tax.

History

The area was governed from 1297 by the House of Grimaldi, originally from Genova (present-day Italy). From 1612 there was talk of the Prince of Monaco. Later in the 17th century it became a French protectorate against Spanish interference. During the French Revolution, Monaco was annexed in 1793, but was returned to the House of Grimaldi in 1814, only to become a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia a year later. This remained the case until 1860 when the region was ceded by Italy to France, after which it became a sovereign country in 1861. During the Second World War, Monaco was occupied by the Italian army in 1943. After the war, the principality remained independent. In 1993 the country became a member of the United Nations.

Road Network

View over Monaco.

In Monaco there are only city roads. The country is mainly served by the French A8 (Nice – Genova) and the A500 branch. Most traffic exits through a tunnel in the center of Monaco. The height differences in Monaco are quite large, so all roads have hairpin bends. As a result, almost all connections run parallel to the coast instead of inland.

Signage

The signage is the same as in France.

Road numbering

There is no separate road numbering in Monaco.