Monaco is a constitutional monarchy and a city-state, located along the French Rivierabetween the Mediterranean Sea and France and is one of five European microstates.
It is the world's most densely populated country and second-smallest independent nation; with a population of just 32,410 and an area of 1.95 sqm (481.9 acres).
The microstate also boasts more millionaires per capita than any other country, and is the world's smallest French-speaking sovereignty.
Its early history is primarily concerned with the protective and strategic value of the Rock, the area's chief geological landmark, which served first as a shelter for ancient peoples and later as a fortress.
From the 1200s to the early 1400s, the area was contested for primarily political reasons; since that point, excepting a period of French occupation, it has remained steadily under the control of the House of Grimaldi.
The Rock served as a shelter for the area's early inhabitants from the end of the Paleolithic period, approximately 300,000 BC, evidence of which has been found in a cave in St. Martin's Gardens.
According to the accounts of historian Diodorus Siculus and geographer Strabo, the area's first permanent settlers were the mountain-dwelling Ligures.
They emigrated from their native city of Genoa, Italy. However, the ancient Ligurian language, which was apparently not Indo-European, is not connected to the Italian dialect spoken by the modern inhabitants of Liguria, nor to the modern Monegasque language.
The local Hellenes referred to the Ligurians as Monoikos, from the Greek 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.
The Phocaeans of Massalia founded the colony of Monoikos, named for its Ligurian inhabitants, in the 6th century B.C. in the area now known as Monaco. Monoikos was associated with Hercules, venerated in this location alone as Hercules Monoecus.
According to the "travels of Hercules" theme, also documented by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo, both Greeks and native Ligurian people asserted that Hercules passed through the area.
The modern port is still sometimes called the "Port of Hercules". The 1907 Catholic Encyclopedia wrote, "From ancient times until the nineteenth century the port was among the most important of the French Mediterranean coast, but now it has lost all commercial significance."
After the Gallic Wars, Monoecus, which served as a stopping-point for Julius Caesar on his way to campaign in Greece, fell under Roman control as part of the Maritime Alps province (Gallia Transalpina).
The Roman poet Virgil called it "that castled cliff, Monoecus by the sea". The commentator Servius's use of the passage (in R. Maltby, Lexicon of Ancient Latin Etymologies, Leeds) asserts, under the entry portus, that the epithet was derived:
dictus autem Monoecus vel quod pulsis omnibus illic solus habitavit ("either because Hercules drove off everyone else and lived there alone"), vel quod in eius templo numquam aliquis deorum simul colitur ("or because in his temple no other of the gods is worshipped at the same time"). (No actual temple to Hercules has been located at Monaco).
The port is mentioned in Pliny the Elder's Natural History and in Tacitus' Histories, when Valens was forced to put into the port (Fabius Valens e sinu Pisano segnitia maris aut adversante vento portum Herculis Monoeci depellitur).
The microstate remained under Roman control until the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in 476, from which point the area as ravaged by Saracens and various barbarian tribes. Though these raids left the area almost entirely depopulated, the Saracens were expelled in 975, and by the 11th century area was again populated by Ligurians.
In 1191, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI granted suzerainty over the area to the city of Genoa, the native home of the Ligurians. On June 10, 1215, a detachment of Genoese Ghibellines led by Fulco del Cassello began the construction of a fortress atop the Rock. This date is often cited as the beginning of modern history of the microstate.
As the Ghibellines intended their fortress to be a strategic military stronghold and centre of control for the area, they set about creating a settlement around the base of the Rock to support the garrison; in an attempt to lure residents from Genoa and the surrounding cities, they offered land grants and tax exemption to new settlers.
The Grimaldis, descended from Otto Canella and taking their name from his son Grimaldo, were an ancient and prominent Guelphic Genoese family who, in the course of the civil strife in Genoa between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, took refuge in Monaco, accompanied by various other Guelphic families, most notably the Fieschis.
François Grimaldiseized the Rock in 1297; the area remained under the control of the Grimaldi family to the present day, except when under French control from 1789 to May 17, 1814.
Designated as a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna after Napoleon's defeat, Monaco's sovereignty was confirmed by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. The Prince was an absolute ruler until a constitution was promulgated in 1911.
The famous Casino of Monte Carlo opened in 1863, organized by the Societé des Bains de Mer ("Sea-bathing Society"), which also ran the Hotel de Paris; taxes paid by the S.B.M. have been ploughed into Monaco's infrastructure. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France.
In July 1918, a treaty was signed providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, written into the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monegasque policy would be aligned with French political, military, and economic interests. One of the motivations for the treaty was the upcoming Monaco Succession Crisis of 1918.
While Prince Louis II sympathies were strongly pro-French, he tried to keep the microstate neutral during World War II but supported theVichy Frenchgovernment of his old army colleague, Marshall Philippe Pétain.
Nonetheless, his tiny principality was tormented by domestic conflict partly as a result of Louis' indecisiveness, and also because the majority of the population was of Italian descent; many of them supported the fascist regime of Italy's Benito Mussolini.
In 1943, the Italian Armyinvaded and occupied Monaco, setting up a fascist puppet government. Soon after, following Mussolini's fall in Italy, the German Armyoccupied Monaco and began the deportation of the Jewish population.
Among them was René Blum, founder of the Opera, who died in a Nazi concentration camp. Under Prince Louis' secret orders, the Monaco police, often at great risk to themselves, warned people in advance that the Gestapo was planning on arresting them. The country was liberated as German troops retreated.
The revised Constitution, proclaimed in 1962, abolished capital punishment, provided for female suffrage, established a Supreme Court to guarantee fundamental liberties and made it difficult for a French national to transfer his or her residence there.
In 1993, the microstate became an official member of the United Nations with full voting rights.
In 2002, a new treaty between France and the Principality clarifies that if there are no heirs to carry on the dynasty it will remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defence, however, is still the responsibility of France.
Prince Albert, Marquis of Baux took over the royal duties on 31 March 2005, because his father Prince Rainier III was too ill to exercise his royal functions. Prince Rainier, in turn, had acceded to the throne following the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, in 1949.
On 6 April 2005, Prince Rainier died and his son succeeded him as Albert II of Monaco. Prince Albert II formally became the ruler of the Principality on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at the cathedral where his father was buried three months before, after a reign of 56 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 PrincessGrace Kelly.
The Principality is the second-smallest independent state in the world, after Vatican City. It is located on the Mediterranean coast on the French Riviera, 18 kilometres (11 mi) east of Nice and near the Italian border.
It is surrounded on three sides by the Provence-Alpes Côte d'Azur Région of France. It consists of a narrow strip along the coast at the bottom of the foothills of the Alps.
Its physical geography includes a long beach and steep cliffs that rise vertically upwards to heights of 63 meters (206 ft) above sea level."Le Rocher" is at 140 meters (459 ft).
Its highest point is 163 metres above sea level, on the southern slopes of Mont Agel whose 1,109-metre peak is in France. The country has no natural resources.
The microstate is divided into four quarters (quartiers): Monaco Ville, the old city on a rocky promontory extending into the Mediterranean, known as the Rock; La Condamine, the northwest section including the port area; Monte Carlo, the principal residential and resort area with the Casino in the east; and Fontvieille, a newly constructed area reclaimed from the sea.
La Condamine quartier is further subdivided into La Condamine proper (the port area); Moneghetti; Les Revoires, containing the Jardin Exotique; and La Colle, on the western border with Cap d'Ail. Monte Carlo quartier is also subdivided into several neighbourhoods: Monte Carlo proper (the Casino and resort area); Larvotto, a beach area to the east of the principality; Saint Roman/Tenao on the northeast corner; and the central residential area of Saint Michel.
The Principality - entirely an urban area - is noted for its beautiful, hilly, rugged, and rocky natural scenery and its sunny Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers moderated by the proximity of the Mediterranean.
The average minimum temperature in January and February is 8 °C (47 °F); in July and August the average maximum temperature is 26 °C (78 °F). Its attractive scenery, and gambling facilities have made The principality world famous as a tourism and recreation centre.
Principality of Monaco
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Itis the original fortified town. The Palais Princier (Prince's Palace), Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the Oceanographic Museum are located in this quarter. Its population is estimated at 1,151 residents.
It is also known locally as "le rocher" or "the rock"; it is an old fortified town, some of the ramparts still remain. It is situated on a rocky promontory that extends into the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient name is Monoecus. The colourful changing of the guard occurs every day outside the Palais at 11:55 am.
Next door to the Palais is the Cathédrale, a Romanesque Byzantine church that contains the remains of many former princes. American-born Grace Kelly, Princess Grace, is also buried there.
Monaco Ville also boasts the world-famous Oceanographic Museum, which was established in 1910 by Prince Albert I, and was once under the direction of Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
One of the oldest buildings in the principality, Chapelle de la Misericorde (1639) is famous as the starting point of a torchlit religious procession by local residents that takes place on the eve of Good Friday each year.
Despite being located in the world's most densely populated country, the town is still a medieval village at heart, made up almost entirely of quiet pedestrian streets and marked by virtual silence after sundown.
Though innumerable tourists visit the town and the palace square, only local vehicles are allowed up to the rock, and gasoline-powered motorcycles are prohibited after 10 pm.
La Condamine is the second oldest district in Monaco. The name comes from the Middle Ages and means the cultivable land at the foot of a village or castle.
Today the port and a thriving business district are located in La Condamine.
La Condamine is also part of a larger subdivision known as Le quartier de la Condamine. "Le quartier de la Condamine" includes, in addition to La Condamine proper, the districts of Monghetti, Les Revoires and La Colle.
Fontvieille is a quarter (district) of the Principality. It is a newly constructed area reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea, and has a population of 3,300 in an area of 0.33 km².
Fontvieille contains Stade Louis II (or Louis II Stadium), which serves as the home ground of AS Monaco FC, Monaco football club that is one of the most successful in the French national league.
The stadium also contains the club's offices. The ground also hosts the European Super Cup, an annual event pitting the winners of the top UEFA club competitions, the Champions League and UEFA Cup.
The district also contains a heliport, providing frequent links to Nice airport in neighbouring France with Heli Air Monaco.
Monte Carlo (Occitan: Montcarles, Monégasque: Monte Carlu) is the wealthiest of the four quarters, sometimes erroneously believed to be the country's capital, even though there formally is none.
Monte Carlo is known for its casinos, gambling, glamour, and for sightings of famous people. The permanent population is 30,000 (1990 estimate).
Monte Carlo quarter includes not only Monte Carlo proper where the casino is located, but also the neighbourhoods of Saint Michel, Saint Roman/Tenao, and the beach community of Larvotto.
Monte Carlo is home to most of the Circuit, on which the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place; it also hosts world championship boxing bouts, the Monte Carlo Masters, fashion shows and other events.
Monte Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as commoners and movie starsfor decades. The quarter of Monte Carlo was served by tramways from 1900 to 1953, linking parts the Principality. Monte Carlo is one of Europe's leading tourist resorts.
Within the casino complex is the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, an opera and ballet house, and the headquarters of the Ballets de Monte Carlo. In 1861 a 50-year concession to operate the gaming rooms was granted to a private individual.
Since 1898 the concession has been operated by the Société des Bains de Mer, a private company, in which the government now holds a majority interest.
This corporation also owns the principal hotels and clubs of the community that serve the tourist trade. The citizens the Principality are exempt from taxes, and they are forbidden to enter the gaming rooms.
The Principality has been governed as a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince as head of 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).
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).
The 24 members of this legislative 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 15 elected members and is presided over by the mayor.
Monaco received its first ambassador from abroad on 16 February 2006, from France. This is despite having had representation abroad and in the United Nations for many years.
The Principality actively participates in the United Nations, which it joined in 1993. The Principality also is a member of many international and intergovernmental organizations, including Interpol, UNESCO, and WHO. The International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB) is headquartered in Monaco.
The Principality of Monaco is a sovereign and independent state, linked closely to France by the Treaty of 1918, the text of which has international recognition because it is confirmed by Article 436 of the Treaty of Versailles of 1919, which instituted a contractual, bilateral, and reciprocal regime between the two states.
The foreign policy of the Principality is one illustration of this accord: France has agreed to defend the independence and sovereignty of Monaco, while the Monegasque Government has agreed to exercise its sovereign rights in conformity with French interests.
Since then, the relations between the sovereign states of France and the Principality have been further defined in the Treaty of 1945 and the Agreement of 1963.
Owing to its diplomatic tutelage under France, the Principality still lacks diplomatic ties with many countries. Japan established diplomatic relations with the city-state on December 15, 2006, having previously only maintained consular relations.
Although not a member of the European Union (EU), the Principality is closely associated with the economic apparatus of the EUthrough its customs union with France and its reliance upon the Euro (French franc before January 1999) as its official currency.
Only two European nations, France and Italy have permanent embassies located in the Principality. The Principality has permanent embassies in Belgium, France, Germany, HolySee, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and a permanent mission at the United Nations in New York City, and plans to open an embassy in Washington D.C. in 2008.
The embassy in Belgium also is accredited to Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the European Union, while the embassy in Switzerland provides consular representation to Liechtenstein.
It maintains a network of consulates in 104 cities on every continent (except Antarctica). Besides the presence of the French and Italian embassies, sixty-nine nations have consulates general or consulates accredited in the Principality.
The Principality has no army or air force, but has a small coast guard consisting of three small patrol boats armed with small cannons. Security is provided by a small armed police force consisting of between 300-400 men and women.
Defense of the nation is provided by France. The United States also shares responsibility for the national security of Monaco. On both a per-capita and per-area basis, The Principality has the largest police force and police presence in the world.
The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince (Prince's Company of Carabineers) is the military force of the Principality. 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 Prince Honoré IV in 1817 for the protection of the Principality.
The company numbers approximately 100 officers and men - while the NCOs and soldiers are local, the officers have generally served in the French Army. Together with the local fire service, the Carabineers form the Principality'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.
The Palace is guarded by two officers and eight carabineersaround the clock. The guard is changed every day at 12 o'clock, announced by the company's section of eight trumpeters.
The military has a band (Fanfare) consisting of 27 musicians; within the main band a small variety orchestra and a brass ensemble (for religious music) have been formed.
The military band performs public concerts and also plays at official occasions, sports events and international military music festivals.
An antecedent of the Palace guards was the company known in the 19th century as the "Papalins", former soldiers of the Papal States who, upon the destitution of the Papacy's temporal authority at the time of the Italian Unification, were given a role in the Prince of Monaco's protection. A road in the Fontvieille suburb is named after the "Papalins".
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 extendled 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.
As befits a world leader in glamour and money, the Principality is one of the most expensive places on Earth. The principality is often regarded as a tax haven, and most of its inhabitants are millionaires from other countries.
The glamour and prestige associated with Monaco and its style-conscious people can be seen in the number of high class cars, designer fashion boutiques such as Chanel, trendy restaurants, and its royal family, especially since the marriage of Prince Rainier to Grace Kelly, later HSH Princess Grace of Monaco.
The state has no income tax for individuals. The state retains monopolies in numerous sectors, including tobacco and the postal service. The telephone network used to be owned by the state; now, Monaco Telecom is 49% owned by Cable and Wireless, 45% by the state and 6% by Compagnie Monégasque de Banque, but it is still a monopoly. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.
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 the city-state ; celebrities like Formula One drivers attract most of the attention, but the majority of them are business people.
In 2000, a report by French parliamentarians Arnaud Montebourg and Vincent Peillon alleged that the Principality has lax policies with respect to money laundering, including within its famed casino, and that the government puts political pressure on the judiciary so that alleged crimes are not properly investigated.
In response, the Government of Monaco ordered reports to OECD and the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering. These reports revealed most of these allegations to be untrue.
The Principality 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 France's: the Euro. Prior to 2002, the Principality minted their own franc coins, the Monegasque franc. The microstate has acquired the right to mint Euro coins with Monegasque designs on their national side.
Principality's major exports are chemicals, pharmaceuticals, beauty-care products, ceramics, metal works, textiles, plastics, and instruments.
Principality's population is unusual in that the native Monegasquesare a minority in their own country. The largest proportion of residents are French nationals (47%), while Monegasque and Italian nationals represent 16% each, and the remaining 21% belong to one of the other 125 nationalities that make up the microstate's international population. At 45, Principality's average age is the highest in the world.
The Principality has ten state-operated schools, including seven nursery and primary schools, one secondary school (Collège Charles III), one lycéethat provides general and technological training (Lycée Albert 1er, which compares favourably to those in neighbouring southern France), and one lycéethat 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.
The International University of Monaco (IUM), formerly the University of Southern Europe, is an independent institution specializing in business education. The university was founded in 1986 to bring high-quality management education to the region of southern France.
All courses are taught in English. IUM offers a balanced and pragmatic approach to business, technology and education which combines functional education and an analytical approach to the field of management by using case studies and lecture teaching. The programs are taught in small class settings.
IUM offers six degrees:
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA)
Master of Science in Financial Engineering (MScFE)
Master of Science in Luxury Goods and Services (MScLGS)
The International University of Monaco is ranked among the Top 50 business schools in Europe and the Top 100 in the world by The Economist.
Located in Monaco, a financial hub for private banking and wealth management, the university is able to attract a pool of qualified professors. The university's friendship association is chaired by Prince Albert.
The Principality has one of the world's smallest national Scouting and Guidingorganizations, the Association des Guides et Scouts de Monaco (French version only) or AGSM. The association has about 71 members (48 Scouts, 23 Guides - as of 2005).
The Monegasque Scout organization was under the patronage of French Scouting since 1918, and became an independent member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1990.
Guiding in the Principality started in 1929 and became a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in 1963. In 1992 the Scout association and the Guide association merged and formed the AGSM.
There is a Sea Scout division which conducts many activities on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Scouts of the microstate have cooperated with the World Bureau although they were not members until 1990.
The Oceanographic Museumis a museum of marine sciences.
History
The OceanographicMuseum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco's biggest reformator, Prince Albert I. This monumental architectural work of art has an impressive façade towering above the sea.
The structure towers over the sea at a height of 279 feet (85.04 meters). It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie.
The museum houses remarkable collections of various species of sea fauna (starfish, seahorses, turtles, jellyfish, crabs, lobsters, rays, sharks, seaurchins, sea cucumbers, eels, cuttlefish etc.) both stuffed and in skeletal form.
The museum's holdings also include a great variety of sea related objects, including model ships, sea animal skeletons, tools, weapons, etc.
The basement of the museum showcases a spectacular array of flora and fauna. 4000 species of fish and over 200 families of invertebrates can be seen.
The Oceanographic Museum is an authority on the presentation of the Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystem. Jacques Cousteau was its director for many years, beginning in 1957.
Like many European races, the Monaco Grand Prix predates the organised World Championships; the Principality's first Grand Prix race was organised in 1929 by Antony Noghes, under the auspices of Prince Louis II through the "Automobile Club de Monaco" (A.C.M.) of which Alexandre Noghes (Antony's father) was the founding president.
Monaco Grand Prix (Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula Oneraceheld each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run annually, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world alongside the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Its history, the spectacle of the event, and the glamour associated with it result in the race being considered "the jewel of the Formula One crown".
The Grand Prix was the result of a challenge for the Automobile Club, which could be recognised internationally only if it could stage a race in the very limited territory of the Principality. The Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo, organized by the A.C.M. since 1911, could not be considered as it used the roads of other European countries.
The inaugural Monaco Grand Prix was won by William Grover-Williams (a.k.a. "Williams") driving a Bugatti Type 35B painted in what would become the famous British racing green colour. There is no relationship between "Williams" and the later Formula One team of the same name. The Monaco Grand Prix counted toward the European Championship from 1936 to 1939 (although the race was not held in 1938).
The Monaco Grand Prix was one of the races in the inaugural Formula One World Championship in 1950, with Juan Manuel Fangio winning that year. It was also Fangio's first win in a World Championship race. However, there was no race in 1951, and in 1952; the Monaco Grand Prix took place but was run to sports car rules. Since1955, the Monaco Grand Prix has taken place each year and has been raced as part of the Formula One World Championship.
Brazil's Ayrton Senna has won the race the most, with six victories, five consecutive from 1989 to 1993, earning him the title "Master of Monaco". However it is Graham Hill, a 5-time winner of the race, who is known as the "King of Monaco", predating Senna.
The race is held on a narrow course laid out in the streets of Monaco, whose many elevation changes and tight corners make it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula One.
Lewis Hamilton Winner 2008
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Lewis Hamilton Wins Grand Prix
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This was the first Grand Prix where grid positions were decided by practice time rather than the established method of balloting. Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari exchanged the lead many times during the race and the race was settled in Varzi's favour on the final lap when Nuvolari's car caught fire due to over-revving.
1965
Graham Hill took pole position, and led from the start. On lap 25, Hill went up an escape road to avoid hitting a slow backmarker. Rejoining in fifth place, Hill set several new lap records on the way to winning. The race was also notable for the debut of Honda in the World Championship, and for Paul Hawkins' Lotus ending up in the harbour. A similar incident was included in the 1966 film Grand Prix.
1982
René Arnoux led the first 15 laps, before retiring. Alain Prost then led until four laps from the end, when he spun off on the wet track, hit the barriers and lost a wheel, giving Riccardo Patrese the lead. Patrese himself spun with only a lap and a half to go, letting Didier Pironi through to the front, followed by Andrea de Cesaris. On the last lap, Pironi ran out of fuel in the tunnel, letting de Cesaris past, who also then ran out of fuel. In the meantime Patrese had bump-started his car and went through to score his first Grand Prix win.
1984
The race started 45 minutes late after heavy rain. Prost led briefly before Nigel Mansell overtook him on lap 11. Mansell crashed out five laps later, letting Prost back into the lead. On lap 27, Prost led from Ayrton Senna's Toleman and Stefan Bellof's Tyrrell. Senna was catching Prost and Bellof was catching both of them. However on lap 31, the race was controversially stopped. Later, FISA fined the clerk of the course, Jacky Ickx, $6,000 and suspended his licence for not consulting the stewards before stopping the race. The drivers received only half of the points as the race had been stopped before 2/3 of the total length had been run. If Prost had finished in second and the race been stopped after 2/3 of the distance had been run, he would had received 1.5 more points in the championship. At the end of the season Prost lost the title to Niki Lauda by half a point, the closest margin ever.
1992
Nigel Mansell took pole and dominated the race in his Williams-Renault. However, with 15 laps remaining, Mansell suffered a slow puncture and was forced into the pits, emerging behind Ayrton Senna's McLaren-Honda. Mansell, on fresh tyres, quickly caught up with Senna, but was unable to find a way past. The pair duelled around Monaco for the final 4 laps in an epic battle with Mansell just inches from Senna's gearbox, but Senna's skill on old tyres and the narrowness of the circuit meant the Brazilian was just able to keep Mansell behind him. It was Senna's fifth win at Monaco, equalling Graham Hill's record.
1993
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Alain Prost took pole, but was penalised for jumping the start, and could only recover to fourth place. Ayrton Senna was victorious, breaking Graham Hill's record for most wins at the Monaco Grand Prix. Damon Hill came second and Jean Alesi came third. "If my father was around now, he would be the first to congratulate Ayrton," Hill stated after the race.
1996
Michael Schumacher took pole position, but crashed out on the first lap. Damon Hill led the first 40 laps before his engine expired in the tunnel. Jean Alesi took the lead but suffered suspension failure 20 laps later. Olivier Panis, who started in 14th place, moved into the lead, and stayed there until the end of the race, being pushed all the way by David Coulthard. It was Panis' only win, and the last for his Ligier team. Only four cars finished the race.
2006
The qualifying session was drawing to a close, with Michael Schumacher provisionally on pole position, when Schumacher stopped his car at the Rascasse hairpin, blocking the track. A result of this was that yellow flags were waved so that competitors were obliged to slow down, thus meaning they would not be able to beat Schumacher's lap time. Although Schumacher claimed it was a genuine accident, the FIAdisagreed and Schumacher was sent to the back of the grid. The race proved to be a battle betweenFernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, which was settled when Räikkönen's McLaren caught fire. Juan Pablo Montoya finished second and David Coulthardtook Red Bull Racing's first podium finish in third.
The Circuit de Monaco consists of the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine, which includes the famous harbour. It is unique in having been held on the same circuit every time it has been run over such a long period - only the Italian Grand Prix has a similarly lengthy and close relationship with a single circuit.
The erecting of the circuit takes six weeks, and the removal after the race takes three weeks. The race circuit has many elevation changes, tight corners, and a narrow course that make it perhaps the most demanding track in Formula One racing. On the race weekend frogmen (divers) are employed to rescue any drivers who happen to crash into the harbour, although as of 2006 only two have done so, the most famous being Alberto Ascari in 1955.
Despite the fact that the course has had minor changes several times during its history, it is still is considered the ultimate test of driving skills in Formula One, and if it were not already an existing Grand Prix, it would not be permitted to be added to the schedule, for safety reasons. To say that the Monaco circuit is an anachronism unsuitable for the race is not entirely correct as it was considered unsafe in 1929 when racing began at Monaco.
Nelson Piquet was fond of saying that racing at Monaco was "like trying to cycle round your living room," but added that "a win here was worth two anywhere else".
The Monaco Grand Prix is organized each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also runs the Monte Carlo Rally and the Monaco Kart Cup.
The organisation of the race differs in several ways from that of every other Grands Prix on the Formula One calendar. First practice for the race is held on the Thursdaypreceding the race, not Friday as for all other Formula One races.
Monaco is currently the only Formula One race held in the centre of a town, so having first practice on the Thursday allows the streets to be opened to the public again on the Friday, helping ease the disruption caused by the event.
Until the late 1990s the Monaco Grand Prix started at 3 p.m. local time - an hour later than other European Formula One races. In recent years the race has fallen in line with the other races for the convenience of television viewers.
There is no podium as such at the race. Instead a section of the track is closed after the race to act as parc fermé, a place where the cars are held for official inspection. The first three drivers in the race leave their cars there and walk directly to the royal box where the 'podium' ceremony is held, a location much closer to the crowd than at other races.
Britain's Graham Hill won the prestigious race five times and became known as "King of Monaco" and "Mr. Monaco". Hill, who badly damaged his legs in a crash at the end of the 1970 Formula One season, continued to compete, but after failing to qualify for the 1975 race he retiredto run his Embassy Hill team.
His son Damon Hill, himself a world champion and winner of 22 Grands Prix, never won at Monaco, although he managed 2 second places and a pole position in 1995.
Brazil's Ayrton Senna, has won the most in Monaco, with six victories, five of them consecutively from 1989 to 1993, as well as having a total of eight podiums in ten starts, with the other two starts being retirements, one from the lead.
His 1987 was a notable drive for being the first time a car with active suspension had won a grand prix. His win was much favoured by the people of Monaco, and when he was arrested on Monday for riding on a motorcycle without a helmet, he was released by the officers when they realised who he was.
Louis Chironis the only native of Monaco to have won the race. He took victory in the 1931 race driving a Bugatti. Monaco also provided his best result in the World Championship era, as he took third place in the 1950 Grand Prix.
Stirling Moss won his first Monaco Grand Prix in 1956, but arguably his later victories are the most memorable. In 1959 he started from pole position but retired with axle failure. 1960saw Moss' independent Rob Walker Lotus win in changeable conditions. The 1961 race saw Moss back in the Rob Walker Lotus, and he fended off three works Ferraris to win the race.
French driver, Alain Prost, has won the race more than any other French driver. As well as his numerous Formula One wins at Monaco, he also won the race' support race for Formula Three cars in 1979. The previous year he was arrested at Monaco, but released in time to start the Formula Three race, and he finished fourth.
The race forms one leg of the so-called "Triple Crown" of the three most famous motor races in the world, the other two being the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 hours of Le Mans. Graham Hill is the only driver to have completed this Triple Crown, similar to Tennis' Grand Slam, by winning all three.
The feat is rendered even more difficult by the fact that the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix both take place during May, with practice for the 500 lasting the duration of the month. Juan Pablo Montoya, who won the race in 2003 and the 2000 Indianapolis 500, is the only driver active in 2006 who has won two legs of the title. Back to top.
Glamour
In awarding its first Gold medal for motor sport to Prince Rainier III, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) characterised the Monaco Grand Prix as contributing "an exceptional location of glamour and prestige" to motor sport and this view is often repeated by journalists and by companies promoting holiday packages for the Grand Prix. It has been run under the patronage of three generations of Monaco's royal family: Louis II, Rainier III and Albert II, all of whom have taken a close interest in it.
Monaco has produced only three native Formula One drivers, Louis Chiron, André Testut and Olivier Beretta, but its tax status has made it home to many drivers over the years, including Giles Villeneuve and Ayrton Senna.
Of the 2006 Formula One contenders, several have property in the principality, includingJenson Button and David Coulthard, who is part owner of a hotel there. Because of the small size of the town and the location of the circuit, drivers whose races end early can usually get back to their apartments in minutes. Ayrton Senna famously retired to his apartment after crashing out of the lead of the 1988 race.
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 the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco and the Monaco Kart Cup.
From its inception in 1911 by Prince Albert I, this rally, under difficult and demanding conditions, was an important means of testing the latest improvements and innovations to automobiles. Winning the rally gave the car a great deal of credibility and publicity.
Since 1973, the race has been held in January as the first race of the FIA World Rally Championship. The conditions typically comprise of drytarmac, wet tarmac, snow, and ice, sometimes all in a single stage of the rally.
This places a big emphasis on tyre choices, as a driver has to balance the need for grip on ice and snow with the need for grip on dry tarmac. For the driver, this is often a difficult choice as the tyres that work well on snow and ice normally perform badly on dry tarmac.
This rally features what is possibly the most famous rally stage in the world. The stage is run from La Bollène to Sospel, or the other way around, over a steep and tight mountain road with many hairpin turns. On this route it passes over the Col de Turini, which normally has ice and/or snow on sections of it at that time of the year.
Spectators also throw snow on the road — in 2005, Marcus Grönholm and Petter Solberg both ripped a wheel off their cars when they skidded on snow most likely placed there by spectators and crashed into a wall. Marcus went on to finish fifth, but Petter was forced to retire as the damage to his car was extensive.
Until a few years ago, the Turini was also driven at night, with thousand of fans watching the "Night of Turini", also known as the "Night of the Long Knives" due to the strong high beam lights cutting through the night.
However, in the 2007 edition of the rally, the Turini was not used.
The Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club is a Monegasque football club, founded in 1919. They became a professional club after 1948. Although the club is in Monaco, it has always competed in the French football structure.
For this reason, it has always been regarded with a certain suspicion by a segment of the French population. It is one of the most successful clubs in French football, with seven league titles and five French Cup titles. It has also had some successful campaigns in Europe, including a run to the final of the UEFA Champions League, in 2004, but it has not won a European competition.
AS Monaco is sometimes derided for its relatively low number of spectators (10,394 average for the 2003/2004 season). However, taking into account the city's population of 30,000 and that it competes with Nice's team (350,000 inhabitants) OGC Nice 20 km nearby (with an average attendance of 11,500 in the same season), Monaco as a city has one of the highest spectator/inhabitant ratios in France.
AS Monaco's home ground is Stade Louis II, an all-seater with a capacity of 18,500 in the Fontvieille section of Monaco. The stadium, as well as the Fontvieille district, was built entirely on land reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea. This small but glamorous looking stadium is often used to host theEuropean Supercup at the start of the season, featuring the winner of theChampions League and the winner of theUEFA Cup.
Monaco were shockfinalists in the UEFA Champions League in 2004, impressively beating the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea along the way there, but they were defeated by FC Porto in the final, losing the match 3-0. This remains Monaco's greatest achievement so far in Europe, but in 2005 Monaco were beaten in the 3rd qualifying round stage by Real Betis.
They have since continued recent good form and secured a place in the 1/16th of the UEFA Cup vs. Basel after having won the Group Stage tournament (group including Hamburg, CSKA Sofia, Slavia Prague and Viking Stavanger), after a victorious home/away fixture over Dutch side Willem II.
In 1873, Joseph Jagger gained the casino great publicity by "breaking the bank at Monte Carlo" by discovering and capitalizing on a bias in one of the casino's roulette wheels. Technically, the bank in this sense was the money held on the table by the croupier.
According to an article in The Times in the late 19th century, it was thus possible to break the bank several times. The 1892 song The Man that Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, made famous by Charles Colborn, was probably inspired by the exploits of Charles Wells, who broke the bank on many occasions on the first two of his three trips.
According to the novelBusting Vegas by Ben Mezrich, a team of blackjack players recruited from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology attempted to break the bank at Monte Carlo with the assistance of a system invented by the character named Victor Cassius. The novel describes how the management of Monte Carlo responded to the progress of the team, members including the following characters: Semyon Dukach, Owen Keller and Allie Simpson.
James Bond, fictional British spy and protagonist of the Bond book and movie series is often associated with the city's glamorous Belle Époque casino. This was a model for the setting of Ian Fleming's first Bond novel, Casino Royale (1953), 'Royale-Les-Eaux' being a fictional resort in the style of Monte Carlo. The real Monte Carlo and its casino provided one of the glamorous locations for the 1995 James Bond Film, GoldenEye.
The country has long been under the control of the Grimaldi family, who have encouraged musical development. Prince Rainier III introduced the Prince Rainier III Prize for Musical Composition to reward Monegasque musicians.
The Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1863 and gained a permanent home at Garnier Palace in 1879. The Orchestra is quite prominent in the classical world, and has been conducted byIgor Markevitch, Lovro von Matacic, Paul Paray, Lawrence Foster, Gianluigi Gelmetti and Louis Fremaux.
The Little Singers of Monaco are a children's choir founded in 1973, when the Palatine Chapel's Chapel Master, Philippe Debat, was ordered by the government to send a choir of only children around the world. This practice carries on a tradition from the reign of Prince Antoine I, during whose rule a choir of children sang the liturgies in the Palatine Chapel.
EVER Monaco is an annual exhibition and a conference event showcasing the latest renewable energy technologywith a focus on vehicle design. "EVER" is a (somewhat flawed) acronym for "ecologic vehicles and renewable energies."
The Venturi Fetish, the world’s first production two-seater electric sports car, became the sensation of the first EVER, held in 2005. The Fetish has a range of 250 to 350 km (155 to 217 miles) and boasts a 0–150 km/h (0–60 mph) time of 4.5 seconds.
The 2007 EVER will take place in and around Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum, a 35,000-m² (377,000-sq. ft.) arena on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, from 29 March to 1 April.
Monaco is approximately 20 minutes fromNice by train. There is a helicopter shuttle service to and from Monte Carlo, which takes roughly seven minutes. France's Nice Cote d'Azur is Monaco's nearest international airport, lying approximately 37 km away.
As of May 2005 all Royal Helicopter Service is provided by the James Drabble Aviation Services Committee. This deal sparked a great deal of controversy in the Monaco Parliament, as there was no precedent yet set.
Monte Carlo can be reached by car by using the A8 highway. There are also rail links available from Nice and a shuttle-bus that runs every 15 minutes. Bus journeys to Monaco take around 45 minutes.
The telephone system is an automatic telephone system. For international calls there are no satellite earth stations. The system is connected by cable into the French communications system, however since June 1996; Monaco has had a separate country calling code: +377.
Monaco has 12 Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 8 (1998) and 5 Television broadcast stations. Television is available by cable or antenna; all channels can be seenin Monaco.
One Internet Service Provider (Libello) with different connection levels: modem, DSL 512 kbit/s, DSL 1024 Kbit/s and DSL 4096 Kbit/s and higher using cable or Wi-Fi technology. Country code (Top level domain): mc.
French is the only official language, but Italian, English, and the two local languages, Monégasque (a descendant of Genoese) and Occitan, are also spoken. The literacy rate is 99%.
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Early History And Ligurian Settlement
Greek Colonization And Herculean Legend
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