You probably know that Monaco is the smallest state in the world after the Vatican. Many people also know amazing story American actress Grace Kelly, who became Princess of Monaco. The Principality is under the control of the ancient princely family of Grimaldi and has become famous as a haven for billionaires, a tax haven in Europe and a luxurious holiday destination... It would seem, what else can be said about Monaco? And yet we will try to surprise you!
The most police state in the world
They say that Monaco is the safest country in the world. Do you think this is true? And we won't guess. Let's ask the statistics carefully collected and stored by Interpol. The population of Monaco is about 38,000 people, and the number of police officers in the country is 521. After some simple calculations, we conclude that for every police officer in Monaco there are approximately 74 residents. In addition, the exceptional security of the state is added by the fact that Monaco has one of the largest number of CCTV cameras per unit area in the world: 568 cameras to be precise, which allows you to view almost every corner of the small principality.
What then is the military power of the state? There is a curious fact here. Today the number of active army in Monaco is 82 people. Not bad, right? A double-digit number of military personnel guarding the borders of an entire state! But that's not all. Imagine: the military band of the State of Monaco has 85 performers. It turns out that Monaco is the only state in the world whose army is smaller than its orchestra! Although here the rulers of Monaco can be understood. They have learned the lessons of history. After all, throughout its many years of existence, the army of Monaco was alerted only once! And this happened in 1962, when the President of neighboring France, Charles de Gaulle, announced that he would cut off the electricity and water supplies in the principality if the government of Monaco did not introduce an income tax. But Monaco, being a peaceful state, did not want to start a war with the powerful France, armed to the teeth at that time, so the then ruling Prince Rainier III made concessions, and the war did not take place.
In general, Monaco takes security issues seriously. And further confirmation of this is that it was Prince Albert I of Monaco who, in 1914, initiated the creation of the organization that today we all know as Interpol. And the reason for this was the fact of the investigation into the theft of family jewelry from the Grimaldi house, to which the police of all European countries, which gave rise to the idea of creating this kind of structure.
In a week we will reveal a few more secrets about Monaco.
What makes Monaco unique? - you ask. And at least in the fact that Monaco is one of the smallest states on earth and at the same time the most densely populated in Europe. Second only to the Vatican, which is difficult to even consider a state. What else is remarkable about this country? We present to your attention the top 10 interesting facts about Monaco.
1. “Smile, you’re being filmed by a hidden camera,” locals joke. The Principality of Monaco is one of the safest places in the world. You can easily walk around in gold or diamonds and be calm. CCTV cameras are installed throughout the city, even on the beaches. They say that there is no corner in Monaco that is not covered by cameras.
2. There is no nationality from Monaco. The country has a population of 32 thousand people. Of which the French are 47 percent, the Italians are 16 percent, and the British are 4 percent. In terms of population density, it ranks first in the world. Monaco is characterized by a high life expectancy of its population. 75 years for men and 83 years for women.
3. Exhibition of the latest cars near the casino every day. Monte Carlo, one of the four arrondissements of Monaco, truly represents a concentration of pomp, chic and wealth. Without a doubt, the Monte Carlo Casino is one of the first gaming houses in Europe and is still the most luxurious and respectable establishment on the planet. The accumulation of expensive car models around this establishment is overwhelming. You must have ID and be 21 years of age to enter. An elegant dress code is required.
4. For $1 million, investors can purchase only 15 sq.m. in Monaco. living space. The average price of one square meter in a house or apartment in Monaco is 66 thousand dollars.
5. Half the country is a marina for yachts. The Royal Yacht Club of Monaco has now become truly the main center of attraction for professionals and amateurs of the yachting business and yachting sports. The president of the Monaco Yacht Club is the prince, under whose wing there is a sailing school, international sailing courses, sailing races, as well as traditional yacht shows.
6. There is 1 policeman for every 60 residents. A lot of them. In Monaco, police officers, both in uniform and in regular attire, have the right to conduct on-the-spot searches of suspicious vehicles and objects, conduct face control, and check telephone bills, hotel rooms and housing. The principality has one of the most extensive and powerful police surveillance systems in the world.
7. The quirks of the prince. Lexus has created a unique sedan, the Lexus LS 600h Landaulet, which differs from the regular model in its rare body with a removable glass roof. Such semi-glass bodies are a feature of very expensive cars. From modern models The transparent top is only available on the Maybach 62 S. The open Lexus was created in a single copy for the royal wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock.
8. Ferrari is not luxury. There are a lot of Ferraris in Monaco. They are usually parked in private parking lots and underground garages. Apparently this is not a luxury, but a means of transportation.
9. Smart scales that recognize fruits."Smart" electronic scales allow customers in supermarkets (for example, Casino Petit) to spend less effort and time weighing products. They have a built-in camera. “Self-service” scales automatically recognize which vegetables or fruits the buyer is weighing, and the client only has to choose between varieties and varieties of the same product (for example, between several types of tomatoes) and click on the image of what is being weighed on the touch monitor.
10. If you don't want to stand in line, order through the robot. Most likely, McDonald's has started an experiment to replace salespeople with touch terminals. Instead of regular salespeople, visitors now make their own order using a special touch terminal and immediately pay for it with a bank card.
Monaco is one of a small number of city states existing in the world.
It arose in 1215 on the site of the former colony of Genoa. Official name of the country: Principality of Monaco.
From 1297 to the present day it is ruled by the Grimaldi dynasty. In the event of the termination of the family, government of the state would have to pass to the Republic of France.
The indigenous population of Monaco is about 20% of the total. Every day the city is visited by tourists, whose number exceeds 5 times the number of citizens of the country.
Its main inhabitants are French, Italians and Monegasques.
The Principality is considered a state of wealthy people. The principality's low tax rates attract the attention of businesses. The indigenous population does not pay them at all.
The Principality is not an EU country, but the currency in circulation is the euro. From currency European Union Local banknotes are distinguished by the flag of Monaco printed on them. It differs from the Indonesian only in size.
The population is just over 37 thousand people. The actual area of the state is 2 sq. km. In terms of territory size, only the Vatican is smaller than Monaco. You can travel the length and breadth of the country in less than 1 hour.
On the territory of the principality there are only one higher education educational institution , which is the International University.
The country's railway runs through the rock, and the station is also located here. The cost per square meter of real estate starts from 20 thousand euros.
The government consists of only 4 ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister.
Monte Carlo, which is one of the districts of Monaco, is home to the most famous casino in the world. It was built in 1865. Only tourists are allowed to play in it.
The ban on gambling for citizens of the state was adopted back in the 19th century.. It also applies to members of the ruling dynasty.
It is believed that about 7 million people are photographed in front of the Monte Carlo casino every year. Monte Carlo is famous not only for its casino, but also for its opera house.
It was built in just 6 months and has an attractive architectural appearance. It was here that Sergei Diaghilev created his famous Russian Ballet troupe.
The city-country has an amazing rose park. Its shape resembles a flower, but it can only be seen from a bird's eye view. The Rose Park was built in honor of the prince's tragically deceased wife, Grace Kelly.
It was built by the decision of Prince Rainier III on a site reclaimed from the sea. The area for the park was specially drained.
Interesting fact: for Monaco, reclaiming territory from the sea is the only way expansion of their territories.
Every year at least 5 festivals are held in the principality, attracting guests from all over the world.
One side of Monaco is the coast of the Ligurian Sea. Located on it a Japanese garden with an alley of football stars.
Every year on the last Sunday in May the Formula 1 Grand Prix race takes place here.
There are 300 sunny days a year here, but the weather here is extremely changeable. All streets here are under video surveillance. This helps prevent crime and makes the state one of the safest for life and tourism in the world.
The average life expectancy in the principality is 90 years.
Monegasque is the cuisine of the country
Culinary traditions are a mixture of Italian and French cuisines. Residents are big fans of healthy eating, so their diet includes a lot of vegetables, fruits and a large amount of seafood.
Very often you can hear how The local cuisine is called "Monegasque" are the indigenous people of Monaco.
A traditional Monegasque dish is Bouillabaisse soup. It is prepared from three types of fish: scorpion fish, red mullet and trigla. They form the main taste of the dish, which is then saturated with shrimp, crab, tomato, spices and garlic.
The highlight of this soup is white wine or cognac, which are added to it at the very end of cooking. Serve this dish together with toasted bread spread with Rui sauce.
The influence of French cuisine on Monegasque cooking traditions can be felt in dishes such as "Gnocchi" or "Prochetta".
The first dish is potato balls covered in cheese, and the second is suckling pig stuffed with onions and aromatic herbs. Italian ravioli is prepared in a special way here. They are filled with meat, fish, spinach and even cheese and mushrooms.
Very popular here large bagna sandwiches and fried flatbreads.
Among the original recipes for local desserts you can find onion pies, orange pies or pumpkin flowers baked in dough.
Champagne is considered the national drink here. Residents love and anise liqueur.
Monegasques are a people
Monegasques are considered to be the indigenous people of Monaco., they make up approximately 40% of the total number of citizens.
Family traditions are respected in the country. It is not customary here to celebrate holidays outside the family. Even close relatives living in different parts of the world get together these days.
The color white, symbolizing purity and nobility, is especially revered by local residents. This is due to the fact that Saint Virgin is considered the patroness of the Monegasques..
Monegasques in Monaco have certain privileges. For example, they are given the right to choose parliament. It is impossible to become a Monegasque, they need to be born.
When divorcing a representative of this nationality, a person automatically loses all the privileges in the country that this nation has in Monaco.
The standard of living of local citizens is considered one of the highest. This affects the life expectancy of residents, which is the highest in the world.
Monaco has the lowest unemployment rate— it does not exceed 3%. More than 30 thousand people from France and Italy come here to work every day.
An interesting fact: in order to become a resident of Monaco, a Russian must have a family and 100 thousand euros in his account.
The residents are quite friendly and tolerant. Although Monaco is considered an expensive country to live in, education and health care It costs much less here than in other EU countries.
Tourists coming here who speak French, English or Italian language, you will always find someone to talk to here.
Traditions, habits and holidays
Preservation of customs and traditions is a task at the state level. Official holidays include:
- in January - New Year and the feast of the Holy Virgin;
- in April- Easter and Easter Monday;
- in May- Labor Day and Ascension Day;
- in June- Clean Monday and the Feast of Corpus Christi;
- In November- All Saints' Day and Prince Rainier III's birthday;
- December- The Immaculate Conception and Christmas.
One of the most famous rituals involves the olive branch.. On this day, the whole family gathers at the festive table.
The oldest or youngest member of the family dips an olive branch into a glass of wine. After this, they read a prayer, cross the flame burning in the fireplace, and then begin the meal.
Every year, Monaco hosts many traditional festivals. In March it is the Magic Avardas festival of magicians.. At the same time, the opera season opens.
In April the Rose Ball takes place here., festivals of art "Monte Carlo", modern sculpture, as well as an open tennis tournament and a dog show.
The most significant event for the country is Grand Prix races- traditionally take place in Monaco in May.
An international fair opens there every year in October. Traditionally The prince annually grants citizenship to ten lucky people of your country.
It is extremely difficult to obtain. Only with the consent of the prince can real estate be sold in the state.
Unusual and interesting
Despite Monaco's external protection, France recognizes the independence of the Grimaldi dynasty, but not the country. This attracts attention to this French dynasty that has ruled for more than 700 years.
The most romantic family story is associated with Rainier III and Grace Kelly. Their marriage took place in 1956, after which the principality began to rapidly develop and prosper.
One connected with marriage interesting story. Grace Kelly donated her wedding shoes to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
His workers came up with the idea of taking an x-ray of them, in which they discovered an Irish penny in one of the shoes.
Being of Irish descent, Grace asked designer David Evins to sew this coin for good luck. The tragic death of Grace Kelly still remains one of the mysteries.
During the years of his reign, Rainier III managed to make his possession an island of luxury and wealth.
According to sanitary standards established in the state, per person there must be at least 125 square meters of living space. Purchasing real estate here does not guarantee foreigners obtaining citizenship.
The average salary here is 5.5 thousand euros. But this is not what attracts attention to life in the country.
The greatest interest in Monaco is the princely dynasty. Her life is filled with all sorts of scandals. The country is currently ruled by Rainier III's son Albert II.
The rich and the rich come here to relax or live for a while. famous people from all over the world. For some time in modern history, this part of Europe was closed to obtaining residence permits for Russians.
The global financial crisis made its own adjustments to this process. Now about 8 families of Russian billionaires live here. In total, about 350 Russian citizens purchased property here.
The main income for the treasury comes from tourism and car production. Renault, Peugeot, Citroen and Mercedes are assembled in Monaco.
The castle of the ruling dynasty was built back in the 13th century. It is open to tourists in the absence of the prince. You can find out about his presence in the castle by the flag of the state raised on the flagpole.
It occupies an area of 2 (!) sq. km and 35,000 people live on this piece of land, i.e. there are 17,500 people for every kilometer. For comparison, the population density in China is 140 people per sq. km, and in the Russian Federation 8 people...
Monaco, or the Principality of Monaco, is a city-state on the Mediterranean coast. It is located on the southern coast of France near the Italian border. This is very Small town, ruled by the Grimaldi family since 1297 AD. In 2005, a new monarch, Albert II, took the throne. Monaco is the second largest country in the world (after the Vatican City), and the second most populous country in Europe. It borders France on three sides by land and the Mediterranean Sea on the fourth.
Monaco was founded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa. Monaco is from the Greek Monoikos, which roughly translates to "Single House". In 1297, Francesco Grimaldi captured the fort that defended Monaco. During the siege he wore monastic robes. Interestingly, the Italian word for monk also sounds like Monaco. The Grimaldis lost their possessions in 1793 when the French captured Monaco. However, they returned to power in 1861, when Monaco was officially recognized as an independent state. Do you know these interesting facts about Monaco:
In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations, with full voting rights.
The city-state of Monaco does not levy personal income taxes, making it a haven for entrepreneurs. Citizens of Monaco have not paid taxes since 1870.
Interesting fact, citizens of Monaco are not allowed to play for money or visit casinos.
About 33,000 people live in Monaco, of which 9,000 are indigenous and more than 20,000 are visitors.
Monaco does not have navy or air force. The army size is just over 100 people.
Interestingly, in Monaco there is a Formula 1 race track running through the streets of the city.
Monaco has the highest number of police officers per person in the world, with 500 police officers for 33,000 people.
France is responsible for the defense of Monaco if it is attacked by another nation.
Humanity is extremely unevenly distributed across the surface of our planet. For example, a small Asian state may have more people living than the entire continent of Australia. Where is the most populous country in the world? And why is she interesting? Let's figure it out.
Population density concept: the most populous country in the world
By means the number of inhabitants per unit area (most often per 1 square kilometer). This indicator is not the same in different countries and parts of the planet. So, in large cities it can be several thousand people per 1 sq. km. In other regions of the Earth, you risk not meeting a single living soul for many tens and even hundreds of kilometers.
The states and territories with the highest population density are concentrated in Europe, South and Southeast Asia. And in the world it is located in the southern part of Europe. This is Monaco, which has a population of only 37 thousand people.
In terms of population, this country can be compared with Istra, located near Moscow. At the same time, Monaco occupies a tiny area of 2.02 square meters. km. Thus, the population density in this country is colossal - about 18,000 people/sq. km.
Monaco is a microstate in southern Europe
So, the country with the highest population density, as we have already found out, is Monaco. What else is interesting about this and where exactly is it located?
Monaco is a classic example of a semi-enclave. The country is sandwiched by France from the north and the Mediterranean Sea from the south. The climate here is subtropical, moderately warm and dry. The country is located on the slopes of mountains that are covered with forests and shrubs. The state of Monaco was formed at the end of the 13th century. And in 1861 the principality became completely independent.
The most populous country in the world is special, amazing and unique in many ways. As proof of this thesis, here are five of the most interesting facts about the Principality of Monaco:
- tourism and gambling business are the two main sources of filling the state treasury of this country;
- there are only 82 soldiers in the regular army of Monaco;
- in Monaco there is the world famous Oceanographic Museum, whose director was Jacques-Yves Cousteau;
- it was here, in Monte Carlo, that the first casino in Europe was opened;
- Monaco has almost zero crime rate.
Population of Monaco
According to the latest data, 37,613 people are exactly how many people live in this country. As many as four cities could fit within the state: the well-known Monte Carlo, the business center of La Condamine, Fontville and, in fact, Monaco. It is curious that the country's leadership annually increases its area by several hectares by filling up coastal areas of the sea.
The national composition is represented by more than a hundred different ethnic groups and nationalities. Most of the people here are French (about 28%). Next come the Monegasques (autochthonous inhabitants of the principality), Italians, English and Belgians. There are 107 native Russians in Monaco (as of 2008).
The country's population is not growing, but it is not decreasing either. The natural increase is 0.8% per year. There are slightly more women in the country than men. The majority of residents of the principality consider themselves Catholics (almost 90%).
Monaco and big sport
Monaco is not only a gaming center, but also a sports center in Europe. Football and auto racing are what the country is best known for. In addition, the indigenous inhabitants of the Monegasque principality are quite strong in fencing.
Since 1929, Monaco has hosted one of the stages of the prestigious Formula 1 race. At this time, the local narrow streets with their numerous tunnels and sharp bends turn into tracks for spectacular races.
The principality also has its own football club. And professional. FC Monaco represents the country in the football league of neighboring France and often takes part in European cups. At one time, famous world football stars played in the club - Thierry Henry and the club became the champion of France seven times in the entire history of its existence.