Monaco

There is no consensus on the origin and meaning of the name Monaco. According to one hypothesis, in the VI century BC, Ligurian tribes founded the Monoikos colony on this site, the name of which comes from the name of the Greek mythological hero Hercules ^[8] - “Portus Hercules of Monoyki”, that is, “the port of the lonely Hercules” . The Roman emperor Julian the Apostate also wrote about the participation of Hercules in the construction of the port of Monaco and the coastal road ^[9] . Many altars dedicated to Hercules were placed on this road, and a temple was built on the in his honor. Monoeci means “lonely”, and Monoikos means “secluded house”, which can mean a temple of Hercules on a rock or an isolated community of inhabitants inhabiting the area around the rock ^[8] .

The first people built their settlements on the territory of Monaco in the X century BC. e., they were the Phoenicians. Much later, the Greeks and Monoyoks joined .

The history of modern Monaco begins in 1215 with the establishment of a colony of the Genoese Republic on the territory of the Principality and the construction of a fortress.

On January 8, 1297 , during the civil war in Genoa, Monaco was occupied by Francesco Grimaldi and his supporters. This date is considered to be the beginning of the rule of the Grimaldi dynasty and the existence of an independent state of Monaco. Since then, for over 700 years, the principality has been ruled by representatives of this family name.

In 1641, under the Perron Treaty, the principality came under the protectorate of France.

In 1789, the country was annexed by France.

The Treaty of Paris (first) on May 30, 1814 restored the principality within the borders that existed before January 1, 1792 , under the French protectorate.

After the final collapse of the Empire according to the Paris Treaty (second) on November 20, 1815, Monaco was transferred under the protectorate of the Sardinian kingdom .

In March 1860 , in gratitude for the military assistance provided by the French emperor Napoleon III to the cause of the unification of Italy , the Kingdom of Sardin ceded France to Savoy and the county of Nice , including Menton and Roquebrune . July 18, 1860 Sardinia withdrew its troops from Monaco, thereby putting an end to the protectorate ^[10] .

In 1865, a casino was opened in Monte Carlo and a customs union with France was created, which significantly pushed the country's economic development.

The first constitution, limiting the power of princes, was enacted in 1911 .

A significant acceleration of the economy of Monaco was given by the investment activities of Aristotle Onassis , who expanded the territory of the principality, invested in the construction of the port and the entertainment industry.

In 1993, Monaco became a full member of the UN .

Widespread interest in Monaco was aroused by the wedding in 1956 of the then ruler of Prince Rainier III (ascended the throne in 1949 ) with the Hollywood actress Grace Kelly . Rainier also launched active construction in Monaco.

On March 31, 2005, Prince Rainier III, too sick to exercise his powers, handed them over to his only son and heir, Prince Albert. Rainier died on April 6, 2005.

Currently, the son of Rainier III - Prince Albert II , who ascended the throne after the death of his father in 2005, rules.

In its form of government, Monaco is a constitutional monarchy , with some secondary signs of dualism . The head of state is the prince .

The state structure of the country is regulated by the Constitution , enacted on December 17, 1962 . The Constitution, in particular, although it proclaims the principle of separation of powers , however, the power of the prince is absolute (nothing can be limited to anyone). In 2002, the constitution of the principality was revised. Officially, the powers of the legislative body (National Council) were somewhat expanded.

Executive power is represented by the Minister of State (head of government) and the State Council ( government ) headed by him, consisting of four people. The Minister of State is a French citizen who is approved by the prince for a period of 3 years on the proposal of the French government.

Legislative power is divided between the prince and the unicameral National Council ( parliament ) of 24 members, elected every 5 years on the basis of universal suffrage . In 2002, parliament received the right to legislative initiative (previously it belonged only to the prince). The Council may amend government projects, approves the introduction of taxes. It also ratifies international treaties amending existing domestic law.

The judicial branch is also headed by the prince; various courts administer justice on his behalf. The body of constitutional oversight is the Supreme Court ( Tribunal suprême ), the highest court is the Audit Court ( Cour de révision ), the lower courts are the first instance courts ( Tribunal de première instance ), the lowest level of the judiciary is the justices of the peace ( juge de paix )

The main political organizations: Union for the Principality, National Union for the Future of Monaco, Association for the Development of Monaco Society, National Democratic Union. The Monaco Trade Union has about 5 thousand members.

Monaco is located in southern Europe on the Ligurian Sea coast near the French Riviera , 20 km northeast of Nice . On land, the principality borders with France , a department of the Alpes-Maritimes .

The country's area is 2.02 km² (which is almost three times less than the Sokolniki park in Moscow). The length of the coastline is 4.1 km, the length of land borders is 4.4 km. Over the past 20 years, the country's territory has increased by almost 40 hectares due to the drainage of marine areas.

Administratively, the principality was divided into 3 communes ( French communes ), which, in turn, were divided into 10 districts ( French quartiers ). The division of the principality into three communes was legalized by a resolution of the Constitution of Monaco of 1911. Based on the amendment to the Constitution of Monaco of 1917 , the principality consists of only one single and indivisible commune, which in turn consists of 10 districts.

Commune of Monaco (existing in the period 1911-1917):

• La Condamine - An area along the port
• Monaco (Monaco) - an old city located on a rocky cape
• Monte Carlo is the richest and most prestigious area. The main resort area, the richest residences are located here

According to data for 2014, the population of Monaco is 37,800, but it is worth noting that most of the full ^{[ specify ]} citizens of the state are Monegasques . They are exempt from taxes, have the right to settle in the area of ​​the old city ^[12] . The population density is 18 713 people / km². Such a high population density is due to the fact that Monaco is a dwarf state . The annual population growth is 0.386% per year (2007 data) ^[13] . The average life expectancy according to 2015 is 89.63 years ^[14] . Among the population women are slightly predominant. The ratio of the number of men to the number of women is 947.34 men per 1000 women ^[15] (according to 2008 data ). 62% of the population is among the able-bodied. Literacy rate is 99%.

National composition (2008): ^[15]

• French - 28.24%
• Monegasques - 21.50%
• Italians - 18.57%
• British - 7.50%
• others - 24.19%. This large category includes representatives of 125 nationalities.
   

  Monaco

The largest religious group is Catholics. These include 90% of the population of the principality.

Christianity

The state religion of Monaco is Catholicism . Currently, 82% of the country's population are Catholics ^[16] . There are 5 Catholic parishes and one cathedral in Monaco, which houses the Department of the Archbishop of Monaco. The diocese, which existed since the mid-nineteenth century, was transformed into the diocese of the archbishop in 1981.

Protestants (1.2 thousand) opened the first parish in the principality in 1925. At present, they are represented by reformists (680 people), Anglicans (300 people), and two non-denominational communities of evangelical Christians .

Since 1957, the Greek Orthodox community has been operating in the Principality (120 parishioners ^[17] ).

Other religions

The followers of Judaism are 560 inhabitants of Monaco. The Muslim community has 150 people, mostly Arabs. Since the mid-1950s, supporters of the Bahá'í faith have been active in the Principality ^[18] .

It is assumed that in Monaco there are believers of other faiths and religions, however, their number is insignificant and they are not able to create a religious community. Some believers in this country attend religious gatherings in neighboring Nice or other cities in France.

Approximately 3.8 thousand inhabitants of the Principality of Monaco are not religious ^[17] .

The economy of Monaco is developing mainly due to tourism, gambling, the construction of new residences, as well as due to media outlets covering the life of the princely family.

Advantages : guaranteed bank secrecy and low taxes attract billions of fortunes from abroad. In the late 1990s. the amount of funds held in Monegasque banks had an annual increase of 18%. There is no external debt, foreign exchange reserves of about $ 2 billion. Low unemployment (3%).

Weaknesses : by agreement with France, since 1994, suspicious accounts have been disclosed by banks, which, however, has become characteristic of all other countries. Dependence on economic fluctuations in France and Italy. VAT brings 55% of government revenue. EU requirement to tighten banking and tax laws. Lack of resources, complete dependence on imports.

The legal system of Monaco belongs to the Romano-German legal family and has significant similarities with French law . In a number of areas (insurance, telecommunications, postal services, etc.), French laws directly apply.

The Constitution of Monaco (Art. 2) establishes the Principality of the rule of law based on respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms.

The main source of civil law is the Civil Code of 1881, which is a variant of the Civil Code of France in 1804. The Commercial Code of Monaco is also very close to the French counterpart.

Monaco's economic legislation is aimed at attracting foreign capital to the country through the provision of super-preferential tax treatment. The country has about 800 international companies and 50 banks.

Monaco's labor law generally complies with international standards. Workers are free to join unions. The constitution establishes the right to strike in accordance with the law. The law prohibits striking civil servants. The statutory work week is 39 hours.

The main source of criminal law is the Monaco Criminal Code. The death penalty for all crimes was abolished by the Constitution of 1962 (Article 20). The last death penalty took place in 1847.

In court proceedings, with some exceptions, French law also prevails. According to the Constitution (Article 19), arrest (except for arrest at the crime scene) is allowed only on the basis of a court order issued no later than 24 hours from the moment of arrest.

Monaco is connected to the outside world through rail , road , sea and air transport.

The length of the railway network is 1.7 km. Track gauge 1435 mm . Railways are operated by the French national railway company SNCF . The Principality is connected with France with both regional routes and TGV high-speed trains. Most of the railways passing through Monaco are tucked into underground tunnels. The underground station is the only station in the country - the Monaco - Monte Carlo station.

The total length of motorways is 50 km. There are 7 bus routes in the country, as well as bus connections to the Nice airport. In total, there are 143 bus stops in Monaco.

The city has two seaports: in the areas of La Condamine and Fontvieille . In the port of Hercule, La Hercule district, there is a water bus connecting the southern and northern parts of the port. A water taxi service is also developed.

In the area of ​​Fontvieille, the only heliport in the principality is located, connecting it with a helicopter line to the Nice airport .

The climate of Monaco is subtropical Mediterranean ^[19] , with warm, dry summers (average temperatures 20–25 degrees) and mild, rainy winters (average temperatures 10–12 degrees). The overwhelming amount of precipitation falls in autumn and winter, sunny days a year - about 300, rainy - about 60. The climate of Monaco is similar to the southern coast of France .

Monaco is a significant cultural center. Построенное в 1879 году по проекту архитектора Шарля Гарнье (автора Парижской оперы) здание Зала Гарнье является домом Филармонического оркестра Монте-Карло и Оперы Монте-Карло .

На этой сцене в разные годы пели: Нелли Мелба , Энрико Карузо , Фёдор Шаляпин , Пласидо Доминго , Лучано Паваротти . В 1911 году здесь Сергеем Павловичем Дягилевым был основан Русский балет Дягилева под покровительством князя Монако Пьера. Здесь танцевали Анна Павлова , Вацлав Нижинский , Тамара Карсавина , Джордж Баланчин , Серж Лифарь . Позже — Рудольф Нуреев , Михаил Барышников .

В Монте-Карло была создана Академия классического танца имени принцессы Грейс, возглавляемая Марикой Безобразовой . Фонд князя Пьера , основанный Ренье III в честь отца, ежегодно вручает Большую литературную премию, Музыкальную премию князя Ренье III и Международную премию в области современного искусства.

В городе расположен знаменитый Океанографический музей Монако , директором которого был легендарный исследователь Жак-Ив Кусто .

Ежегодно в Монако проходит Международный цирковой фестиваль и телевизионный фестиваль (в Гримальди форуме ).

Ежегодно с 1929 года в Монако проводится одно из самых престижных соревнований в автоспорте — « Гран-при Монако », которое с 1950 года входит в чемпионат мира « Формула-1 ». Трасса при этом пролегает по улицам города. Также Автоклуб Монако с 1911 года проводит « Ралли Монте-Карло » — одно из старейших автомотоспортивных состязаний в мире, входящее в календарь ведущих раллийных чемпионатов. Однако само ралли проводится большей частью по территории Франции, и лишь техническое обслуживание и выставочные спецучастки проводятся в самом княжестве.

Также в Монако базируется одноимённый футбольный клуб ( ФК Монако ), выступающий в чемпионате Франции по футболу . Клуб выступает на стадионе Луи II в районе Фонвьей . При этом федерация Монако по футболу не признана ФИФА , а клуб на международной арене выступает за Францию. При этом Монако состоял в NF-Board , организующей матчи непризнанных футбольных сборных.

Монако принимает один из этапов Global Champions Tour (международный турнир по конкуру). Этот этап признан самым престижным из серии, принимая самых известных всадников со всего мира.

В июле 2009 года, в Монако проходило открытие велогонки «Тур де Франс» (Le Tour de France). 2 июля в районе Ла-Кондамин прошло открытие «Тур де Франс». 4 июля первый этап велогонки проходил на территории княжества, велосипедисты проезжали 15 км по городским улицам, а 5 июля, в Монако начался второй этап «Тур де Франс».

До 2012 года в Монако на стадионе Луи II традиционно в августе каждого года проходили матчи за Суперкубок УЕФА , в котором встречались победитель Лиги чемпионов УЕФА и победитель Лиги Европы . Начиная с 2013 года каждый год Суперкубок УЕФА разыгрывается на новом месте.

На набережной около японского сада расположена Аллея футбольных звёзд Golden Foot . Это футбольный аналог аллеи звёзд в Голливуде . Здесь оставили отпечатки своих ног многие выдающиеся футболисты мира, такие как Диего Марадона, Зидан и другие.

Начальное и среднее образование

В Монако есть 10 государственных образовательных учреждений, включая 7 детских садов и начальных школ и одну среднюю школу (Колледж Шарля III), один лицей, который предоставляет общее и техническое образование (Лицей Альберта I) и один лицей, предоставляющий образование в сфере туризма. Также в Монако есть две частные школы, финансируемые религиозными общинами (Институт Франциска Ассизского Николя Баррэ и школа Доминиканцев) и одна международная школа (Международная школа Монако).

Higher Education

В Монако есть только одно высшее учебное заведение — Международный университет Монако .

• Телекоммуникации в Монако
• Международные отношения Монако
• Отношения с Францией

Под ружьём находится 82 человека. Монако, по всей видимости, единственное государство в мире, где размеры регулярной армии меньше численности военного оркестра (85 человек). Иногда для армии находится работа:

• Награды княжества Монако

• Matveev G.P. Andorra , Liechtenstein , Monaco, San Marino . - M .: Geografgiz, 1959. - 88 p. - (by the world map ).

• Monaco in the Open Directory Project (dmoz) link directory (inaccessible link - history )
• Monaco (English)
• Official Website of the Government of Monaco (French )
• History, geography, mores and sights of Monaco (review of Monaco and international publications)
• Monaco Postage Stamp Office (Fr. )
• Discovery of Monaco