Top 10 Little Known Facts about Principato di Monaco

Landscape in Montecarlo on the Rocca. Photo by Radiuk on Wikimedia

Top 10 Little Known Facts about Principato di Monaco

Principato di Monaco which is also known as the Principality of Monaco 8s an independent city-state in Western Europe. The city-state is surrounded by France, overlooks the Ligurian Sea and is approximately ten kilometres from the Italian-French border. Principato di Monaco is one of the oldest states in the world which has existed continuously since e the end of the 13th century.

The origin of this state is traced back to the initiative of Francesco Grimaldi who was a nobleman who skillfully took possession of a castle built and owned by a Ghibelline rival. After his accomplishment of entering the manor disguised as a monk, this circumstance gave the name to the lordship that arose from it and later became a state. The capital of the principality which is also its only administrative subdivision is the municipality of Monaco.

The municipality of Monaco boasts 38,350 inhabitants and has an area of 2.02 km². Principato di Monaco is the second smallest sovereign state in the world by extension with the Vatican City with 0.44 km² as the smallest. The head of the principality has the title of a prince and the functions of the head of state are on him, but the legislative power is by the National Council.

Principato di Monaco is the richest country in the world. Its per capita income is more than $180,000 and has no income taxes but only those on value-added and social security. The economy of the principality is based on the entertainment industry like tourism and gambling as well as on real estate.

Below are the Top 10 Little Known Facts about Principato di Monaco:

1. Principato di Monaco is the Penultimate Sovereign state in the World

Principato di Monaco is a unique state across the world. It has its capital and only administrative subdivision in the municipality of Monaco. The municipality of Monaco has a population of thirty-eight thousand, three hundred and fifty inhabitants.

What makes the Principato di Monaco more unique is it is the penultimate sovereign state in the world by extension. It has an area of 2.02 km². Only Vatican City has the smallest area of 0.44 km².

2. The Form of State of Principato di Monaco is a Constitutional Monarchy

Prince Rainier III at the White House. Photo by Robert LeRoy Knudsen on Wikimedia

Being the penultimate sovereign state in the world, there are several questions on the form of state of the Principato di Monaco. Its form of state is a principality or a constitutional monarchy whose sovereign has the title of prince. The Prince has the functions of the head of state.

However, the legislative power is exercised by a single-chamber parliament called the National Council which is elected by universal suffrage. The executive power of the principality is exercised by the Governing Council. Principato di Monaco’s head of state is Prince Albert the second who has been in office since 2005.

3. Principato di Monaco has No Administrative Subdivisions

Being a small sovereign state, Principato di Monaco lacks several components that make a state a whole. There are no administrative subdivisions in the principality.

The only subdivision that is in the principality is the Municipality of Monaco. The most famous locality in the principality is the historic district of Monte Carlo located in the city centre. It houses the well-known casino known as Monte Carlos.

4. There is a Non-permanent City Car Route on the Streets of the City-state

Monte Carlos Circuit. Photo by Planet Labs Inc on Wikimedia

The city-state of the Principato is so unique in several other ways. On the streets of the principality is a non-permanent city car route. This non-permanent city car route is known as the Monte Carlo circuit on which the Monaco Grand Prix has run since 1929.

Since 1950, the Formula 1 World Championship has been running in the Principality and has seen the victory of several undisputed motorsport figures. They include the Brazilian Ayrton Senna, the British Graham Hill, Stirling Moss, Jackie Steward and Lewis Hamilton, the French Alain Prost, the Germans Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher and the Dutch Max Verstappen.

5. Principato is the Richest Country in the World

Being the second smallest sovereign state in the world, its economy has always been questionable. However, Principato is ranked as the richest country in the world.

Principato di Monaco is the richest country in the world per capita income which is more than $180,000. There are no income taxes in the Principato di Monaco, only those on value-added and social security.

6. The Principality’s Economy is Dependent on the Entertainment Industry and Real Estate

Panorama del Principato di Monaco. Photo by Radiuk on Wikimedia

Being ranked as the richest country in the world, many might think that there are several sources of income for the Principality. The economy of Principato di Monaco is dependent on two sources.

It depends on the Entertainment industry majorly on tourism and gambling as the biggest casino in the world, Monte Carlo is there. The Principality also depends on real estate.

The average prices of the houses present in the principality are the highest in the world. In 2012, the prices were more than $58,000 per square meter.

7. There are Three Widely Used Languages in the Principality

Principato di Monaco is occupied by people from various ethnicities. The huge population is of the French nationalities, followed by Italians, British, German, Swiss and Americans.

There are three widely used languages in the principality other than English. Article 8 of Principato’s constitution states that the official language is French. Italian is another language that is widely used the Monegasque dialect is the third language.

8. The Principality of Monaco has a Population of 38,800

Fortress of the Principality of Monaco. Photo by Radiuk on Wikimedia

Despite its small size, the Principality of Monaco is a cosmopolitan statement. The population destiny rate is the highest in the world with an average of 1.86 inhabitants per square decameter.

The total population of the Principality is thirty-eight thousand eight hundred inhabitants. 7,634 of the inhabitants or 20.1% are made of the Monegasque population.

The Principality is one of the European sovereign states with the lowest percentage of the native population. The highest and most important presence is of the French with 26.3%, followed by Italians at 18.57% and the British with 7.51%.

9. Citizenship of the Principality can be Obtained in Three Ways

It is easy to get citizenship of the Principality of Monaco. According to the provisions of the constitution of the Principality, Monegasque citizenship is easily acquired by naturalisation, marriage, adoption or filiation.

10. The Principality has 7 Major Recurring Events

A view of Monaco. Photo by HR Tsua on Wikimedia

Principato di Monaco is a very special place to visit and enjoy its culture and the events that take place there. There are several events which take place at the Principality annually.

However, seven of these events keep on recurring each year. They include the Monaco Grand Prix, Grand Gala of the Red Cross of Monaco, International festival du cirque de Monte-Carlo, Monte-Carlo television festival, Festival du film de Monaco, and Imagine and Printemps des Arts.