n.
officially Principality of Monaco
Independent principality, on the Mediterranean Sea near the France-Italy border.
Area: 0.75 sq mi (1.95 sq km). Population (2002 est.): 32,000. The majority of Monaco's population is composed of French citizens, with a small minority of Italians. Less than 15% are of Monegasque descent. Language: French (official). Religion: Roman Catholicism. Currency: euro. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the area was known to the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. In 1191 the Genoese took possession of it; in 1297 the reign of the Grimaldi family began. The Grimaldis allied themselves with France except for the period from 1524 to 1641, when they were under the protection of Spain. France annexed Monaco in 1793, and it remained under French control until the fall of Napoleon , when the Grimaldis returned. In 1815 it was put under the protection of Sardinia. A treaty in 1861 called for the sale of the towns of Menton and Roquebrune to France and the establishment of Monaco's independence. Monaco, situated along the Côte d'Azur , is one of Europe's most luxurious resorts, known for its Monte-Carlo gambling centre, international sports-car races, and beaches. In 1997 the 700-year rule of the Grimaldis, under Prince Rainier , was celebrated.