Western Europe · MCO
Monaco
The story · 9 chapters
How it was drawn
A Ligurian harbour named by the Greeks, granted to Genoa in 1191 and seized by the Grimaldi family in 1297, which survived under Spanish, French and Sardinian protection and lost most of its land in 1861.
Play the story Take the first lessonThrough the ages
Rivals in history
The kingdoms, empires and states Monaco fought or stood against, from the first to today.
- Roman Republic238 BC to 14 BC
Rome fights the Ligurian tribes of this coast from the third century BC and completes the conquest of the western Alps under Augustus, celebrated by the trophy at La Turbie above Monaco.
- Muslim raiders of Fraxinetum890 to 973
From a fortified base at Fraxinetum in Provence, Muslim raiders control the coast and Alpine passes for nearly a century, until Provencal lords drive them out in 973.
- Republic of Genoa1297 to 1507
The Grimaldi, Guelph exiles, seize the Genoese fortress in 1297. Genoa and its rival factions retake and lose the rock several times, and a Genoese army besieges it in vain in 1506 and 1507.
- Kingdom of Spain1605 to 1641
Spanish protection, accepted in 1524, turns into a Spanish garrison from 1605. In November 1641 Prince Honore II, now allied with France, has his men overpower the garrison and expel it.
- French First Republic1793 to 1814
Revolutionary France annexes Monaco in 1793, imprisons members of the princely family and sells off its property. The principality is restored only after Napoleon's fall.
- Kingdom of Sardinia1848 to 1861
Menton and Roquebrune, protected by Sardinia, break away in 1848. When Nice passes to France in 1860, Monaco sells its rights to the two towns to France in 1861.
- Kingdom of Italy1942 to 1944
Italian troops occupy Monaco in November 1942. After Italy's armistice in September 1943, German forces take over until the liberation of the coast in September 1944.
- French Fifth Republic1962 to 1963
De Gaulle's France objects to French businesses and residents avoiding tax in Monaco. In 1962 French customs officers set up checkpoints at the border; a 1963 agreement makes French citizens living in Monaco pay French tax.
Today
Monaco now
The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present-day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling GRIMALDI family first seized control in 1297 but was not able to permanently secure its holding until 1419. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, coastal Mediterranean scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world-famous as a tourist and recreation center.
- Capital
- Monaco
- Government
- constitutional monarchy
- Head of government
- Christophe Mirmand
- Head of state
- Albert II, Prince of Monaco
- Languages
- French
- Area
- 75 km²
Through time
Then and now
- Population39,0002023 · 19,700 in 1950
- Life expectancy86.4 years2023 · 68.0 years in 1950
- Living in cities100%2025 · 100% in 1950
- Literacy97%1950
- Military alliancesNone of these2024 · None of these in 1950
- War deathsNone2025
Population: HYDE 3.3, Gapminder and UN WPP. GDP per capita: Maddison Project Database 2023. Urban share: UN WPP. Life expectancy: Riley, HMD, UN WPP. Literacy: OWID historical estimates, World Bank, UNESCO. Military spending: SIPRI. War deaths: UCDP. Political regime: V-Dem, Regimes of the World. All via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0). Alliances and organization memberships: compiled by Atlas. Satellites in orbit: CelesTrak SATCAT. Modern borders, backcast.
Relations
Close partners and tensions
Close partners
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Spain
- United States
Summarised from World Bank and Wikipedia data, updated 23 October 2026.