A sovereign and independent state, the Principality of Monaco has borders on its landward side with several communes of the French Department of the Alpes-Maritimes; from west to east these are Cap d`Ail, la Turbie, Beausoleil and Roquebrune Cap Martin. Seawards, Monaco faces the Mediterranean.

The population of the Principality consists of 29,972 inhabitants, 5,070 of whom are Monégasques, 12,047 French and 5,000 Italian (according to the last official census in 1990).

Its surface area is 195 hectares, of which nearly 40 were recovered from the sea during the course of the last twenty years.

It lies in a narrow coastal strip which sometimes rises vertically upwards with its highest point at 163 meters. Its width varies between 1050 meters and a mere 350 meters. Its coastline is 4100 meters long.

The Principality has only one commune, Monaco, whose limits are the same as those of the state.

This is divided into five areas :

THE CLIMATE

Mild in winter (average in January and February : 8.2°) and warm without excess in summer (average in July and August : 25.5°).

The average temperature for the year is 16.31° and the Principality enjoys an exceptional amount of sun.

MEANS OF ACCESS

By air :

The Nice - Côte d`Azur International Airport is located 22 kilometers away from Monaco. Helicopter and bus services, taxis and hire cars provide permanent links between the airport and the Principality.

By helicopter (scheduled services or on request), the duration of the flight is 7 minutes.

By train :

The Monaco-Monte Carlo (SNCF) railway station is a stop for many international trains. The railway is a rapid means of communication between the Principality and all the localities of the Côte d`Azur from Cannes to Menton.

By road :

The A8 motorway, which connects with the whole of European motorway system, serves the Principality by means of easy access roads (an exit A8 - RN7 coming from Nice, la Turbie going to or coming from Nice, Roquebrune going to or coming from Italy).

Local communications are provided by three major roads : the Low, the Middle and the Great Corniches.

Service by inter-town coaches :

To Nice and Cannes, via the Low and Middle Corniches, from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. and also in the direction of Menton, Italy and the villages of the back country.

Some distances :

• Cannes 50 km

• Genoa 174 km

• Geneva 520 km

• Marseille 205 km

• Menton 7 km

• Nice 17 km

• Paris 958 km

• San Remo 35 km

• Turin 200 km

By sea :

The two harbors of the Principality, the Condamine (Hercule harbor) and Fontvieille, are equipped to handle yachts of all tonnages while intercontinental liners are able to anchor in the bay of Monaco.

www.monaco.mc