History of Monaco in Timeline

Monaco is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera, bordered by France and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the second smallest and most densely populated country in the world, with a population of over 38,000 living in just over 2 square kilometers. Monaco also has the shortest national coastline. While French is the official language, Italian and Monégasque are also commonly spoken.

1910: Monégasque Revolution forces adoption of constitution

In 1910, the Monégasque Revolution took place, leading to the adoption of the 1911 Constitution of Monaco.

1911: Principality subdivided into three municipalities

According to the constitution of 1911, the principality was subdivided into three municipalities.

1911: Adoption of the Constitution of Monaco

In 1911, the Constitution of Monaco was adopted, slightly reducing the autocratic rule of the Grimaldi family.

1911: Monaco governed under a constitutional monarchy

Since 1911, Monaco has been governed under a constitutional monarchy, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as head of state.

1911: Monte Carlo Rally held in Monaco

Since 1911, the ending portions of the Monte Carlo Rally have been held in the principality.

1917: Municipalities merged into one

In 1917, the municipalities were merged into one, and they were accorded the status of Wards or Quartiers thereafter.

July 1918: New Franco-Monégasque Treaty signed

In July 1918, a new Franco-Monégasque Treaty was signed, providing for limited French protection over Monaco.

1918: French Treaty

The French Treaty of 1918 supported Monaco's independence from France.

1919: Treaty of Versailles endorses Franco-Monégasque Treaty

In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles endorsed the Franco-Monégasque Treaty, establishing that Monégasque international policy would align with French interests.

1925: Dedication of St Paul's Church

St Paul's Church, the Anglican church in Monaco, was dedicated in 1925.

1929: Founding of the Monaco Grand Prix

In 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix was founded. The race is held on the temporary Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo.

September 1943: German Wehrmacht occupies Monaco

In September 1943, after Mussolini's fall from power, the German Wehrmacht occupied Italy and Monaco, and the Nazi deportation of the Jewish population began.

August 1944: Germans execute Resistance leaders

In August 1944, the Germans executed René Borghini, Joseph-Henri Lajoux, and Esther Poggio, who were Resistance leaders.

1946: Opening of the Grotte de l'Observatoire to the public

In 1946, the Grotte de l'Observatoire, located in Jurassic limestone, was opened to the public.

1948: Association Culturelle Israélite de Monaco founded

The Association Culturelle Israélite de Monaco, founded in 1948, contains a synagogue, a community Hebrew school, and a kosher food shop.

1949: Rainier III succeeds to the throne

In 1949, Rainier III succeeded to the throne upon the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II.

1950: Monaco Grand Prix joins Formula One calendar

Since the first season in 1950, the Monaco Grand Prix has been on the Formula One calendar.

April 1956: Prince Rainier marries Grace Kelly

On April 19, 1956, Prince Rainier married the American actress Grace Kelly, an event that garnered worldwide attention.

1958: Building dates from

The Reformed church building dates from 1958.

1959: Monaco participates in Eurovision Song Contest

In 1959, Monaco began participating regularly in the Eurovision Song Contest.

1959: Building dates from

The Reformed church building dates from 1959.

1962: Amendment to the constitution

In 1962, an amendment to the constitution abolished capital punishment, provided for women's suffrage and established a Supreme Court of Monaco.

1962: Taxation tension between France and Monaco

In the early 1960s, specifically 1962, there was some tension between France and Monaco over taxation, where French citizens living in Monaco were required to pay taxes to France unless they resided in Monaco before 1962 for at least 5 years.

1962: Prince shares veto power with the National Council

Under the 1962 Constitution of Monaco, the prince shares his veto power with the unicameral National Council.

1963: Special agreement with France

In 1963, Monaco made a special agreement with France in which French customs laws apply in Monaco and its territorial waters.

1963: Crisis with France over tax haven status

In 1963, a crisis developed when Charles de Gaulle blockaded Monaco, angered by its status as a tax haven for wealthy French citizens.

1966: Monaco part of Giro d'Italia

In 1966, Monaco was part of the Giro d'Italia.

1966: Sovereign ordinance divided the principality

In 1966, a sovereign ordinance divided the principality into reserved sectors and wards for town planning purposes.

1967: Minouche Barelli represents Monaco in Eurovision

In 1967, French-born Minouche Barelli represented Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest.

1971: Monaco wins Eurovision Song Contest

In 1971, Monaco won the Eurovision Song Contest, despite none of the artists representing the principality being originally Monegasque.

1979: Monaco participates in Eurovision Song Contest

In 1979, Monaco participated in the Eurovision Song Contest.

1981: Archdiocese of Monaco

In 1981 the diocese, which had existed since the mid-19th century, was raised to a non-metropolitan archbishopric as the Archdiocese of Monaco.

1993: Monaco becomes a UN member

In 1993, Monaco became a full voting member of the United Nations, marking a significant step in its international recognition.

1993: Monaco becomes a member of the United Nations

In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations, gaining full voting rights.

1994: International School of Monaco founded

The International School of Monaco was founded in 1994.

1997: Audiovisual Institute of Monaco founded

In 1997, the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco was founded. The institute aims to preserve audiovisual archives and showcase how the Principality of Monaco is represented in cinema.

1999: Opening of Monaco-Monte Carlo station

The current Monaco-Monte Carlo train station, built partly underground, was opened in 1999.

2000: Report by French politicians

Also in 2000, a report by French politicians stated that Monaco had relaxed policies with respect to money laundering and that the Government of Monaco had been placing political pressure on the judiciary.

2000: Foreign residents of Monaco

As of 2000, nearly two-thirds of the residents of Monaco were foreigners.

2000: Council of Europe evaluation

Between 1998 and 2000, the Council of Europe evaluated Monaco, among twenty-two territories, on a first round of reports naming tax havens.

2000: FATF report

In 2000, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) stated that while Monaco's anti-money laundering system was comprehensive, the FIU of Monaco (SICCFIN) suffered a great lack of adequate resources.

2001: Monaco refused to perform the second round

In 2001, Monaco refused to perform the second round of the Council of Europe reports about tax havens.

2001: Minting of new euro coins started

In preparation for the introduction of the euro, the minting of the new euro coins started as early as 2001.

2001: Monaco coins

Monaco's first decimal coins of the Monégasque franc were issued in 1837 and continued until 2001.

2002: Minouche Barelli acquires Monegasque citizenship

In 2002, French-born Minouche Barelli acquired Monegasque citizenship, 35 years after representing the principality in the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest.

2002: Introduction of the euro

In 2002, Monaco introduced the euro as its currency and was granted the right to use its own designs on the national side of the euro coins.

2002: New treaty between France and Monaco

In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that the principality would remain independent even without Grimaldi heirs.

2002: Constitutional amendment on Minister of State citizenship

Until 2002, the Minister of State was a French citizen; since a constitutional amendment in 2002, the Minister of State can be French or Monégasque.

2003: Georges Marsan becomes mayor

Georges Marsan has been mayor of Monaco since 2003.

2004: Monaco joins the Council of Europe

In 2004, Monaco joined the Council of Europe, expanding its participation in international policies and collaborations.

2004: Monaco participates in Eurovision Song Contest

In 2004, Monaco participated in the Eurovision Song Contest.

2004: OECD denounces Monaco

In 2004, the OECD denounced Monaco in a report for its lack of co-operation regarding financial information disclosure and availability.

March 2005: Rainier III relinquishes duties to Albert

On March 31, 2005, Rainier III, too ill to continue, relinquished his duties to his son Albert.

July 2005: Prince Albert II formally assumes the crown

On July 12, 2005, Prince Albert II formally assumed the princely crown in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral.

November 2005: Reception for Prince Albert II at the Prince's Palace

On November 18, 2005, a ceremony and elaborate reception for heads of state was held at the historic Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville to celebrate Prince Albert II's accession to the throne.

2005: Death of Rainier III and accession of Albert II

In 2005, Rainier III died after a 56-year reign, and his son Albert II succeeded him as Sovereign Prince of Monaco.

2005: IMF identifies Monaco as a tax haven

In its Progress Report of 2005, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified Monaco, along with 36 other territories, as a tax haven.

2005: Third and final round

The third and final round of Council of Europe reports about tax havens was planned between 2005.

2006: Monaco participates in Eurovision Song Contest

In 2006, Monaco participated in the Eurovision Song Contest.

2006: Coin design change

In 2006, the design of Monégasque coins was changed after Prince Rainier's death to feature the effigy of Prince Albert.

2007: Membership of St Paul's Church

In 2007, St Paul's Church had a formal membership of 135 Anglican residents in the principality but was also serving a considerably larger number of Anglicans temporarily in the country, mostly as tourists. The church also accommodates an English-language library of over 3,000 books.

2007: Third and final round

The third and final round of Council of Europe reports about tax havens was planned in 2007.

2008: Population of Monaco

In 2008, the population of Monaco was 35,000.

2008: Previous expansion consideration called off

Monaco had previously considered an expansion in 2008, but had called it off.

2009: Monaco secured a place on the "white list"

In 2009, Monaco secured a place on the "white list" after signing twelve information exchange treaties with other jurisdictions.

2009: Prince Albert II ended land reclamation plans

In his 2009 New Year Speech, Prince Albert II announced he had ended new land reclamation plans due to the economic climate.

2010: Prince Albert II restarted land reclamation programme

In mid-2010, Prince Albert II firmly restarted the new land reclamation programme.

2012: International Religious Freedom Report

According to Monaco's 2012 International Religious Freedom Report, Roman Catholics are Monaco's largest religious group, followed by Protestant Christians.

2012: Monaco's real estate market

For the fourth year in a row, Monaco in 2012 had the world's most expensive real estate market, at $58,300 per square metre.

2012: Bronze in bobsleigh at Winter Youth Olympics

Monaco won a bronze medal in bobsleigh at the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics.

2012: Greek Orthodox church

Monaco's 2012 International Religious Freedom Report states that there is one Greek Orthodox church in Monaco.

2013: Saint Michel and other redistricting

In 2013, most of Saint Michel became part of Monte Carlo. La Colle and Les Révoires were merged as part of a redistricting process, becoming part of the Jardin Exotique ward.

2013: Population of Monaco

In 2013, the population of Monaco was 36,000, with about 20 per cent being native Monegasque.

2013: Latest division dates

In 2013, the principality's division into reserved sectors and wards was modified, creating two reserved sectors and seven wards.

2013: Dissolution of three additional wards

In 2013, three additional wards were dissolved.

2013: Disproportionate election results

In the 2013 Monegasque general election, the Horizon Monaco and Union Monegasque parties got 50.34% and 38.99% of the votes respectively, but got 20 and 3 seats each.

2014: Inauguration of Solar1 Monte Carlo Cup

In 2014, Monaco inaugurated the Solar1 Monte Carlo Cup, a series of ocean races exclusively for solar-powered boats.

August 2015: Albert II apologizes for Monaco's role in WWII deportations

On August 27, 2015, Albert II apologized for Monaco's role during World War II in facilitating the deportation of 90 Jews and resistance fighters.

2015: Monaco approves land reclamation expansion

In 2015, Monaco unanimously approved a land reclamation expansion to accommodate housing and a park area, with the new district named Anse du Portier.

2015: Monaco's total population

In 2015, Monaco's total population was 38,400.

2015: Immigrant population

In 2015, the immigrant population was estimated at 60% of Monaco's residents, with an immigration rate of about 4 people per 1,000.

2016: Most expensive apartment located in Monaco

In 2016, Forbes reported that the world's most expensive apartment, a penthouse at the Odeon Tower, was located in Monaco and valued at $335 million.

2017: Parish of St Joseph dates from

The Monaco Parish of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (Parish of St Joseph) dates from 2017.

February 2018: Snowfall in Monaco and Monte Carlo

On February 27, 2018, both Monaco and Monte Carlo experienced snowfall.

2018: Real estate prices reach €100,000 per square metre

In 2018, real estate prices in Monaco reached €100,000 ($116,374) per square metre, highlighting the country's status as one of the most expensive places in the world.

2019: Percentage of millionaires

According to 2019 studies, 31% of Monaco's population is reported to be millionaires equalling up to 12,248 individuals.

February 2020: First case of COVID-19 announced

On February 29, 2020, Monaco announced its first case of COVID-19, a man admitted to the Princess Grace Hospital Centre.

September 2020: Launch of Monaco's first satellite, OSM-1 CICERO

On September 3, 2020, the first Monégasque satellite, OSM-1 CICERO, was launched into space from French Guiana aboard a Vega rocket. The satellite was built in Monaco by Orbital Solutions Monaco.

2020: Monaco's average real estate price

In 2020, the average price of real estate in Monaco went down to $53,378 per square metre, remaining one of the most expensive.

2022: International tourist arrivals

In 2022, Monaco had approximately 300,000 international tourist arrivals.

July 2023: UN estimated population

As of 1 July 2023, the United Nations estimated Monaco's population to be 36,297.

2023: Monegasque general election results

Following the 2023 Monegasque general election, all 24 seats are held by the pro-monarchist Monegasque National Union.

June 2024: FATF added Monaco to its "grey list"

In June 2024, the FATF added Monaco to its "grey list", due to statewide issues of money laundering and terrorist financing.

June 2024: Monaco placed under increased monitoring to combat money laundering

In June 2024, the Financial Action Task Force placed Monaco under increased monitoring to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, as the country is a global hub of money laundering.

December 2024: Opening of Le Portier neighbourhood

In December 2024, the new 6-hectare neighbourhood, Le Portier, built by land reclaimed from the sea, was opened and attached to the ward of Larvotto.

2024: Nationalities of residents

As of 2024, Monégasques make up 24.1% of residents, followed by French (21.8%), Italian (19.5%), British (7.6%), Swiss (3.1%), Russian (3.1%), Belgian (2.7%), and German nationals (2.5%).

2024: Visa-free travel

By 2024, Monaco allows Visa-free travel from 86 countries around the world.

2024: Freedom House ranks Monaco 60th

Freedom House ranked Monaco 60th of 207 countries in 2024, deducting points for having an unelected political head of state and head of government.

2024: Opening of Le Portier and new esplanade at Larvotto beach

In 2024, a small residential expansion, Le Portier was opened, and additionally a new esplanade was added at Larvatto beach.

2024: Inauguration of Le Portier

In 2024, with the inauguration of Le Portier, Monaco's total area grew to 2.08 km (0.80 sq mi) or 208 ha (510 acres); subsequently, new plans were approved to extend the district of Fontvieille by 0.08 km (0.031 sq mi) or 8 ha (20 acres).