Monaco

The Principality of Monaco is a West European microstate and city-state located on the French Rivera. It is famous as a gambling destination and tax haven, and hosts the Monaco Grand Prix. It is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, rivaled only by the Vatican City, and also the most densely populated. It is currently under the rule of Prince Albert II.

Quotes

Deo Juvante [with God’s help]
- State motto

Despite the fact that, each year, thousands of people journey to the gambling casino at Monte Carlo with carefully thought out "systems" calculated to break the bank, the ivory balls on the flashing roulette wheels netted that institution 65,860,170 francs ($4,530,000) [c. $82,740,582 in 2024] last season.
- “Monte Carlo Casino Yields Huge Annual Profit”, Weird Tales vol. 2 issue 1 (1923)

Its principal resources are the fishery of the gulf, the cultivation of fruit trees (olive, orange, lemon), and the Casino of Monte Carlo, established in 1856, whose revenues are sufficient to free the inhabitants of the principality from the burden of taxation.
- Umberto Benigni, Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)

Monaco is assuredly the loveliest spot on the entire Ligurian coast. More the pity that it should be delivered over to such evil associations as cling to it.
The princes had coined gold, silver, and copper money from 1505, with the legend, "Christus regnat, Christus imperat. Christus vincit." [Christ reigns, Christ commands. Christ conquers.] This legend became inappropriate thenceforth, in Monaco.
An old Italian proverb was to this effect: Monaco io sono un scoglio. Del mio non ho quello d'altrui non taglio pur viver voglio. That may be rendered, "I am Monaco, a mere rock; I have naught of my own, I take no goods of others; yet I must live." This proverb is now as inappropriate as the legend on the coins; for Monaco lives and thrives on the plunder of those who go there to empty their money on the tables.
- Sabine Baring-Gould, A Book of the Riviera, chapter 14

I long for the Mediterranean ... I feel in my bones that I belong in Monaco.
- Princess Caroline of Monaco, quoted in Grace of Monaco

If you imagine Monaco at the beginning of the 20th century, it was a really small town which had the elite coming in the winter and the rest of the year it was just fishermen and some little hotels. It was a very simple life and this helps us keep our feet on the ground and appreciate everything we have. One generation back, two generations back, people were living in completely different conditions. A lot of people remember that here.
Prince Albert has definitely set Monaco on a sports path and I think that’s amazing. So many sportspeople live here and it’s not just for tax reasons. If you go to the stadium, you have every sport from fencing, swimming, diving, boxing, you name it. All the track and field.
- Pierre Casiraghi, Interview, 2019