Old Postcard Wednesday--Monaco

I thought we all needed a change of scenery, at least in the landscapes of our minds. This scene of Monaco made me sigh after a day of mighty rains in our valley that have produced somewhat an irregular moat around the front of our house. I could be stuck in an airport like so many travelers are right now, and things could always be worse. Still, this has been one hell of a stressful year and two things in the last 24-hours have held some respite for me: on Tuesday I had my first-ever acupuncture treatment, and then late Tuesday night I looked at this postcard.

Now, I could be all standardized with information about the place and give you some quotes from, and link to, the Monaco Official Site. OR.....I could give you what I found in the first link I clicked on because I was intrigued by the "CIA" mentioned in conjunction with my search on Monaco, and that is indeed what I am going to share.

The website I happened upon is The World Factbook, a publication of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). I haven't hunted around the site yet because I needed to stay on task, which is information about Monaco and the link above will take you to the page for that country. However, there is a drop-down bar where you can Select a Country or Location, and bingo! .... the world according to the CIA is at your fingertips!

This is a Screenprint of the topics covered.

Notice below the map you are able to "Expand All" and "Collapse All"? Well, I suggest expanding all because, along with expected info and stats, there is some truly esoteric information there! Some samples follow:

Background:
The Genoese built a fortress on the site of present day Monaco in 1215. The current ruling Grimaldi family first seized temporary control in 1297, and again in 1331, but were not able to permanently secure their 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, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center.

Area - comparative: about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Climate: Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m, highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Population: 30,586 (July 2010 est.)
   country comparison to the world: 214 


Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 89.78 years

country comparison to the world: 1

male: 85.81 years

female: 93.9 years (2010 est.)

Nationality: 
noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
adjective: Monegasque or Monacan


Economy - overview:
Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The principality also is a major banking center and has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas.

I wondered what celebrating New Year's Eve in Monaco would be like! Since the CIA doesn't seem to be in a party mood, I clicked on that Monaco Official Site to read all about New Year's Eve festivities. Happy New Year to all you Monegasques! (I learned that word from the CIA)


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