Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera close to the Italian region of Liguria in Western Europe. France borders it to the north, east, and west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The principality is home to 38,682 residents, of whom 9,486 are Monégasque nationals; it is widely recognized for being one of the world's most expensive and wealthiest places.
The official language is French, although Monégasque (a dialect of Ligurian), Italian, and English are spoken and understood by a sizeable group. With an area of 2.1 km2 (0.81 sq mi), it is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City.