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Family owned Briggs Coaches of Swansea has diversified from minicoaches to full-size coaches and buses in recent years. The varied fleet now contains a number of Dennis Javelins, a King Long, a Noge Catalan-bodied MAN, a Beulas-bodied Iveco, a Mercedes Tourino, an Optare Tempo, a Plaxton Centro-bodied MAN and a little Plaxton Primo.
The latest acquisitions are a pair of head turning 15m Plaxton Elite-bodied Volvo B12BTs. These were new to Parks of Hamilton, and have susequently operated for Skills of Nottingham as 'stop gap' National Express coaches, and more recently with Gardiners of Spennymoor, whose livery they retain.
SN10 JRU, new as HSK 647, is seen on Oystermouth Road, Swansea in mid November 2018 when returning to base after undertaking a morning school contract.
OLALLA is an unincorporated settlement in the South Okanagan region of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, located southwest of Penticton (the nearest large city) and just north of Keremeos. Kaleden, just northeast beyond Olalla along BC Highway 3A, occupies the pass dividing the Okanagan Valley beyond and the Similkameen Country of which Olalla is a part. Olalla's name is a local adaptation of the Salish and Chinook word for "berries", a reference to locally abundant Saskatoon berries. The word is listed as olallie or ollalie in many Chinook Jargon lexicons. Olalla was the site of a mining boom in the 1890s. Briefly it was the bustling centre for several productive mines, but ore deposits did not meet expectations; the town faded and it became a small collection of homes on the highway between Keremeos and Penticton.
- from 1908 "Lovell's Gazetteer of the Dominion of Canada" - OLALLA, a post and mining settlement In Yale District, B.C., on Keremeos Creek, which empties into Okanagan Lake, 26 miles below Penticton. It contains 1 store, 1 hotel, assay office, and the Olalla Co.'s mining camp, which turns out largely a high grade of cooper-gold ore. The company also owns, adjoining the Settlement, smelter and water-power sites, which are about to be made practically available at an early day. The population in 1908 was 50.
OLALLA, population 355, in the South OKANAGAN VALLEY, 6 km north of KEREMEOS, was the site of a COPPER mining boom in the 1890s. Briefly it was the bustling centre for several productive mines, but ore deposits did not meet expectations; the town faded and it became a small collection of homes on the highway between Keremeos and PENTICTON. The name comes from a CHINOOK JARGON word for BERRIES, a reference to locally abundant Saskatoon berries. (written by Andrew Scott)
The OLALLA Post Office was established (first opening) - 1 March 1900 and closed - 10 January 1912 - (second opening) - 1 May 1921 and closed - 24 October 1942 - (third opening) - 12 December 1949 and closed - 11 October 1960 for rural mail delivery.
LINK to a list of the Postmasters who served at the OLALLA Post Office - central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=posoffposmas&id=2...
The Postmaster at OLALLA during the time this water card was posted was Jearub "Jerry" Goodkey (not Goodkay as shown on the Post Offices and Postmasters website) - he served as Postmaster from - 13 October 1954 to 13 September 1958.
(b. 15 August 1902 in Maynooth, Ontario - d. 20 September 1965 at age 66 in Penticton, British Columbia / Oliver, British Columbia) - occupation - truck driver / carpenter.
His wife - Grace Marie (nee Burtch) Goodkey / Hartwell - they were married - 8 July 1933 in Kelowna, British Columbia.
- water card sent from - / OLALLA / AM / IX 55 (year) / 5 (day) / B.C. / - cds cancel - (RF C).
Addressed to: District Engineer, / Water Resources Division, / 744 West Hastings Street, / Vancouver 1, B.C. /
Observations of Water Height on Keremeos Creek at Olalla, B.C. - the Water Height Observer was Wm. Hall.
William Nicholson Hall
(b. 10 June 1892 in Forton, Lancashire, England - d. 9 July 1975 at age 83 in Penticton, British Columbia / Olalla, British Columbia) - occupation - diversified farmer.
His wife - Dorothy Helen Sophia (nee Horton) Hall
(b. 30 November 1899 in Northleigh, England - d. 15 January 1992 at age 92 in Pentiction, British Columbia / Okanagon Falls, British Columbia) - occupation - school teacher - they were married - 13 April 1925 in Olalla, British Columbia.
In small towns, you have to diversify. Here, in Centerville, Utah, Rick dabbled in both video rental and travel. I wonder if his travel documentaries section was the best of its kind, if it was legendary. How could it not be?
Did he offer tours of famous filming locations? If you were renting Indiana Jones, would you get discounts to Petra and Tunisia? Maybe Rick would give you a deal on a stay in Martha’s Vineyard if you rented Jaws a few times.
Hate Illinois Nazis? When you rent the Blues Brothers, you get a discount tour of Chicago, starting at the Joliet Correctional Center where you get to pick up a real life Jim Belushi who gives you a tour of all the places his brother made movie history.
During the Holloween season, he could push his horror section, complete with packages taking the traveler to various spooky haunts. If you rent The Shining, you get a steep discount to the Timberline Lodge weekend! Renting the original Friday the 13th? Then Rick will SLASH the prices for your trip to Camp No-Be-So-Sco, the location used for Crystal Lake!
Of course, Rick couldn’t forget Utah itself! This is the real deal here, folks. Thrill to the sights of Lehi, Goblin Valley, and Monument Valley when you rent the Utah triple-threat: Footloose, Galaxy Quest, and Austin Powers’ Goldmember!
Curiously, I shot this photo on Kodak Vision3 – the only motion picture stock still in production. It will hopefully face a brighter future than Rick’s Video and Travel Agency.
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‘The Very Word’
Camera: Bolsey Jubilee (c1955)
Film: Kodak Vision3 250D
Process: DIY ECN-2 (Bleach Bypass)
Centerfield, Utah
So. After BSBT19 it was clear that when you are not running trains in a loop and the traffic is diversified, the track layout is more than important.
What I mean by track layout? Passing loops, side tracks and space for engines awaiting engagement.
Not a problem, you might think. Partially.
I like the idea of having huge fiddle yard somewhere. I like the idea of having fiddle yard integrated with my layout even more! :)
The idea is big. I mean - I build my layout on my own, so I can tell this is huge for me.
I want to have:
- 2 tracks of main lines with access to the platform (two directions)
- 2 tracks on side lines with access to the platform
- two passing loops each direction
- side tracks for engines / rest area
- shunting rest areas (at least 50 studs)
- shunting/fiddle yards that can be easily extended
So here it comes. It uses FxBricks 40L points and is thought to be 9V compatible. It is also intended to be MILS compatible.
As for now: most of the buildings exists. It is the matter of rebuilding the landscaping so it fits MILS standard when it comes to track head height over the baseplate and general geometry.
The plan is to have significant part of it ready for BSBT20. As much as possible, at least from the post office to the railway crossing.
Still open is the question of how to interconnect the main lines. As for now there is one point but ideally it will be to have crossings on the ends of the station.
What can go wrong...?!? ;)
Medic 67 - 2022 Ram 5500 4x4 / Wheeled Coach with a Diversified Products Push Bumper
Medic 14 - 2022 Ram 5500 4x4/Road Rescue with a Buckstop Truckware Steel Bumper
Remains of barley (Hordeum vulgare) grains found at archaeological sites in the Fertile Crescent indicate that about 10,000 years ago the crop was domesticated there from its wild relative Hordeum spontaneum. The domestication history of barley is revisited based on the assumptions that DNA markers effectively measure genetic distances and that wild populations are genetically different and they have not undergone significant change since domestication. The monophyletic nature of barley domestication is demonstrated based on allelic frequencies at 400 AFLP polymorphic loci studied in 317 wild and 57 cultivated lines. The wild populations from Israel-Jordan are molecularly more similar than are any others to the cultivated gene pool. The results provided support for the hypothesis that the Israel-Jordan area is the region in which barley was brought into culture. Moreover, the diagnostic allele I of the homeobox gene BKn-3, rarely but almost exclusively found in Israel H. spontaneum, is pervasive in western landraces and modern cultivated varieties. In landraces from the Himalayas and India, the BKn-3 allele IIIa prevails, indicating that an allelic substitution has taken place during the migration of barley from the Near East to South Asia. Thus, the Himalayas can be considered a region of domesticated barley diversification.
Lost Einsteins: Diversifying Innovation
Amy Brachio, Global Deputy Vice-Chair, EY, USA. Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF, Generation Unlimited, USA. Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General-elect, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Geneva
Maria Leptin, President, European Research Council, Belgium. Magdalena Skipper, Editor-in-Chief, Nature, United Kingdom
Tuesday 2 May 2023
14.45 - 15.30
Stakeholder Dialogue
World Economic Forum Headquarters, Eiger
Copyright: World Economic Forum/Jean-Luc Auboeuf
The Growth Summit: Jobs and Opportunity for All 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland
A crew from Diversified Rail Services, led by Gary Bensman, is nearing completion of a multi-year restoration on the former Chesapeake & Ohio locomotive which will see it return to the rails to pull the scenic’s 16 mile excursion train from Cumberland to Frostburg, MD. The next major step of the rebuild involves the two sets of wheels being placed under the locomotive. The project will utilize two cranes to lift the locomotive's massive boiler into the air.
Picture A New City Of White Plains Police Department Mobile Command Center Manufactured By LDV Inc. (Lynch Diversified Vehicles) A Lynch Company. I Beleive It Was Delivered To The City Of White Plains New York Police Department During 2019. Photo Taken Sunday September 12, 2021.
DSC6229
Pairs of choppers once served the power station in the background, although Willington Power Station is long closed, and so the class 20s have found other work. GBRf 20905 and 20901 are seen passing North Stafford Junction working 7X08 Derby Litchurch Lane to Banbury S Stock move, with 66757 tailing.
There were only a couple types of flowers on the hillside 2 weeks ago, but now the hills have diversified.
Maman a voulu diversifier ses photos, mes ses fleurs n'ont aucun succès. Alors je reviens vu que je sais que vous m'aimez !
Mom wanter to diversify her photos, but her published flower photos were not a success. So I'm coming back because I know you love me !
Slovenia
80 hectare of ecologically very diversified grounds are occupied by about 2.500 taxa of trees and shrubs.
Volčji Potok Arboretum is the most visited horticultural facility in Slovenia. In the last twenty years it became famous for its spring flower shows.
Arboretum Volčji potok, Slovenia
Explore, 26. April. 2013, the highest #455
Still trying to diversify my subjects a bit.
I've always been in awe before those steam monster but really didn't knew first thing about trains, let alone Lego trains.
So after enlightening myself a bit I started building and went for an original design to have less constraints. Still I was strongly inspired by the PRR K4 as well as some German Kriegslok'
My camera doesn't have a video function so I can't show off as much as I would like, but know the gear are working, it's motorised & it can take turns, no problems ^^
Enjoy !
The buses of Scotland - Park’s of Hamilton (Coach Hirers) Limited
Park's Motor Group is a private family-owned business which is one of the largest privately owned motor dealership groups in Scotland, representing 26 manufacturers. They are also partners in the Motability scheme, offering cars to disabled road users. In addition to motor vehicle retailing, the company has a luxury coach hire service under the name Park's of Hamilton, and operates scheduled services in Scotland and England.
Douglas Park founded the business in 1971 as Park’s Thistle Coaches, initially as a small, three-coach operation. In 1977, the company diversified into the motor trade with their first Datsun franchise in Hamilton, before adding a second a year later in Strathaven. From this point on, the business began to grow in the motor trade and by 1986 were appointed agents for Honda and BMW. In 1992, Park's Motor Group opened the UK's first multi-franchise complex in East Kilbride which featured Citroën, Fiat, Honda, Kia, Nissan, Renault and Suzuki. Since then through acquisitions and good reputations, it has added dealerships for most car companies including high end companies such as Bentley and McLaren.
Park's of Hamilton are Scotland's leading luxury coach operators with in excess of 120 coaches, which caters for both business and leisure travel throughout Britain and Europe. it’s a reputation that they’ve gained from their earliest days focusing on high quality and rapidly replacing vehicles after a few years meaning a very low average age.
Initially Bedford coaches were preferred but from the mid-1970s, Volvo coaches were purchased and these became increasingly preferred almost to the exclusion of others. Park’s became one of Volvo Bus’s most important customers and indeed a Volvo service centre for buses and trucks was opened near to Park’s depot, which is located not in Hamilton but actually in Blantyre.,That’s not to say we’re not to say other types were not used and many manufacturers have offered demonstration vehicles to try and tempt Park’s away from Volvo including Scania. MAN and IVECO.
Initially Duple body work was specified but Park’s wasn’t immune to high profile purchase. It was one of the few UK-users of Volvo’s integral C10M coach launched in the 1980s although after the demise of Duple, it moved to Plaxton bodywork. However quality issues with new Plaxton Premiere and Excalibur ranges saw overseas bodywork preferred, from either Van Hool and Jonckheere. Plaxton bodywork came back in to the frame with the launch of the Plaxton Panther and Paragon ranges.
Initially an all black livery was used with white lettering and initially Park’s Thistle Coaches fleet name although it later changed to the more recognised Park’s of Hamilton fleet name. Black was apparently selected as no other company used an overall such coloured livery and the coaches would stand out. Then with the arrivals of the C10M the livery changed from allover black to a red/grey livery. The amounts of red and grey were then tinkered with over the next few years. The fleet name then changed in the 1990s to ‘Park’s Motor Group - Scotland’s Driving Force’ although a black /gold livery returned in at the start of the millennium and Park’s of Hamilton fleetname came back soon after that.
In 1996 Park's of Hamilton expanded with the acquisition of Trathens Travel Services, based in Plymouth. In late 2009, the Trathens branding was dropped in favour of the Park's of Hamilton branding. The company provides VIP coaches for most Central Scotland based Scottish Premiership football teams, including Celtic, Rangers and the Scottish National Football Team. The continued provision of coaches to Celtic FC is seen as controversial by some of that clubs fans as Douglas Park is also chairman of arch rivals Rangers FC. Tour buses have also been supplied to holiday companies.
Although primarily a coach operator, service bus work has been run although it could be best described as ‘dipping a toe into the water’….for a short while in 1994 it ran an East Kilbride-Glasgow City Centre express service, with its Van Hool bodied Volvo B10Ms probably offering a higher standard than the competing Atlanteans and Olympians of competing Strathclyde’s Buses services. The services were withdrawn after a few weeks. It also assisted Stagecoach when it launched Stagecoach Glasgow in 1997 by running some local services, again in East Kilbride, using Stagecoach branded minibuses but utilising Park’s drivers. Again these were unsuccessful. Commuter services have also been run in the past but the pandemic and home working has blasted the economics of such services and they’ll be unlikely to return. Some schools services have also been run.
Park's of Hamilton have also operated express coach services under contract to National Express from London Victoria Coach Station to Plymouth, Newquay, Penzance, Manchester, Blackpool and Aberdeen.
It also operates services on behalf of Megabus and Scottish Citylink and is a significant contractor for Citylink. Following the joint venture between Stagecoach and Comfort Delgo to run Scottish Citylink, the Competition Authorities demanded that the joint venture divest certain journeys to increase competition. In 2008 Parks purchased these Glasgow to Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Inverness services of Scottish Citylink. They run using Park’s branded buses but in Citylink colours, Citylink route-numbers, are bookable through the Citylink website and ticket agents. You have to ask whether it was worth all the effort by the Competition Authorities.
It also run for a while Citylink Gold. This was a laudable attempt to improve the image of coach travel offering a hostess service, complementary beverages and food, wi-fi and improved seating. The services were initially run by Park’s on behalf of Scottish Citylink but proved very successful. They ran initially between Glasgow - Inverness/Aberdeen but were so successful they were expanded and extra journeys added using Stagecoach vehicles (branded Megabus Gold) and services started from Edinburgh. However the pandemic saw these off.
Park’s set the standard of luxury coaching in Scotland and many operators aspire to the standards they set. It has a modern fleet which is constantly renewed and kept immaculate. It’s fleet consists mainly of Volvo buses, mostly Plaxton and Jonckheere bodies. However this odd example is LSK870, which was new for National Express duties as BV67JYZ. It’s time on National Express over, it’s been repainted into Citylink livery for use on those services. Note the Parks of Hamilton logo on the upper front windows.
Developed by Developers Diversified, Quincy Place Mall opened in August 1990, as a 270,000 ft2 mall anchored by JCPenney, Herberger's, and Walmart.
A decades long weak economy and the departures of Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's have left the former industrial hub without a thriving retail destination. The Target behind the mall closed in 2015.
Developers Diversified really copied what Dial Properties of Omaha was doing when building this mall. The corrugated ceilings, circular lights, dated colors, and anchor combination match the Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's anchored malls that DP was building elsewhere in the Midwest. The mall was build to replace an ailing downtown pedestrian mall that was foundering even before the loss of Younkers.
Wanted to diversify the train with a bit more then flats and coal hoppers, I’m avoiding box cars for now as I want to do a lot of the more interesting shapes or with the flat cars ability to do interesting things! Still have not decided how many cars there will be yet as I do not have much space but I loved how this tanker came out. I used a few different technics from a number of builds.
Bulbophyllum cf. popayanense in situ. Du genre le plus diversifié au monde avec 2182 espèces actuellement connues. Beaucoup plus commun et diversifié dans le sud-est asiatique y en Afrique, mais également présent en Amérique Latine. En Colombie, environ 10 espèces ont été recensées. Département du Valle del Cauca, Colombie.
Bulbophyllum cf. popayanense in situ. From the more diversified genus in the world with 2182 species already known. Much more diversified and common in south-east Asia and Africa, but also present in Latin America. In Colombia, around 10 species have been registered. Valle del Cauca department, Colombia.
Bulbophyllum cf. popayanense in situ. Del género más diversificado del mundo con 2182 especies actualmente conocidas. Mucho más común y diversificado en el sudeste asiático y en África, pero también presente en Latinoamérica. En Colombia, alrededor de 10 especies han sido registradas. Departamento del Valle del Cauca, Colombia.
A little different style than my usual fashion shoots. This series is a lot more editorial than my usual style (i'll post some more images soon). I needed to diversify my portfolio and actually did this shoot with Erin way back in May but didn't edit the photos until recently.
Erin is simply one of the best models I've ever worked with. There's just no contest. I've never met anyone that gives more to a shoot than she does. Like in this shoot for example - what you can't tell from just a picture is that we were both SO paranoid and afraid something would happen because there was a ton of what looked like poison oak all over the place. While the model's safety is always #1 priority, she was a tropper and frolicked all over this forest despite everything we were worried about... she was striking poses on the ground, next to trees, etc etc etc. She really is a total professional and always braves the elements to make sure we get the shots we need. I have a tremendous amount of respect for this girl... especially because I've worked with one or two other models who were total divas and complained even when it got a bit cold. sheesh. Not Erin. She and I once did a bikini shoot on the beach in the FREEZING weather. I had three layers of clothes on and she had a two-piece on, but never complained. we shot for 6 hours that day.
This was actually one of those images that looks great on my calibrated monitor, but is off on so many levels when I upload to the web (even with an sRGB profile). See discussion here.
Model: Erin
Hair & MUA: Erin
Photography & Editing: Me
Strobist info:
single SB-600 high camera left driven by SB-800 on camera via Nikon CLS on my D300.
Developed by Developers Diversified, Quincy Place Mall opened in August 1990, as a 270,000 ft2 mall anchored by JCPenney, Herberger's, and Walmart.
A decades long weak economy and the departures of Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's have left the former industrial hub without a thriving retail destination. The Target behind the mall closed in 2015.
Developers Diversified really copied what Dial Properties of Omaha was doing when building this mall. The corrugated ceilings, circular lights, dated colors, and anchor combination match the Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's anchored malls that DP was building elsewhere in the Midwest. The mall was build to replace an ailing downtown pedestrian mall that was foundering even before the loss of Younkers.
In the small, rural town of Unadilla, in south-central Georgia, apparently you must diversify your business in order to make a living. Looks like you can have your car detailed while waiting to get your cousin out of jail!.
The dome ceiling at the Westfield San Francisco Centre is big, abstract and dramatic. Don't miss the second dramatic ceiling over at Nordstroms on the other side of the center as well.
The Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding antenna, but including a 244 m spire[2]) of 828 m (2,717 ft), the Burj Khalifa has been the tallest structure and building in the world. The building was opened in 2010 as part of a new development called Downtown Dubai. It is designed to be the centrepiece of large-scale, mixed-use development. The decision to construct the building is based on the government's decision to diversify from an oil-based economy, and for Dubai to gain international recognition.
Trying to diversify and experiment a bit with new things in photography.
Please press "L" to view in light box.
For those time when chocolate won't do (said Wonka never). Still, time to make a quick buck by licensing your name and likeness..
As the ms Zaandam leaves its Canada Place birth the Centerm container dock comes into full view. Port Metro Vancouver is Canada’s largest and most diversified port.
CENTERM:
Centerm, located on the south shore of Burrard Inlet, is a container facility that handles cargo for some of the world's largest shipping lines.
Port Metro Vancouver offers four common-user container terminals with extensive on-dock rail facilities and features the only quad lift cranes in North and South America. Container cargo accounts for approximately 20 per cent of Port Metro Vancouver's annual throughput.
Centerm is managed by DP World.
SEOUL EXPRESS:
Flag:Germany
Length:294 m
IMO:9193305
Beam:32 m
MMSI:211331640
Gross Tonnage:54465
Year Built:2000
Dead weight:66971 tons
Permission to use photo:
29 Sep 15:
Hello Mr. McGrath,
I wanted to use your picture of the Port of Vancouver (www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/15298114215/) for a professional, non-commercial use. This is with appropriate credit given with a link back to your picture and your flickr account.
I am willing to inform you any modifications I will make.
Regards
Oke
Permission to use photo
.
05 Apr 2018
.
Dear Mr. McGrath,
The Montreal Biosphere, Environment Museum, is developing an outdoor exhibition about Canadian oceans and we would be interested in displaying your photograph of Centerm Terminal within this event:
www.flickr.com/photos/time-to-look/15298114215/
Approximately 50 striking images will highlight many aspects of our oceans, such as biodiversity, history, landscapes and environmental health. The photographs will be printed on a 6-by-4-foot format (on a laminated vinyl) and the general public will have free access to the exhibition.
If you are interested, we would like to know what would be the best available resolution for the image, and the fee for a license to enlarge, print and display the work for a period of 5 years, including the right to use a small copy in a visual presentation within the museum (Powerpoint).
Of course, the source and credits of the photographs will be acknowledged when displayed.
Thank you very much for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sophie Malouin
Researcher - exhibition Oceans
For the Montreal Biosphere, Environment Museum
sophie@9moineaux.com
Developed by Developers Diversified, Quincy Place Mall opened in August 1990, as a 270,000 ft2 mall anchored by JCPenney, Herberger's, and Walmart.
A decades-long weak economy and the departures of Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's have left the former industrial hub without a thriving retail destination. The Target behind the mall closed in 2015.
Developers Diversified copied what Dial Properties of Omaha was doing when building this mall. The corrugated ceilings, circular lights, dated colors, and anchor combination match the Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's anchored malls that DP was building elsewhere in the Midwest. The mall was built to replace an ailing downtown pedestrian mall that was foundering even before the loss of Younkers.
Dec. 13–Boca Raton's first downtown hotel — the 200-room Hyatt Place Boca Raton/Downtown– is welcoming its first guests.
The Hyatt Place Boca's room offerings include 17 suites. The onsite amenities include a fitness center, rooftop pool and terrace, lobby bar, a Coffee-to-Cocktails bar and snack counter, and 4,000 square feet of flexible meeting and function space.
The hotel opened for business Tuesday. A grand opening is planned for Jan. 11. By mid-January, a Louie Bossi Restaurant is slated to open, in time for its official grand opening, said Audra Durham, director of sales.
Introductory rates for the Hyatt Place Boca start at $159 per night, noted Durham. Guest parking in the hotel's 200-space parking garage is an extra $19 per day.
"The business mix of room sales is expected to be about 50 percent corporate, 30 percent group and the rest leisure," Durham said during a tour of the property.
Developer Kolter Group of West Palm Beach had originally projected an opening for August or September after breaking ground on the new hotel at 100 E. Palmetto Park Road in May 2015. But rainy weather and site preparations for a possible strike by Hurricane Matthew led to construction delays.
"We probably lost about three or four weeks because of the hurricane, not because of damage," said James Hansen, vice president sales for Kolter Hospitality, the developer's hotel management and operations arm. He said it took a considerable amount of time to dismantle and remove equipment ahead of the storm, and then reassemble it after Matthew brushed past South Florida.
Kolter Hospitality also operates the Hyatt Place West Palm Beach, Hyatt Place Delray Beach and Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale 17th Street Convention Center.
The Boca hotel was built by general contractor Kast Construction of West Palm Beach.
Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels Corp. launched its Hyatt Place brand in 2006. The hotels are designed to appeal to the 24/7 multitasking traveler, and offer large guest rooms with sofa sleepers, free Wi-Fi and a free hotel breakfast.
"We are so excited to open the doors of the Hyatt Place Boca Raton and show off what is going to be the coolest hotel in the city," said Scott Webb, president of Kolter Hospitality, the hotel's operator. in a statement Tuesday. "We acquired the most coveted location in Boca and have built a stunning hotel located in the center of this booming downtown."
For information on Hyatt Place Boca, visit bocaraton.place.hyatt.com.
Credit for the data above is given to the following websites:
www.constructionjournal.com/companies/details/pages/DCES-...
www.hotel-online.com/press_releases/release/boca-ratons-f...
www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/Boca-Raton-FL/Hyatt-Place-Boc...
www.hyatt.com/brands/hyatt-place
fau4u2.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/construction-commences-fo...
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
FR :
J'ai revu en profondeur, la soute de fret/de débarquement. J'ai maximisé les détails. J'ai également revu les véhicules de la soute, pour les diversifier.
les 4 véhicules :
1/- Le Space Scooter, grand standard du Classic Space
2/- Le Space Buggy, un tout petit peu différent, et grand standard du Classic Space
3/- Un Heavy Space Buggy avec :
[*] - Mini Parabole de communication
[*] - Caméra
[*] - Capteurs frontaux
[*] - Trousse à outils rouge entre les 2 sièges
[*] - 2 Panneaux de contrôle / d'informations de données
[*] - 2 Sièges en brick build
[*] - Bras articulé à l'arrière
[*] - 2 outils capteurs à main
[*] - 1 conteneur pour mettre des roches
[*] - 1 talkie walkie
[*] - Panneau de contrôle du bras articulé
[*] - Calculateur de charge du bras articulé
[*] - Juge de pression du bras articulé
[*] - 2 extincteurs
[*] - 1 petit outil de réparation entre le bras et les extincteurs
4/- Le Space Buggy avec sa remorque composée de :
[*] - 2 bonhommes d'air (airtank)
[*] - 2 sacs
[*] - 1 caméra
[*] - 1 paire de jumelle
[*] - 2 outils capteurs à main
[*] - 1 réacteur dorsal (il se voit mal, car entre les bonbonnes d'air et les sac, et les antennes repliées)
[*] - 1 sac à dos noir (incrusté entre les 2 sacs gris, et légèrement décalé en dessous)
C'est bon, je crois que je suis paré pour l'exploration Lunaire ! :)
===============================
EN :
I thoroughly reviewed the cargo / disembarkation hold. I maximized the details. I also reviewed the vehicles in the hold, to diversify them.
The 4 vehicles:
1/- The Space Scooter, great standard of Classic Space
2/- The Space Buggy, a little different, and standard of the Classic Space
3/- A Heavy Space Buggy with:
[*] - Mini communication dish
[*] - Camera
[*] - Front sensors
[*] - Red tool kit between the 2 seats
[*] - 2 Control / data information panels
[*] - 2 seats-brick build
[*] - Articulated arm at the rear
[*] - 2 hand sensor tools
[*] - 1 container to put rocks
[*] - 1 Talkie walkie
[*] - Control panel of the articulated arm
[*] - Articulated arm load calculator
[*] - Articulated arm pressure judge
[*] - 2 fire extinguishers
[*] - 1 small repair tool between the arm and the extinguishers
4/ - The Space Buggy with its trailer composed of:
[*] - 2 airtanks
[*] - 2 bags
[*] - 1 camera
[*] - 1 pair of binoculars
[*] - 2 hand sensor tools
[*] - 1 dorsal reactor (it is difficult to see itself, because between the airtanks and the bags, and the antennas folded up)
[*] - 1 black backpack (inlaid between the 2 gray bags, and slightly offset below)
It's okay, I think I'm ready for Lunar exploration ! :)
"I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital
and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-
modern deconstructionist, politically, anatomically
and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and
downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know
the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of
upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge,
state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give
you a gigabyte in a nanosecond!
I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is
outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-
hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-
degradable. I interface with my database, my database
is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive
and from time to time I’m radioactive.
Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin the
wave, dodgin the bullet and pushin the envelope. I’m
on-point, on-task, on-message and off drugs. I’ve got
no need for coke and speed. I've got no urge to binge
and purge. I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge, over-the-top
and under-the-radar. A high-concept, low-profile,
medium-range ballistic missionary. A street-wise smart
bomb. A top-gun bottom feeder. I wear power ties, I
tell power lies, I take power naps and run victory
laps. I’m a totally ongoing big-foot, slam-dunk,
rainmaker with a pro-active outreach. A raging
workaholic. A working rageaholic. Out of rehab and in
denial!
I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a
personal assistant and a personal agenda. You can’t
shut me up. You can’t dumb me down because I’m tireless
and I’m wireless, I’m an alpha male on beta-blockers.
I’m a non-believer and an over-achiever, laid-back but
fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home, low-rent, high-
maintenance. Super-sized, long-lasting, high-
definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built-to-last!
I’m a hands-on, foot-loose, knee-jerk head case
pre-maturely post-traumatic and I’ve got a love-child
that sends me hate mail.
But, I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing-
- a supportive, bonding, nurturing primary care-giver.
My output is down, but my income is up. I took a short
position on the long bond and my revenue stream has its
own cash-flow. I read junk mail, I eat junk food, I buy
junk bonds and I watch trash sports! I’m gender
specific, capital intensive, user-friendly and lactose
intolerant.
I like rough sex. I like tough love. I use the “F” word
in my emails and the software on my hard-drive is
hardcore--no soft porn.
I bought a microwave at a mini-mall; I bought a mini-
van at a mega-store. I eat fast-food in the slow lane.
I’m toll-free, bite-sized, ready-to-wear and I come in
all sizes. A fully-equipped, factory-authorized,
hospital-tested, clinically-proven, scientifically-
formulated medical miracle. I’ve been pre-wash, pre-
cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-
packaged, post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped,
vacuum-packed and, I have an unlimited broadband
capacity.
I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean!
Cocked, locked and ready-to-rock. Rough, tough and hard
to bluff. I take it slow, I go with the flow, I ride
with the tide. I’ve got glide in my stride. Drivin and
movin, sailin and spinin, jiving and groovin, wailin
and winnin. I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the
pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party
hearty and lunch time is crunch time. I’m hangin in,
there ain’t no doubt and I’m hangin tough, over and
out!"
- George Carlin (1937 – 2008) "A Modern Man"
Source: (Elyrics.net)
Port Hercule
Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Liguria, in Western Europe, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is a semi-enclave bordered by France to the north, east and west. The principality is home to nearly 39,000 residents as of the 2020s, of whom about 9,883 are Monégasque nationals. It is recognised as one of the wealthiest and most expensive places in the world. The official language of Monaco is French. Monégasque, English and Italian are also spoken and understood by many residents.
With an area of 2.08 km2 (0.80 sq mi), Monaco is the second-smallest sovereign state in the world, after Vatican City. Its population of 38,423 in 2024 makes it the most densely populated sovereign state. Monaco has the world's shortest national coastline: 3.83 km (2.38 mi). The principality is about 15 km (9.3 mi) from the border with Italy and consists of nine administrative wards, the largest of which is Monte Carlo.
The principality is governed under a form of semi-constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II as head of state, who still wields significant political power and is not merely a ceremonial figure like most modern monarchies. The prime minister, who is the head of government, can be either a Monégasque or French citizen; the monarch consults with the Government of France before an appointment. Key members of the judiciary are detached French magistrates. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861, with Monaco becoming a full United Nations voting member in 1993. Despite Monaco's independence and separate foreign policy, its defence is the responsibility of France, besides maintenance of two small military units.
Monaco's economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with the opening of the state's first casino, the Monte Carlo Casino, and a rail connection to Paris. Monaco's mild climate, scenery, and gambling facilities have contributed to its status as a tourist destination and recreation centre for the rich. Monaco has become a major banking centre and sought to diversify into the services sector and small, high-value-added, non-polluting industries. Monaco is a tax haven; it has no personal income tax (except for French citizens) and low business taxes. Over 30% of residents are millionaires, with real estate prices reaching €100,000 ($116,374) per square metre in 2018. Monaco is a global hub of money laundering, and in June 2024 the Financial Action Task Force placed Monaco under increased monitoring to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
Monaco is not part of the European Union (EU), but participates in certain EU policies, including customs and border controls. Through its relationship with France, Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency. Monaco joined the Council of Europe in 2004 and is a member of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). It hosts the annual motor race, the Monaco Grand Prix, one of the original Grands Prix of Formula One. The local motorsports association gives its name to the Monte Carlo Rally, hosted in January in the French Alps. The principality has a club football team, AS Monaco, which competes in French Ligue 1 and has been French champions on multiple occasions, as well as a basketball team, which plays in the EuroLeague. A centre of research into marine conservation, Monaco is home to one of the world's first protected marine habitats, an Oceanographic Museum, and the International Atomic Energy Agency Marine Environment Laboratories, the only marine laboratory in the UN structure.
History
Monaco's name comes from the nearby 6th-century BC Phocaean Greek colony. Referred to by the Ligurians as Monoikos, from the Greek "μόνοικος", "single house", from "μόνος" (monos) "alone, single" + "οἶκος" (oikos) "house". According to an ancient myth, Hercules passed through the Monaco area and turned away the previous gods. As a result, a temple was constructed there. Because this "House" of Hercules was the only temple in the area, the city was called Monoikos. It ended up in the hands of the Holy Roman Empire, which gave it to the Genoese in 1191, in return for cracking down on pirates. By the Early 1200s, the Genoese had built a castle on the rock, and were utilizing the port.
An ousted branch of a Genoese family, the Grimaldi, captured it in 1297 by posing as monks but then had to contest it for a century before gaining official control. Though the Republic of Genoa would last until the 19th century, it allowed the Grimaldi family to keep Monaco. Likewise, both France and Spain left it alone for hundreds of years due to agreements with either of them, especially for defense. France annexed it in the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century, but after the defeat of Napoleon it was put under the care of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
In the 19th century, when Sardinia became a part of Italy, the region came under French influence but France allowed it to remain independent and it escaped being incorporated into Italy. However, it shrunk considerably when it traded two nearby towns, in exchange for sovereignty from France. Monaco relied on tourism from the late 19th century to remain financially solvent, and it was at this time the famous casino and hotels were established. Monaco was overrun by the Axis powers in the 1940s during the Second World War and for a short time was administered by Italy, then Nazi Germany, before being liberated. Although the occupation lasted for just a short time, it resulted in the deportation of the Jewish population and execution of several French Resistance members from Monaco. Since then Monaco has been independent. It has taken some steps towards integration with the European Union.
Arrival of the Grimaldi family
Following a grant of land from Emperor Henry VI in 1191, Monaco was refounded in 1215 as a colony of Genoa. Monaco was first ruled by a member of the House of Grimaldi in 1297, when Francesco Grimaldi, known as "Malizia" (translated from Italian either as "The Malicious One" or "The Cunning One"), and his men captured the fortress protecting the Rock of Monaco while dressed as Franciscan friars – a monaco in Italian – although this is a coincidence as the area was already known by this name.
Francesco was evicted a few years later by the Genoese forces, and the struggle over "the Rock" continued for another century. The Grimaldi family was Genoese and the struggle was something of a family feud. The Genoese engaged in other conflicts, and in the late 1300s Genoa lost Monaco after fighting the Crown of Aragon over Corsica. Aragon eventually became part of a united Spain, and other parts of the land grant came to be integrated piecemeal into other states. Between 1346 and 1355, Monaco annexed the towns of Menton and Roquebrune, increasing its territory by almost ten times.
1400–1800
In 1419, the Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon and became the official and undisputed rulers of "the Rock of Monaco". In 1612, Honoré II began to style himself "Prince" of Monaco.[36] In the 1630s, he sought French protection against the Spanish forces and, in 1642, was received at the court of Louis XIII as a "duc et pair étranger".
The princes of Monaco became vassals of the French kings while at the same time remaining sovereign princes. Though successive princes and their families spent most of their lives in Paris, and intermarried with French and Italian nobilities, the House of Grimaldi is of Genoese origin. The principality continued its existence as a protectorate of France until the French Revolution.
19th century
In 1793, Revolutionary forces captured Monaco and until 1814 it was occupied by the French (in this period much of Europe had been overrun by the French armies under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte). The principality was reestablished in 1814 under the Grimaldis. It was designated a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. Monaco remained in this position until 1860 when, by the Treaty of Turin, the Sardinian forces pulled out of the principality; the surrounding County of Nice (as well as Savoy) was ceded to France Monaco became a French protectorate once again. Italian was the official language in Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French.
Before this time there was unrest in Menton and Roquebrune, where the townspeople had become weary of heavy taxation by the Grimaldi family. They declared their independence as the Free Cities of Menton and Roquebrune, hoping for annexation by Sardinia. France protested. The unrest continued until Charles III of Monaco gave up his claim to the two mainland towns (some 95% of the principality at the time) that had been ruled by the Grimaldi family for over 500 years.
These were ceded to France in return for 4,100,000 francs. The transfer and Monaco's sovereignty were recognised by the Franco-Monégasque Treaty of 1861. In 1869, the principality stopped collecting income tax from its residents — an indulgence the Grimaldi family could afford to entertain thanks solely to the extraordinary success of the casino. This made Monaco a playground for the rich and a favoured place for them to live.
20th century
Until the Monégasque Revolution of 1910 forced the adoption of the 1911 Constitution of Monaco, the princes of Monaco were absolute rulers. The new constitution slightly reduced the autocratic rule of the Grimaldi family and Prince Albert I suspended it during the First World War.
In July 1918, a new Franco-Monégasque Treaty was signed, providing for limited French protection over Monaco. The treaty, endorsed in 1919 by the Treaty of Versailles, established that Monégasque international policy would be aligned with French political, military and economic interests. It also resolved the Monaco succession crisis.
In 1943, the Italian Army invaded and occupied Monaco, forming a fascist administration. 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. René Blum, the prominent French Jew who founded the Ballet de l'Opéra in Monte Carlo, was arrested in his Paris home and held in the Drancy deportation camp outside the French capital before being transported to Auschwitz, where he was later murdered. Blum's colleague Raoul Gunsbourg, the director of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, helped by the French Resistance, escaped arrest and fled to Switzerland. In August 1944, the Germans executed René Borghini, Joseph-Henri Lajoux and Esther Poggio, who were Resistance leaders.
Rainier III, succeeded to the throne on the death of his grandfather, Prince Louis II, in 1949, and ruled until 2005. On 19 April 1956, Prince Rainier married the American actress Grace Kelly, an event that was widely televised and covered in the popular press, focusing the world's attention on the tiny principality.
A 1962 amendment to the constitution abolished capital punishment, provided for women's suffrage and established a Supreme Court of Monaco to guarantee fundamental liberties. In 1963, a crisis developed when Charles de Gaulle blockaded Monaco, angered by its status as a tax haven for wealthy French citizens.
In 1993, the Principality of Monaco became a member of the United Nations, with full voting rights.
21st century
In 2002, a new treaty between France and Monaco specified that, should there be no heirs to carry on the Grimaldi dynasty, the principality would still remain an independent nation rather than revert to France. Monaco's military defense is still the responsibility of France.
On 31 March 2005, Rainier III, who was too ill to exercise his duties, relinquished them to his only son and heir, Albert. He died six days later, after a reign of 56 years, with his son succeeding him as Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco. Following a period of official mourning, Prince Albert II formally assumed the princely crown on 12 July 2005, in a celebration that began with a solemn Mass at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, where his father had been buried three months earlier. His accession to the Monégasque throne was a two-step event with a further ceremony, drawing heads of state for an elaborate reception, held on 18 November 2005, at the historic Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville. On 27 August 2015, Albert II apologised for Monaco's role during World War II in facilitating the deportation of a total of 90 Jews and resistance fighters, of whom only nine survived. "We committed the irreparable in handing over to the neighbouring authorities women, men and a child who had taken refuge with us to escape the persecutions they had suffered in France," Albert said at a ceremony in which a monument to the victims was unveiled at the Monaco cemetery. "In distress, they came specifically to take shelter with us, thinking they would find neutrality."
In 2015, Monaco unanimously approved a modest land reclamation expansion intended primarily to accommodate desperately needed housing and a small green/park area. Monaco had previously considered an expansion in 2008, but had called it off. The plan is for about six hectares (15 acres) of apartment buildings, parks, shops and offices to a land value of about 1 billion euros. The development will be adjacent to the Larvotto district and also will include a small marina. There were four main proposals, and the final mix of use will be finalised as the development progresses. The name for the new district is Anse du Portier.
On 29 February 2020, Monaco announced its first case of COVID-19, a man who was admitted to the Princess Grace Hospital Centre then transferred to Nice University Hospital in France.
On 3 September 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.
Government
Politics
Monaco has been governed under a constitutional monarchy since 1911, with the Sovereign Prince of Monaco as head of state. The executive branch consists of a Prime Minister as the head of government, who presides over the other five members of the Council of Government. Until 2002, the Prime Minister was a French citizen appointed by the prince from among candidates proposed by the Government of France; since a constitutional amendment in 2002, the Prime Minister can be French or Monégasque. On 2 September 2024, Prince Albert II appointed a French citizen, Didier Guillaume, to the office.
Under the 1962 Constitution of Monaco, the prince shares his veto power with the unicameral National Council. The 24 members of the National Council are elected for five-year terms; 16 are chosen through a majority electoral system and 8 by proportional representation. All legislation requires the approval of the National Council. Following the 2023 Monegasque general election, all 24 seats are held by the pro-monarchist Monegasque National Union.
The principality's city affairs are managed by the Municipality of Monaco. The municipality is directed by the Communal Council, which consists of 14 elected members and is presided over by a mayor. Georges Marsan has been mayor since 2003. Unlike the National Council, communal councillors are elected for four-year terms and are strictly non-partisan; oppositions inside the council frequently form.
Members of the judiciary of Monaco are appointed by the Sovereign Prince. Key positions within the judiciary are held by French magistrates, proposed by the Government of France. Monaco currently has three examining magistrates.
Geography
Monaco is a sovereign city-state, with five quarters and ten wards, located on the French Riviera in Western Europe. It is bordered by France's Alpes-Maritimes department on three sides, with one side bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Its centre is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy and only 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Nice.
It has an area of 2.1 km2 (0.81 sq mi), or 208 ha (510 acres), and a population of 38,400, making Monaco the second-smallest and the most densely populated country in the world. The country has a land border of only 5.47 km (3.40 mi), a coastline of 3.83 km (2.38 mi), a maritime claim that extends 22.2 km (13.8 mi), and a width that varies between 1,700 and 349 m (5,577 and 1,145 ft).
Jurassic limestone is a prominent bedrock which is locally karstified. It hosts the Grotte de l'Observatoire, which has been open to the public since 1946.
The highest point in the country is at the access to the Patio Palace residential building on the Chemin des Révoires (ward Les Révoires) from the D6007 (Moyenne Corniche street) at 164.4 m (539 ft) above sea level. The lowest point in the country is the Mediterranean Sea.
Saint-Jean brook is the longest flowing body of water, around 0.19 km (190 m; 0.12 mi; 620 ft) in length, and Fontvieille is the largest lake, approximately 0.5 ha (1.2 acres) in area.[88] Monaco's most populated quartier is Monte Carlo, and the most populated ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins.
After the expansion of Port Hercules,[90] Monaco's total area grew to 2.08 km2 (0.80 sq mi) or 208 ha (510 acres); subsequently, new plans were approved to extend the district of Fontvieille by 0.08 km2 (0.031 sq mi) or 8 ha (20 acres), with land reclaimed from the Mediterranean Sea. Land reclamation projects include extending the district of Fontvieille. There are two ports in Monaco, Port Hercules and Port Fontvieille. There is a neighbouring French port called Cap d'Ail that is near Monaco. Monaco's only natural resource is fishing; with almost the entire country being an urban area, Monaco lacks any sort of commercial agriculture industry. A small residential expansion formerly called Le Portier was nearing completion in 2023, and additionally a new esplanade was added at Larvatto beach which also had some maintenance.
Climate
Monaco has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa), with strong maritime influences, with some resemblances to the humid subtropical climate (Cfa). As a result, it has balmy warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The winters are very mild considering the city's latitude, being as mild as locations located much further south in the Mediterranean Basin. Cool and rainy interludes can interrupt the dry summer season, the average length of which is also shorter. Summer afternoons are infrequently hot (indeed, temperatures greater than 30 °C or 86 °F are rare) as the atmosphere is temperate because of constant sea breezes. On the other hand, the nights are very mild, due to the fairly high temperature of the sea in summer. Generally, temperatures do not drop below 20 °C (68 °F) in this season. In the winter, frosts and snowfalls are extremely rare and generally occur once or twice every ten years. On 27 February 2018, both Monaco and Monte Carlo experienced snowfall.
Demographics
Monaco's total population was 38,400 in 2015, and estimated by the United Nations to be 36,297 as of 1 July 2023.[160][161] 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%).[162] According to 2019 studies, 31% of Monaco's population is reported to be millionaires equalling up to 12,248 individuals
Citizens of Monaco, whether born in the country or naturalised, are called Monégasque. Monaco has the world's highest life expectancy at nearly 90 years.
Language
The main and official language of Monaco is French, while Italian is spoken by the principality's sizeable community from Italy. French and Italian are in fact more spoken in the principality today than Monégasque, its historic vernacular language. A variety of Ligurian, Monégasque is not recognised as an official language; nevertheless, some signage appears in both French and Monégasque, and the language is taught in schools. English is also used.
Italian was the official language in Monaco until 1860, when it was replaced by French. This was due to the annexation of the surrounding County of Nice to France following the Treaty of Turin (1860).
The Grimaldi, princes of Monaco, are of Ligurian origin; thus, the traditional national language is Monégasque, a variety of Ligurian, now spoken by only a minority of residents and as a common second language by many native residents. In Monaco-Ville, street signs are printed in both French and Monégasque.
Sports
Two important sports for Monaco are football and racing, but there are a number of other sports played; sports are also a part of Monaco's economy and culture. Monaco has competed in the Olympic Games, and also hosted competitive athletic sporting events.
See Monaco at the Olympics for more on Monaco's participation at the Olympic Games. Monaco has competed to varying degrees in every Olympic games except 1932, 1956, and 1980.
Racing
In addition to Formula One, the Circuit de Monaco hosts several support series, including FIA Formula 2, Porsche Supercup and Formula Regional Europe. It has in the past also hosted Formula Three and Formula Renault.
Formula One
Since 1929, the Monaco Grand Prix has been held annually in the streets of Monaco. It is widely considered to be one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world. The erection of the Circuit de Monaco takes six weeks to complete and the removal after the race takes another three weeks.
The circuit is narrow and tight and its tunnel, tight corners and many elevation changes make it perhaps the most demanding Formula One track.
One of the most famous, and slowest, turns in all of F1 Racing is the Loews hairpin, later renamed Fairmont hairpin when the hotel by this bend was renamed.
Formula E
Starting in 2015 Formula E started racing biennially with the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco on the Monaco ePrix and used a shorter configuration of the full Formula 1 circuit, keeping it around Port Hercules until 2021. For Season 11 of Formula E it will become a double header race.
Maserati MSG Racing, formerly named ROKiT Venturi Racing from 2014 to 2022, is the only motor racing team based in the principality, headquartered in Fontvieille. The marque competes in Formula E and was one of the founding teams of the fully-electric championship. The team is led by Co-Managing Partners Scott Swid and José M Aznar Botella, and Team Principal Cyril Blais. The outfit holds 21 podiums under the ROKiT Venturi Racing title, including 8 race wins, and to date has 6 podiums, including 2 race wins, in the series under the Maserati MSG Racing title. 1997 Formula One World Champion Jacques Villeneuve and eleven-time Formula One race winner Felipe Massa have raced for the team previously. Jake Hughes and Season 8 Formula E champion Stoffel Vandoorne currently race for the team.
Monte Carlo Rally
Since 1911 part of the Monte Carlo Rally has been held in the principality, originally held at the behest of Prince Albert I. Like the Grand Prix, the rally is organised by Automobile Club de Monaco. It has long been considered to be one of the toughest and most prestigious events in rallying and from 1973 to 2008 was the opening round of the World Rally Championship (WRC).[185] From 2009 until 2011, the rally served as the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. The rally returned to the WRC calendar in 2012 and has been held annually since.[ Due to Monaco's limited size, all but the ending of the rally is held on French territory.
Tour de France
The 2009 Tour de France, the world's premier cycle race, started from Monaco with a 15 km (9 mi) closed-circuit individual time trial starting and finishing there on the first day, and the 182 km (113 mi) second leg starting there on the following day and ending in Brignoles, France.
Football
Monaco hosts two major football teams in the principality: the men's football club, AS Monaco FC, and the women's football club, OS Monaco. AS Monaco plays at the Stade Louis II and competes in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. The club is historically one of the most successful clubs in the French league, having won Ligue 1 eight times (most recently in 2016–17) and competed at the top level for all but six seasons since 1953. The club reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final, with a team that included Dado Pršo, Fernando Morientes, Jérôme Rothen, Akis Zikos and Ludovic Giuly, but lost 3–0 to Portuguese team FC Porto. French World Cup-winners Thierry Henry, Fabien Barthez, David Trezeguet, and Kylian Mbappe have played for the club. The Stade Louis II also played host to the annual UEFA Super Cup from 1998 to 2012 between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
The women's team, OS Monaco, competes in the women's French football league system. The club plays in the local regional league, deep down in the league system. It once played in the Division 1 Féminine, in the 1994–95 season, but was quickly relegated.
The Monaco national football team represents the nation in association football and is controlled by the Monégasque Football Federation, the governing body for football in Monaco. Monaco is one of two sovereign states in Europe (along with the Vatican City) that is not a member of UEFA and so does not take part in any UEFA European Football Championship or FIFA World Cup competitions. They are instead affiliated with CONIFA, where they compete against other national teams that are not FIFA members. The team plays its home matches in the Stade Louis II.
(Wikipedia)
Port Hercules (French: Port Hercule [pɔʁ ɛʁkyl]) is the only deep-water port in Monaco. The port has been in use since ancient times. The modern port was completed in 1926, and underwent substantial improvements in the 1970s. It covers almost 40 acres (160,000 m2), enough to provide anchorage for up to 700 vessels. The port is located in the La Condamine district. Harbour pilots are required for all vessels longer than 30 metres. The depth of water in the harbour ranges from seven metres for standard berths and up to 40 metres for the outer piers and cruise ship docks.
History
During the 6th-century BC. Phocaeans Greeks from Massalia (modern day Marseille) founded the colony of Mònoikos. The name of the colony derives from the local veneration of the Greek demigod and mythological hero Hercules, also later adopted by the Romans, who was said to have constructed the ancient path that passed through the region from Spain to Italy. The Roman emperor Julian also wrote of Hercules's construction of Monaco's port and a coastal road. The road was dotted with altars to Hercules, and a temple dedicated to him was established on the Rock of Monaco. The name Port Hercules was subsequently used for the ancient port. Monoeci meaning "Single One" or Monoikos meaning "Single House" could be a reference to Hercules or his temple, or the isolated community inhabiting the area around the rock.
According to the "travels of Hercules" theme, also documented by Diodorus Siculus and Strabo, both Greeks and native Ligurian people asserted that Hercules passed through the area.
After the Gallic Wars, Monoecus, which served as a stopping-point for Julius Caesar on his way to campaign in Greece, fell under Roman control as part of the Maritime Alps province (Gallia Transalpina).
The Roman poet Virgil called it "that castled cliff, Monoecus by the sea" (Aeneid, VI.830). The commentator Servius's use of the passage (in R. Maltby, Lexicon of Ancient Latin Etymologies, Leeds) asserts, under the entry portus, that the epithet was derived:
dictus autem Monoecus vel quod pulsis omnibus illic solus habitavit, vel quod in eius templo numquam aliquis deorum simul colitur.
"either because Hercules drove off everyone else and lived there alone, or because in his temple no other of the gods is worshipped at the same time."
No temple to Hercules has been found at Monaco (see also Lucan 1.405.), although the rocky ground and dense conurbation make future excavations unlikely.
The port is mentioned in Pliny the Elder's Natural History (III.v) and in Tacitus' Histories (III.42), when Fabius Valens was forced to put into the port (Fabius Valens e sinu Pisano segnitia maris aut adversante vento portum Herculis Monoeci depellitur).
In 2010, the Finnish manufacturer of marinas and pontoons Marinetek was hired to deliver three new pontoons to Port Hercule. Monaco's old fixed piers were replaced by Marinetek's floating concrete pontoons. The renovation was completed in 2011.
Events
In 2011, Jean Michel Jarre performed a free concert in front of 85,000 spectators, to celebrate the wedding of Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock.
The Port Hercule is home to the Foire de Monaco, an annual fair that runs from October to November.
In popular culture
In 1995, the harbour was used as a location in the James Bond film GoldenEye. Bond (played for the first time by Pierce Brosnan) tries to stop the villainous Xenia Onatopp (Famke Janssen) from stealing a helicopter, but she escapes when Bond is foiled by the local police who are unaware of who he is.
(Wikipedia)
Monaco (deutsch [moˈnako], französisch [mɔnaˈko], italienisch [ˈmɔnako]) (amtlich Fürstentum Monaco, monegassisch Principatu de Mu̍negu, französisch Principauté de Monaco, italienisch Principato di Monaco) ist ein am Mittelmeer liegender Stadtstaat in Südeuropa. Die Staatsform des Fürstentums ist als konstitutionelle Monarchie verfasst; Staatsreligion ist der Katholizismus. Monaco ist nach der Vatikanstadt der zweitkleinste Staat der Erde mit 39.520 Einwohnern (Stand: 2021) auf einer Fläche von 2,084 Quadratkilometern. Die Bevölkerungsdichte weist mit 18.831 Einwohnern je Quadratkilometer die höchste Bevölkerungsdichte aller Staaten der Welt auf, gefolgt von Singapur und Bahrain. Von der Bevölkerung verfügen 77,5 Prozent nicht über die monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft. Der Staat liegt in den Seealpen und an der Côte d’Azur, der französischen Riviera, nahe der Grenze zu Italien.
Landesname
Der Landesname hat einen griechisch-lateinischen Ursprung. Monaco war ein antiker Handelsplatz der Phönizier und später der Griechen, die hier an der Nordküste des westlichen Mittelmeers einen Herkules-Tempel errichteten, der bald den Beinamen Monoikos („einzelnes Haus“) erhielt. Als der Ort ein römischer Hafen wurde, erhielt er den Namen Herculis Monoeci Portus, woraus Monaco entstand.
Territorium
Das Fürstentum liegt an der französischen Riviera, auf 43° 44′ nördlicher Breite und 7° 25′ östlicher Länge zwischen der französischen Stadt Nizza im Westen (13 km Entfernung) und der französisch-italienischen Grenze (etwa zehn Kilometer Entfernung) im Osten. Die Küstenlänge des Fürstentums ohne Häfen und Strände beträgt 4856 Meter. In den letzten Jahrzehnten wurde das Staatsgebiet durch Landgewinnung um mehr als 40 Hektar auf 208,4 Hektar (2,084 Quadratkilometer) vergrößert. Monaco verfügt über ein schmales Küstenmeeresgebiet. Die gesamte Fläche des Landes liegt am Rand der Seealpen.
Die einzige Staatsgrenze ist die zur Französischen Republik. Die französischen Nachbargemeinden, die unmittelbar an den Stadtstaat Monaco grenzen, lauten (im Uhrzeigersinn): Cap-d’Ail, La Turbie, Beausoleil, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Die Länge der Staatsgrenze beträgt 5469 Meter. Monaco grenzt mit 1341 Metern an Cap-d’Ail, mit 390 Metern an La Turbie, mit 3274 Metern an Beausoleil und mit 464 Metern an Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
Physische Geographie
Geomorphologie
Die höchste Erhebung des französischen Umlandes unweit Monacos ist der 1148 Meter hohe Mont Agel, von dem aus früher Radio Monte-Carlo sendete. Die höchste Erhebung des monegassischen Staatsgebiets liegt auf gut 164,5 Metern Meereshöhe im Stadtteil Jardin Exotique, während der Platz vor dem fürstlichen Palast auf 62,2 Metern Höhe liegt.
Klima
In Monaco herrscht Mittelmeerklima mit milden Wintern und warmen Sommern, einer durchschnittlichen Niederschlagsmenge von 1092,2 Millimetern und einer durchschnittlichen Sonnenscheindauer von 2616 Stunden pro Jahr (alle Angaben von 2019). Die durchschnittlichen Temperaturen lagen im Jahr 2019 bei mindestens 15,4 Grad Celsius, höchstens bei 20,4 Grad Celsius.
Bevölkerung
Demografie
Am 31. Dezember 2019 waren in Monaco 38.100 Einwohner amtlich registriert. Im Vergleich zum 31. Dezember 2018 verzeichnete das Fürstentum 200 Einwohner weniger (−0,5 Prozent). Die Einwohner Monacos werden als Monegassen (französisch monégasques) bezeichnet. Die Fertilitätsrate beläuft sich für den Zeitraum 2017 bis 2019 auf 2,5. Im Jahr 2019 betrug die Geburtenrate 1,32 Prozent, die Sterblichkeitsrate 0,84 Prozent. Statistisch gebiert eine Frau mit monegassischer Staatsbürgerschaft im Alter von 32,4 Jahren (Zeitraum 2019 bis 2019). 2019 wurden 939 Neugeborene gezählt, hiervon waren 52,6 Prozent männlich, 47,4 Prozent weiblich. Die Lebenserwartung bei Geburten in den Jahren 2017 bis 2019 wurde durchschnittlich und unter Berücksichtigung des männlichen und weiblichen Geschlechts mit 86,5 Jahren angegeben (Männer: 84,4 Jahre, Frauen: 88,7 Jahre). Monaco war damit der Staat mit der weltweit höchsten Lebenserwartung. 524 Sterbefälle wurden 2019 registriert, davon 50,6 Prozent männlich und 49,4 Prozent weiblich.
Ethnien
Die einheimische Bevölkerung Monacos ist ligurisch-provenzalischen Ursprungs. Sie stellt knapp ein Viertel der Wohnbevölkerung dar. Somit ist Monaco ein Einwanderungsland und weist mit 77,5 Prozent einen der höchsten Anteile an Ausländern aller Staaten auf. Im Jahr 2016 verfügten 8.378 Personen (22,5 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung) über die monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft. 2016 waren 9.286 Einwohner Franzosen und stellten die größte Ausländergruppe dar. 8172 italienische Staatsangehörige stellten die drittgrößte Nationalität dar, gefolgt von den Briten (2795 Einwohner), Schweizern (1187), Belgiern (1073), Deutschen (907), Russen (749), Niederländern (555), Portugiesen (523), Griechen (401), US-Amerikanern (366), Schweden (323), Kanadiern (311) und Spaniern (294). Der Anteil der Franzosen an der Bevölkerung ist permanent rückläufig, da die in Monaco wohnenden französischen Staatsangehörigen aufgrund eines Abkommens zwischen Frankreich und Monaco in Frankreich steuerpflichtig sind, sodass sie die extrem hohen Lebenshaltungskosten (insbesondere Immobilienpreise) nicht durch eine Steuerersparnis kompensieren können.
Monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft
Als einziges Land der Welt unterteilt Monaco seine Bevölkerung in drei Kategorien: gebürtige Monegassen, Landeskinder (enfants du pays) und wohlhabende Ausländer. So verfügt erstere Gruppe über das Recht auf eine angemessene staatliche Wohnung (mit Möglichkeit der Vererbung). Die Landeskinder als zweite Kategorie sind nicht im Besitz der monegassischen Staatsbürgerschaft, leben jedoch seit Generationen im Fürstentum und haben einen Rechtsanspruch auf eine angemessene Wohnung aus nichtstaatlichem Immobilienbesitz.
Die monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft stellt die Zugehörigkeit einer natürlichen Person zum Fürstentum Monaco dar. Das Staatsbürgerschaftsrecht Monacos gilt als sehr restriktiv. Jährlich beantragen mehr als 500 Personen die monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft. Die Entscheidung über Zuteilung und Ablehnung der monegassischen Staatsangehörigkeit obliegt ausschließlich dem Fürsten Albert II. Im Jahr 2007 wurde 68 Personen die monegassische Staatsbürgerschaft verliehen, im Jahr 2010 nur sieben Personen.
Sprachen
Die alleinige Amtssprache Monacos ist seit 1792 das Französische. Seit 1858 ist es per Gesetz Unterrichtssprache. Vernakularsprachen sind bzw. waren Monegassisch und Okzitanisch. Während Letzteres als in Monaco nahezu ausgestorben gilt, hat sich die Position des Monegassischen seit den 1980er Jahren gefestigt. Das Monegassische (Eigenbezeichnung: munegascu) ist ein romanischer Dialekt, der mit dem an der französischen und italienischen Riviera beheimateten Ligurischen eng verwandt ist. Im Zusammenhang mit der Herkunft der Herrscherfamilie Grimaldi aus Genua wurde Monegassisch zu einem ordentlichen Lehrfach an den monegassischen Schulen erhoben; das Abitur (Matura) kann auf Monegassisch abgelegt werden. Über die muttersprachliche Verteilung der im Fürstentum gesprochenen Sprachen gibt es keine Erhebungen. Aufgrund ihres Status als offizielle Sprache, vorherrschende Unterrichtssprache und Muttersprache der starken französischen Minderheit ist das Französische als die in Monaco am häufigsten gesprochene Sprache zu betrachten, gefolgt von Italienisch. Das Französische ist seit dem Anschluss der Monaco umgebenden Ländereien, namentlich der Grafschaft Nizza und von Teilen Savoyens, an Frankreich im Jahre 1860 zur vorherrschenden Schrift- und Umgangssprache Monacos aufgestiegen; in der mit dem französischen Adelshaus Goyon de Matignon verbundenen Familie Grimaldi spielte die sprachlich-kulturelle Bindung an Frankreich bereits zuvor eine Rolle.
Religionen
Die römisch-katholische Kirche ist Staatskirche. Monaco ist Sitz eines Erzbistums, das, ohne Metropolitanbistum zu sein, direkt dem Heiligen Stuhl unterstellt ist. Bischofskirche ist die Kathedrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée. Die Freiheiten anderer Religionen und Konfessionen werden von der monegassischen Verfassung garantiert. Neben Katholiken und Protestanten bestehen orthodoxe und jüdische Gemeinden.
Geschichte
Nachdem Kaiser Heinrich VI. im Jahr 1191 der Republik Genua die Herrschaft über die Küstenregion um das heutige Monaco übertragen hatte, wurde am 10. Juni 1215 an der Stelle, an der heute der Fürstenpalast steht, mit dem Bau einer genuesischen Grenzfestung begonnen. Dieser Tag gilt als das Gründungsdatum Monacos. Die bürgerkriegsartigen Auseinandersetzungen im 13. Jahrhundert zwischen den Ghibellinen und Guelfen in Norditalien führten 1296 zur Vertreibung der papsttreuen Guelfen und damit auch der Familie Grimaldi aus Genua. Am 8. Januar 1297 gelang es Soldaten der Grimaldi und mit ihnen verbündeter guelfischer Familien unter der Führung von Francesco Grimaldi, in die bis dahin in ghibellinischer Hand befindliche Festung Monaco einzudringen und diese im Handstreich zu erobern. Von nun an war die Geschichte Monacos eng mit der Familie Grimaldi verbunden, deren Mitglieder mit kurzen Unterbrechungen bis zum heutigen Tag die Herrschaft dort ausüben.
Der erste Herrscher Monacos aus diesem Haus wurde 1297 Raniero Grimaldi, der Monaco 1301 wieder an Genua abtreten musste. Seinem Sohn Carlo I. gelang im Jahr 1331 mit Unterstützung des französischen Königs die erneute Eroberung Monacos sowie der Erwerb von Menton (1346) und Roquebrune (1355). 1357 wurde Monaco nochmals von Genua erobert und gelangte 1419 endgültig in den Besitz der Grimaldi.
Im Jahr 1489 wurde die Unabhängigkeit Monacos vom König von Frankreich und dem Herzog von Savoyen anerkannt. Eine letzte Belagerung Monacos im Jahr 1507 durch die Genuesen endete erfolglos, worauf König Ludwig XII. 1512 die monegassische Unabhängigkeit bestätigte.
Ab 1523, nach dem Regierungsantritt Augustins I. von Monaco, verschlechterten sich die Beziehungen zu Frankreich. Monaco schloss daraufhin 1524 mit dem römisch-deutschen Kaiser Karl V. den Vertrag von Burgos und Tordesillas und stellte sich unter den Schutz der spanischen Habsburger. Honoré II. bezeichnete sich ab 1612 als Fürst und Herrn von Monaco; 1633 wurde der Fürstentitel offiziell von Spanien anerkannt.
Ungefähr ab 1630 erfolgte eine Wiederannäherung an Frankreich, die schließlich 1641 im Vertrag von Péronne besiegelt wurde. Frankreich wurde erneut Monacos Schutzmacht; noch im selben Jahr wurde die spanische Garnison aus Monaco vertrieben. Mit dem Tod von Antoine I. 1731 starben die Grimaldi in männlicher Linie aus. In der Folge gingen Name und Herrschaft auf die eingeheiratete Familie Goyon de Matignon über.
Französische Revolutionstruppen eroberten Monaco 1793. Der Nationalkonvent erklärte die Grimaldi für abgesetzt und rief die Republik Monaco aus. Am 14. Februar 1793 wurde Monaco von Frankreich annektiert, die Mitglieder der Fürstenfamilie wurden inhaftiert.
Am 6. April 1814 und endgültig am 20. November 1815 wurde in den Verträgen von Paris die Unabhängigkeit Monacos wiederhergestellt, nun allerdings unter dem Schutz des Königreichs Sardinien. Wirtschaftliche Schwierigkeiten und politische Unruhen im Gefolge der Februarrevolution 1848 führten 1848 zur Abspaltung der Orte Menton und Roquebrune, die am 2. Februar 1861 durch den Vertrag mit Napoleon III. endgültig an Frankreich fielen. Zugleich erkannte Frankreich die volle Unabhängigkeit Monacos unter der alleinigen Souveränität des Fürsten an.
In diese Zeit fiel auch der wirtschaftliche Aufstieg Monacos. Mit der Gründung der Spielbank Monte-Carlo im Jahr 1853, der Zollunion mit Frankreich 1865 und dem Anschluss an das Eisenbahnnetz 1868 wurde die Grundlage für den mondänen Tourismus gelegt, aus dem Monaco in den folgenden Jahrzehnten einen großen Teil seiner Staatseinnahmen bezog. Fürst Albert I., der sich als Ozeanograph und Paläontologe betätigte, gründete 1889 das renommierte Ozeanographische Museum. 1911 gab er dem Land die erste Verfassung.
1918 wurde das erste bilaterale Abkommen mit Frankreich unterzeichnet, das erneut die Unabhängigkeit Monacos durch Frankreich garantierte. Im Zweiten Weltkrieg war Monaco zeitweise von deutschen Truppen besetzt. Das Frauenwahlrecht auf kommunaler Ebene wurde am 24. Mai 1945 eingeführt.[15] Monaco trat am 8. Juli 1948 der Weltgesundheitsorganisation bei. Seit dem 17. Dezember 1962 gilt die heutige Verfassung. Das aktive und passive Frauenwahlrecht auf nationaler Ebene wurde am 17. Dezember 1962 eingeführt.[16] 1981 erfolgte die Erhebung zum römisch-katholischen Erzbistum Monaco, 1993 der Beitritt zu den Vereinten Nationen. Am 7. Januar 2000 wurde ein ständiger Vertreter bei der Europäischen Union in Brüssel entsandt. 2002 folgte die Einführung des Euro (den Französischen Franc ablösend) in Monaco, das den Status eines assoziierten Euro-Nutzers hat (Buchgeld ab 1999). Monaco wurde am 5. Oktober 2004 nach sechsjähriger Wartezeit in den Europarat aufgenommen. 2005 wurde das zweite bilaterale Abkommen mit Frankreich geschlossen.
Internationale Aufmerksamkeit erlangte Monaco 1956, als Fürst Rainier III. die US-amerikanische Schauspielerin Grace Kelly heiratete, und erneut 2011, als ihr gemeinsamer Sohn und Thronfolger, Albert II., die Südafrikanerin Charlène Wittstock heiratete.
Das Fürstentum ist heute ein Finanzplatz und vornehmlich bei den Reichen der Welt als Hauptwohnsitz begehrt, da es keine Einkommen- und Erbschaftsteuer erhebt und im Ausland begangene Steuerdelikte nicht verfolgt. Französische Staatsbürger sowie Unternehmen zahlen hingegen Steuern.
Monaco ist nicht Mitglied der Europäischen Union, jedoch des Europarates sowie der Vereinten Nationen und der Internationalen Organisation der Frankophonie.
Politik
Verfassung und Thronfolge
Monaco ist seit 1911 eine konstitutionelle Monarchie, in der der regierende Fürst das Staatsoberhaupt ist. Er wird im Fürstentum gewöhnlich Patron („Schutzherr“) oder Monseigneur („mein Herr“) genannt.
Die Thronfolge ist im Artikel 10 der Verfassung des Fürstentums Monaco geregelt und wurde zuletzt 2002 geändert. Thronfolger ist der erste direkte und legitime Nachkomme des Fürsten mit Priorisierung der männlichen Nachkommen im gleichen Verwandtschaftsverhältnis. Wenn der Fürst keinen Nachkommen hat, gilt diese Regelung für die Brüder und Schwestern bzw. deren Nachkommen. Wenn der Thronfolger auf den Thron verzichtet, treten seine Nachkommen an seine Stelle. Der Thronerbe von Fürst Albert II. ist Alberts Sohn Prinz Jacques (* 10. Dezember 2014), gefolgt von dessen Zwillingsschwester Prinzessin Gabriella (* 10. Dezember 2014). Die frühere Regelung, dass Monaco an Frankreich zurückgefallen wäre, wenn es keine Thronerben der Grimaldis gegeben hätte, wurde im zweiten monegassisch-französischen Abkommen 2002 abgeschafft. Daher bliebe Monaco nach einem eventuellen Erlöschen der Dynastie Grimaldi ein souveräner Staat.
Die Regierungsgeschäfte Monacos werden seit April 2005 von Fürst Albert II. ausgeübt, nachdem sein Vater Fürst Rainier am 6. April 2005 verstarb. Nach einer üblichen Trauerphase wurde Albert II. am 12. Juli 2005 offiziell in sein neues Amt eingeführt. Dabei verzichtete er demonstrativ auf das sonst übliche Hofzeremoniell zugunsten einer volksnah gestalteten Feier.
Legislative
Seit der Verfassungsänderung 1962 teilt sich der Fürst seine Regierungsmacht mit dem Parlament (Conseil National). Dieses besteht aus 24 Mitgliedern, die in freien und geheimen Wahlen auf fünf Jahre gewählt werden. Das Parlament wurde zuletzt am 5. Februar 2023 gewählt. Regionale Angelegenheiten, die nur das Stadtgebiet Monacos betreffen, werden vom Gemeinderat beschlossen, der 15 gewählte Mitglieder hat, und vom Bürgermeister Georges Marsan – bzw. aktuell (Stand Januar 2024) nach Korruptionsvorwürfen gegen Marsan von Camille Svara – geleitet wird.
Exekutive
Die Exekutive besteht aus dem Regierungsrat, der aus vier Mitgliedern besteht, die das Kabinett bilden; Vorsitzender des Regierungsrates ist der Staatsminister.
Touristenziele
Die Place du Casino (von den Einheimischen liebevoll Camembert genannt) stellt in mehrfacher Hinsicht eines der touristischen Zentren Monacos dar. Erstens wegen seiner sehr zentralen Lage mitten im Fürstentum. Zweitens befinden sich dort das bekannte Hôtel de Paris sowie das berühmte Casino von Monte-Carlo und direkt daneben die prunkvolle Oper, wobei alle genannten Einrichtungen durch ihre historische Architektur beeindrucken. Drittens ist der Casino-Platz mit seinem Rondell die erste Anlaufstelle für Touristen, die auf Kreuzfahrt das Fürstentum besuchen, da die Schiffe direkt unterhalb des Casinos anlegen. In den Sommermonaten ist die Place du Casino speziell an Freitag- und Samstagabenden ein Treffpunkt für Monaco-Touristen aus aller Welt.
Als zweiter zentraler Touristenmagnet in Monaco gilt die Altstadt Monaco-Ville, die als Rocher (französisch für Felsen) bezeichnet wird. Sie ist auf dem sogenannten Fürstenfelsen gelegen, auf dem sich der Fürstenpalast, die politische und private Residenz der Fürstenfamilie, befindet. Die Altstadt Monacos ist, wie für das Fürstentum typisch, sehr eng bebaut; in den engen Gassen der Altstadt befinden sich zahlreiche Gaststätten und Souvenirläden. Speziell in der Hochsaison ist die Altstadt sehr stark von Monaco-Touristen bevölkert und mitunter schon als von Touristen überlaufen zu bezeichnen.
Der exotische Freiluftgarten Monacos – Jardin Exotique – bietet Pflanzenkundlern eine sehr große Anzahl der verschiedensten Pflanzen- und Baumarten zur Besichtigung. Der Exotische Garten zeichnet sich zudem durch seine Lage aus. Er befindet sich an der Staatsgrenze zu Frankreich in Richtung Nizza in großer Höhe, von der ein Panoramablick über das Fürstentum geboten wird.
Das Ozeanographische Museum befindet sich auf dem Felsen von Monaco in Monaco-Ville und bietet Besuchern eine Fülle von meereskundlichen Exponaten, darunter seltene lebende Meerestiere in Aquarien. Es beherbergt etwa 4000 Fischarten sowie Arten von 200 Familien Wirbelloser. Die prunkvolle Architektur des Museums weist auf seine Gründung 1910 durch Albert I hin. Der Gründer betätigte sich selbst als Ozeanologe, Walforscher und Teuthologe. Er war an dem damals als sensationell empfundenen Fund eines Lepidoteuthis grimaldii (ein geschuppter Tiefseetintenfisch) beteiligt, welcher nach seiner Familie Grimaldi benannt wurde. Das rasch danach erbaute Museum sollte diesen Fund gebührend präsentieren. Die Lage direkt 85 Meter oberhalb des Meeres auf einer Felsenklippe ist ebenfalls eindrucksvoll.
Die Jachthäfen Monacos sind regelmäßig beliebte Touristenziele, an denen große Privatjachten von vermögenden Eignern vor Anker liegen. Der größte Hafen, Port Hercule, befindet sich in La Condamine, entlang jener öffentlicher Straßen, die für den alljährlichen Formel-1-Grand-Prix genutzt werden. Weitere Jachthäfen finden sich direkt unterhalb des Fürstenfelsens in Fontvieille und auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite von Fontvieille in Richtung Cap-d’Ail (Frankreich).
In Larvotto befindet sich der öffentliche Strand Monacos, der vor allem in den warmen Sommermonaten ein sehr beliebtes Ausflugsziel für Einheimische und Touristen ist. Der dortige Sand ist indessen grobkörnig und nicht mit feinen, weißen Sandstränden an anderen Mittelmeerorten zu vergleichen, und im Wasser stellen mitunter Quallen eine Störung des Badebetriebes dar. Ein weiterer vergleichsweise großer und im Sommer recht bevölkerter öffentlicher Badestrand befindet sich unmittelbar hinter Fontvieille, zu Cap-d’Ail hin und auf französischem Staatsgebiet gelegen.
Als Kontrast zu den zahllosen Betonbauten in Monaco wurden mehrere öffentliche Gärten mit teils exotischen Pflanzen, Palmen sowie einheimischen und importierten Vogelarten angelegt. Erwähnenswert sind hier der japanische Garten, der sich südlich des Grimaldi Forums an der Avenue Princesse Grace befindet und durch große Pflanzenpracht, filigrane japanische Hütten- und Brückenbauten und Teiche mit seltenen Koi-Karpfen gefällt. Weitere Gärten findet man in Fontvieille und im Bereich zwischen Ozeanographischem Museum und Fürstenpalast.
Sport
Der 1911 gegründete Club Alpin Monégasque (CAM) ist ein Alpiner Verein.
Im Jahre 1929 fand erstmals der Große Preis von Monaco statt, seit 1955 gastiert die Formel 1 jährlich (mit Ausnahme 2020 aufgrund der COVID-19-Pandemie)[84] im Fürstentum. Außerdem führt die Rallye Monte Carlo in den Stadtstaat.
Die AS Monaco gehört mit acht Meistertiteln zu den erfolgreichsten Fußballvereinen der französischen Liga. Der monegassische Fußballclub spielt im Stade Louis II im Stadtteil Fontvieille. Das Fürstentum unterhält außerdem eine Fußballauswahl, der Verband Fédération Monegasque de Football ist hingegen weder Mitglied der UEFA noch der FIFA.
Im Frühling findet jeweils ein Tennisturnier der ATP Tour Masters 1000 statt. Gespielt wird dabei auf Sand. Das Monte Carlo Masters gehört zu den wichtigsten Turnieren im Herrentennis.
Von 2005 bis 2009 fand im Fürstentum jährlich im September der Ironman 70.3 Monaco, ein Triathlon über die halbe Ironman-Distanz (1,9 Kilometer Schwimmen, 90 Kilometer Radfahren, 21,1 Kilometer Laufen) statt.
Seit 1995 findet im November der Marathon de Monaco et des Riviera statt.
Die EPT Monte Carlo, die seit 2005 im Monte Carlo Bay Hotel ausgetragen wird, ist das bedeutendste jährliche Pokerturnier Europas.
Seit 2003 ist Monaco Ziel der Red Bull X-Alps.
Special Olympics Monaco wurde 1980 gegründet und nahm mehrmals an Special Olympics Weltspielen teil.
(Wikipedia)
Der Port Hercule (deutsch Herkuleshafen) ist der zentral gelegene Yachthafen im Fürstentum Monaco. Er befindet sich im Stadtbezirk La Condamine, der den Hafen umschließt.
Der Bau des Port Hercule wurde 1926 fertiggestellt und erfuhr in den 1970er-Jahren Verbesserungen. Der Hafen bietet Platz für bis zu 700 Boote.
(Wikipedia)
Developed by Developers Diversified, Quincy Place Mall opened in August 1990, as a 270,000 ft2 mall anchored by JCPenney, Herberger's, and Walmart.
A decades long weak economy and the departures of Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's have left the former industrial hub without a thriving retail destination. The Target behind the mall closed in 2015.
Developers Diversified really copied what Dial Properties of Omaha was doing when building this mall. The corrugated ceilings, circular lights, dated colors, and anchor combination match the Walmart, JCP, and Herberger's anchored malls that DP was building elsewhere in the Midwest. The mall was build to replace an ailing downtown pedestrian mall that was foundering even before the loss of Younkers.
Best viewed on black
View of a shop in Gent!
Now thats what I call diversification !
Go in by the left to buy socks, and by
the right for wine and cheese......
Didnt seem to work though the shop is closed !
Trying to diversified so I went to takes photo of the stiff-necked Ibis from Lake Sanctuary. If only they hold still while I'm taking the shot.
Nikon D600 | AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II | Handheld
Manufacturer: Diversified Plastics Inc. Model: 2 Yard
Newer 2YD dumpster in an alley in downtown Saint Cloud.
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Please do not use this photo or any part of this photo without first asking for permission, thank you.
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The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a fascinating species known for its spectacular annual migration and vibrant orange and black wings. Its evolution and history can be traced back millions of years, and its story encompasses adaptations, ecological relationships, and conservation challenges.
The evolutionary history of the Monarch butterfly begins in the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 90 million years ago. Fossil evidence suggests that ancient ancestors of the Monarch belonged to a diverse group of butterflies called the Nymphalidae family. Over time, these butterflies evolved and diversified, eventually giving rise to the genus Danaus, which includes the Monarch.
The Monarch butterfly we know today likely emerged around two million years ago. It is believed to have originated in the Americas, with its range extending from southern Canada down to South America. This widespread distribution allowed for genetic diversity and the development of different populations with unique adaptations.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Monarch's life cycle is its long-distance migration. In the late summer and early fall, Monarchs from the eastern and northeastern parts of North America embark on an incredible journey spanning thousands of miles to overwintering sites in central Mexico. Western populations of Monarchs in North America migrate to the California coast for the winter. These migrations are driven by seasonal changes, photoperiod cues, and a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors.
During the migration, Monarchs rely on nectar-rich flowers as a source of energy. They also require milkweed plants (Asclepias spp.) as their larval host plants. Monarch caterpillars exclusively feed on milkweed leaves, which contain toxins called cardiac glycosides. Through a process known as sequestration, Monarchs store these toxins in their bodies, making them unpalatable to many predators.
The relationship between Monarchs and milkweed is a critical ecological link. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and the toxins in the leaves protect the caterpillars and adult butterflies from predation. Additionally, milkweed serves as a habitat and a food source for other insect species, making it an important part of many ecosystems.
In recent years, Monarch populations have faced numerous challenges. Habitat loss due to urbanization, agriculture, and the use of herbicides has significantly reduced milkweed availability. Climate change and extreme weather events also impact the butterflies' breeding and migratory patterns. Furthermore, illegal logging in the overwintering sites in Mexico and the loss of forest cover pose additional threats to their survival.
To address these conservation concerns, efforts have been made to protect and restore Monarch habitat. Organizations and individuals work to establish milkweed corridors, plant native flowers, and promote sustainable land management practices. International cooperation has been crucial in protecting the overwintering sites, including establishing biosphere reserves and promoting ecotourism to support local communities.
Understanding the Monarch butterfly's evolution and history provides insights into the intricate web of life and the importance of preserving biodiversity. By conserving Monarchs and their habitats, we not only protect a remarkable species but also contribute to the well-being of entire ecosystems and the delicate balance of nature.
In North America, monarchs migrate both north and south on an annual basis, making long-distance journeys that are fraught with risks. This is a multi-generational migration, with individual monarchs only making part of the full journey. The population east of the Rocky Mountains attempts to migrate to the sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve in the Mexican state of Michoacán and parts of Florida. The western population tries to reach overwintering destinations in various coastal sites in central and southern California. The overwintered population of those east of the Rockies may reach as far north as Texas and Oklahoma during the spring migration. The second, third, and fourth generations return to their northern locations in the United States and Canada in the spring.
Captive-raised monarchs appear capable of migrating to overwintering sites in Mexico, though they have a much lower migratory success rate than do wild monarchs (see section on captive-rearing below). Monarch overwintering sites have been discovered recently in Arizona. Monarchs from the eastern US generally migrate longer distances than monarchs from the western US.
Since the 1800s, monarchs have spread throughout the world, and there are now many non-migratory populations globally.
Flight speeds of adults are around 9 km/h (6 mph).
In both caterpillar and butterfly form, monarchs are aposematic, warding off predators with a bright display of contrasting colors to warn potential predators of their undesirable taste and poisonous characteristics. One monarch researcher emphasizes that predation on eggs, larvae or adults is natural, since monarchs are part of the food chain, thus people should not take steps to kill predators of monarchs.
Larvae feed exclusively on milkweed and consume protective cardiac glycosides. Toxin levels in Asclepias species vary. Not all monarchs are unpalatable, but exhibit Batesian or automimics. Cardiac glycosides levels are higher in the abdomen and wings. Some predators can differentiate between these parts and consume the most palatable ones.
Butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) lacks significant amounts of cardiac glycosides (cardenolides), but instead contains other types of toxic glycosides, including pregnanes. This difference may reduce the toxicity of monarchs whose larvae feed on that milkweed species and affect the butterfly's breeding choices, as a naturalist and others have reported that egg-laying monarchs do not favor the plant. Some other milkweeds have similar characteristics.
Types of predators
While monarchs have a wide range of natural predators, none of these is suspected of causing harm to the overall population, or are the cause of the long-term declines in winter colony sizes.
Several species of birds have acquired methods that allow them to ingest monarchs without experiencing the ill effects associated with the cardiac glycosides (cardenolides). The black-backed oriole is able to eat the monarch through an exaptation of its feeding behavior that gives it the ability to identify cardenolides by taste and reject them. The black-headed grosbeak, though, has developed an insensitivity to secondary plant poisons that allows it to ingest monarchs without vomiting. As a result, these orioles and grosbeaks periodically have high levels of cardenolides in their bodies, and they are forced to go on periods of reduced monarch consumption. This cycle effectively reduces potential predation of monarchs by 50% and indicates that monarch aposematism has a legitimate purpose. The black-headed grosbeak has also evolved resistance mutations in the molecular target of the heart poisons, the sodium pump. The specific mutations that evolved in one of the grosbeak's four copies of the sodium pump gene are the same as those found in some rodents that have also evolved to resist cardiac glycosides. Known bird predators include brown thrashers, grackles, robins, cardinals, sparrows, scrub jays, and pinyon jays.
The monarch's white morph appeared in Oahu after the 1965–1966 introduction of two bulbul bird species, Pycnonotus cafer and Pycnonotus jocosus. These are now the most common avian insectivores in Hawaii, and probably the only ones that eat insects as large as monarchs. Although Hawaiian monarchs have low cardiac glycoside levels, the birds may also be tolerant of that toxin. The two species hunt the larvae and some pupae from the branches and undersides of leaves in milkweed bushes. The bulbuls also eat resting and ovipositing adults, but rarely flying ones. Because of its color, the white morph has a higher survival rate than the orange one. This is either because of apostatic selection (i.e., the birds have learned the orange monarchs can be eaten), because of camouflage (the white morph matches the white pubescence of milkweed or the patches of light shining through foliage), or because the white morph does not fit the bird's search image of a typical monarch, so is thus avoided.
Some mice, particularly the black-eared mouse (Peromyscus melanotis), are, like all rodents, able to tolerate large doses of cardenolides and are able to eat monarchs. Overwintering adults become less toxic over time making them more vulnerable to predators. In Mexico, about 14% of the overwintering monarchs are eaten by birds and mice and black-eared mice can eat up to 40 monarchs per night.
In North America, eggs and first-instar larvae of the monarch are eaten by larvae and adults of the introduced Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). The Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) will consume the larvae once the gut is removed thus avoiding cardenolides. Predatory wasps commonly consume larvae. Many Hemipteran bugs including predatory stink bugs in the subfamily Asopinae and assassin bugs in family Reduviidae eat monarchs. Larvae can sometimes avoid predation by dropping from the plant or by jerking their bodies.
Parasitoids, including tachinid flies and braconid wasps develop inside the monarch larvae eventually killing it and emerging from the larvae or pupa. Non-insect parasites and infectious diseases (pathogens) also kill monarchs.
1) Fourth-instar monarch larvae killed and being consumed by a stink (shield) bug. 2) Mature fifth instar larvae jerks to dislodge a large milkweed bug (a herbivore). 3) Fourth-instar larvae killed by insect parasitoids, non-insect parasites or a pathogen.
Aposematism
Chemical structure of oleandrin, one of the cardiac glycosides
Monarchs are toxic and foul-tasting because of the presence of cardenolides in their bodies, which the caterpillars ingest as they feed on milkweed. Monarchs and other cardenolide-resistant insects rely on a resistant form of the Na+/ K+-ATPase enzyme to tolerate significantly higher concentrations of cardenolides than nonresistant species. By ingesting a large amount of plants in the genus Asclepias, primarily milkweed, monarch caterpillars are able to sequester cardiac glycosides, or more specifically cardenolides, which are steroids that act in heart-arresting ways similar to digitalis. It has been found that monarchs are able to sequester cardenolides most effectively from plants of intermediate cardenolide content rather than those of high or low content. Three mutations that evolved in the monarch's Na+/ K+-ATPase were found to be sufficient together to confer resistance to dietary cardiac glycosides. This was tested by swapping these mutations into the same gene in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing. These fruit flies-turned monarch flies were completely resistant to dietary ouabain, a cardiac glycoside found in Apocynaceae, and even sequestered some through metamorphosis, like the monarch.
Different species of milkweed have different effects on growth, virulence, and transmission of parasites. One species, Asclepias curassavica, appears to reduce the symptoms of Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) infection. The two possible explanations for this include that it promotes overall monarch health to boost the monarch's immune system or that chemicals from the plant have a direct negative effect on the OE parasites. A. curassavica does not cure or prevent the infection with OE; it merely allows infected monarchs to live longer, and this would allow infected monarchs to spread the OE spores for longer periods. For the average home butterfly garden, this scenario only adds more OE to the local population.
After the caterpillar becomes a butterfly, the toxins shift to different parts of the body. Since many birds attack the wings of the butterfly, having three times the cardiac glycosides in the wings leaves predators with a very foul taste and may prevent them from ever ingesting the body of the butterfly. To combat predators that remove the wings only to ingest the abdomen, monarchs keep the most potent cardiac glycosides in their abdomens.
Mimicry
Monarchs share the defense of noxious taste with the similar-appearing viceroy butterfly in what is perhaps one of the most well-known examples of mimicry. Though long purported to be an example of Batesian mimicry, the viceroy is actually more unpalatable than the monarch, making this a case of Müllerian mimicry.
Human interaction
The monarch is the state insect of Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia. Legislation was introduced to make it the national insect of the United States, but this failed in 1989 and again in 1991.
Homeowners are increasingly establishing butterfly gardens; monarchs can be attracted by cultivating a butterfly garden with specific milkweed species and nectar plants. Efforts are underway to establish these monarch waystations.
An IMAX film, Flight of the Butterflies, describes the story of the Urquharts, Brugger, and Trail to document the then-unknown monarch migration to Mexican overwintering areas.
Sanctuaries and reserves have been created at overwintering locations in Mexico and California to limit habitat destruction. These sites can generate significant tourism revenue. However, with less tourism, monarch butterflies will have a higher survival rate because they show more protein content and a higher value of immune response and oxidative defense.
Organizations and individuals participate in tagging programs. Tagging information is used to study migration patterns.
The 2012 novel by Barbara Kingsolver, Flight Behavior, deals with the fictional appearance of a large population in the Appalachians.
Captive rearing
Humans interact with monarchs when rearing them in captivity, which has become increasingly popular. However, risks occur in this controversial activity. On one hand, captive rearing has many positive aspects. Monarchs are bred in schools and used for butterfly releases at hospices, memorial events, and weddings. Memorial services for the September 11 attacks include the release of captive-bred monarchs. Monarchs are used in schools and nature centers for educational purposes. Many homeowners raise monarchs in captivity as a hobby and for educational purposes.
On the other hand, this practice becomes problematic when monarchs are "mass-reared". Stories in the Huffington Post in 2015 and Discover magazine in 2016 have summarized the controversy around this issue.
The frequent media reports of monarch declines have encouraged many homeowners to attempt to rear as many monarchs as possible in their homes and then release them to the wild in an effort to "boost the monarch population". Some individuals, such as one in Linn County, Iowa, have reared thousands of monarchs at the same time.
Some monarch scientists do not condone the practice of rearing "large" numbers of monarchs in captivity for release into the wild because of the risks of genetic issues and disease spread. One of the biggest concerns of mass rearing is the potential for spreading the monarch parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, into the wild. This parasite can rapidly build up in captive monarchs, especially if they are housed together. The spores of the parasite also can quickly contaminate all housing equipment, so that all subsequent monarchs reared in the same containers then become infected. One researcher stated that rearing more than 100 monarchs constitutes "mass rearing" and should not be done.
In addition to the disease risks, researchers believe these captive-reared monarchs are not as fit as wild ones, owing to the unnatural conditions in which they are raised. Homeowners often raise monarchs in plastic or glass containers in their kitchens, basements, porches, etc., and under artificial lighting and controlled temperatures. Such conditions would not mimic what the monarchs are used to in the wild, and may result in adults that are unsuited for the realities of their wild existence. In support of this, a recent study by a citizen scientist found that captive-reared monarchs have a lower migration success rate than wild monarchs do.
A 2019 study shed light on the fitness of captive-reared monarchs, by testing reared and wild monarchs on a tethered flight apparatus that assessed navigational ability. In that study, monarchs that were reared to adulthood in artificial conditions showed a reduction in navigational ability. This happened even with monarchs that were brought into captivity from the wild for a few days. A few captive-reared monarchs did show proper navigation. This study revealed the fragility of monarch development; if the conditions are not suitable, their ability to properly migrate could be impaired. The same study also examined the genetics of a collection of reared monarchs purchased from a butterfly breeder, and found they were dramatically different from wild monarchs, so much so that the lead author described them as "franken-monarchs".
An unpublished study in 2019 compared behavior of captive-reared versus wild monarch larvae. The study showed that reared larvae exhibited more defensive behavior than wild larvae. The reason for this is unknown, but it could relate to the fact that reared larvae are frequently handled and/or disturbed.
Threats
In February 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported a study that showed that nearly a billion monarchs had vanished from the butterfly's overwintering sites since 1990. The agency attributed the monarch's decline in part to a loss of milkweed caused by herbicides that farmers and homeowners had used.
Western monarch populations
Based on a 2014 20-year comparison, the overwintering numbers west of the Rocky Mountains have dropped more than 50% since 1997 and the overwintering numbers east of the Rockies have declined by more than 90% since 1995. According to the Xerces Society, the monarch population in California decreased 86% in 2018, going from millions of butterflies to tens of thousands of butterflies.
The society's annual 2020–2021 winter count showed a significant decline in the California population. One Pacific Grove site did not have a single monarch butterfly. A primary explanation for this was the destruction of the butterfly's milkweed habitats. This particular population is believed to comprise less than 2000 individuals, as of 2022.
Eastern and midwestern monarch populations
A 2016 publication attributed the previous decade's 90% decline in overwintering numbers of the eastern monarch population to the loss of breeding habitat and milkweed. The publication's authors stated that an 11%–57% probability existed that this population will go almost extinct over the next 20 years.
Chip Taylor, the director of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas, has stated that the Midwest milkweed habitat "is virtually gone" with 120–150 million acres lost. To help fight this problem, Monarch Watch encourages the planting of "Monarch Waystations".
Habitat loss due to herbicide use and genetically modified crops
Declines in milkweed abundance and monarch populations between 1999 and 2010 are correlated with the adoption of herbicide-tolerant genetically modified (GM) corn and soybeans, which now constitute 89% and 94% of these crops, respectively, in the U.S. GM corn and soybeans are resistant to the effect of the herbicide glyphosate. Some conservationists attribute the disappearance of milkweed to agricultural practices in the Midwest, where GM seeds are bred to resist herbicides that farmers use to kill unwanted plants that grow near their rows of food crops.
In 2015, the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a suit against the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Council argued that the agency ignored warnings about the dangers of glyphosate usage for monarchs. However, a 2018 study has suggested that the decline in milkweed predates the arrival of GM crops.
Losses during migration
Eastern and midwestern monarchs are apparently experiencing problems reaching Mexico. A number of monarch researchers have cited recent evidence obtained from long-term citizen science data that show that the number of breeding (adult) monarchs has not declined in the last two decades.
The lack of long-term declines in the numbers of breeding and migratory monarchs, yet the clear declines in overwintering numbers, suggests a growing disconnect exists between these life stages. One researcher has suggested that mortality from car strikes constitutes an increasing threat to migrating monarchs. A study of road mortality in northern Mexico, published in 2019, showed very high mortality from just two "hotspots" each year, amounting to 200,000 monarchs killed.
Loss of overwintering habitat
The area of Mexican forest to which eastern and midwestern monarchs migrate reached its lowest level in two decades in 2013. The decline was expected to increase during the 2013–2014 season. Mexican environmental authorities continue to monitor illegal logging of the oyamel trees. The oyamel is a major species of evergreen on which the overwintering butterflies spend a significant time during their winter diapause, or suspended development.
A 2014 study acknowledged that while "the protection of overwintering habitat has no doubt gone a long way towards conserving monarchs that breed throughout eastern North America", their research indicates that habitat loss on breeding grounds in the United States is the main cause of both recent and projected population declines.
Western monarch populations have rebounded slightly since 2014 with the Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count tallying 335,479 monarchs in 2022. The population still has much to go for a full recovery.
Parasites
Parasites include the tachinid flies Sturmia convergens and Lespesia archippivora. Lesperia-parasitized butterfly larvae suspend, but die prior to pupation. The fly's maggot lowers itself to the ground, forms a brown puparium and then emerges as an adult.
Pteromalid wasps, specifically Pteromalus cassotis, parasitize monarch pupae. These wasps lay their eggs in the pupae while the chrysalis is still soft. Up to 400 adults emerge from the chrysalis after 14–20 days, killing the monarch.
The bacterium Micrococcus flacidifex danai also infects larvae. Just before pupation, the larvae migrate to a horizontal surface and die a few hours later, attached only by one pair of prolegs, with the thorax and abdomen hanging limp. The body turns black shortly thereafter. The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa has no invasive powers, but causes secondary infections in weakened insects. It is a common cause of death in laboratory-reared insects.
Ophryocystis elektroscirrha is another parasite of the monarch. It infects the subcutaneous tissues and propagates by spores formed during the pupal stage. The spores are found over all of the body of infected butterflies, with the greatest number on the abdomen. These spores are passed, from female to caterpillar, when spores rub off during egg laying and are then ingested by caterpillars. Severely infected individuals are weak, unable to expand their wings, or unable to eclose, and have shortened lifespans, but parasite levels vary in populations. This is not the case in laboratory rearing, where after a few generations, all individuals can be infected.
Infection with O. elektroscirrha creates an effect known as culling, whereby migrating monarchs that are infected are less likely to complete the migration. This results in overwintering populations with lower parasite loads. Owners of commercial butterfly-breeding operations claim that they take steps to control this parasite in their practices, although this claim is doubted by many scientists who study monarchs.[
Confusion of host plants
The black swallow-wort (Cynanchum louiseae) and pale swallow-wort (Cynanchum rossicum) plants are problematic for monarchs in North America. Monarchs lay their eggs on these relatives of native vining milkweed (Cynanchum laeve) because they produce stimuli similar to milkweed. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are poisoned by the toxicity of this invasive plant from Europe.
Climate
Climate variations during the fall and summer affect butterfly reproduction. Rainfall and freezing temperatures affect milkweed growth. Omar Vidal, director general of WWF-Mexico, said, "The monarch's lifecycle depends on the climatic conditions in the places where they breed. Eggs, larvae, and pupae develop more quickly in milder conditions. Temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) can be lethal for larvae, and eggs dry out in hot, arid conditions, causing a drastic decrease in hatch rate." If a monarch's body temperatures is below 30 °C (86 °F), a monarch cannot fly. To warm up, they sit in the sun or rapidly shiver their wings to warm themselves.
Climate change may dramatically affect the monarch migration. A study from 2015 examined the impact of warming temperatures on the breeding range of the monarch, and showed that in the next 50 years the monarch host plant will expand its range further north into Canada, and that the monarchs will follow this. While this will expand the breeding locations of the monarch, it will also have the effect of increasing the distance that monarchs must travel to reach their overwintering destination in Mexico, which could result in greater mortality during the migration.
Milkweeds grown at increased temperatures have been shown to contain higher cardenolide concentrations, making the leaves too toxic for the monarch caterpillars. However, these increased concentrations are likely in response to increased insect herbivory, which is also caused by the increased temperatures. Whether increased temperatures make milkweed too toxic for monarch caterpillars when other factors are not present is unknown. Additionally, milkweed grown at carbon dioxide levels of 760 parts per million was found to produce a different mix of the toxic cardenolides, one of which was less effective against monarch parasites.
Conservation status
On July 20, 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added the migratory monarch butterfly (the subspecies common in North America) to its red list of endangered species.
The monarch butterfly is not currently listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora or protected specifically under U.S. domestic laws.
On August 14, 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety filed a legal petition requesting Endangered Species Act protection for the monarch and its habitat, based largely on the long-term trends observed at overwintering sites. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) initiated a status review of the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act with a due date for information submission of March 3, 2015, later extended to 2020. On December 15, 2020, the FWS ruled that adding the butterfly to the list of threatened and endangered species was "warranted-but-precluded" because it needed to devote its resources to 161 higher-priority species.
The number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has shown a long-term downward trend. Since 1995, coverage numbers have been as high as 18 hectares (44 acres) during the winter of 1996–1997, but on average about 6 hectares (15 acres). Coverage declined to its lowest point to date (0.67 hectares (1.66 acres)) during the winter of 2013–2014, but rebounded to 4.01 hectares (10 acres) in 2015–2016. The average population of monarchs in 2016 was estimated at 200 million. Historically, on average there are 300 million monarchs. The 2016 increase was attributed to favorable breeding conditions in the summer of 2015. However, coverage declined by 27% to 2.91 hectares (7.19 acres) during the winter of 2016–2017. Some believe this was because of a storm that had occurred during March 2016 in the monarchs' previous overwintering season, though this seems unlikely since most current research shows that the overwintering colony sizes do not predict the size of the next summer breeding population.
In Ontario, Canada, the monarch butterfly is listed as a species of special concern. In fall 2016, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada proposed that the monarch be listed as endangered in Canada, as opposed to its current listing as a "species of concern" in that country. This move, once enacted, would protect critical monarch habitat in Canada, such as major fall accumulation areas in southern Ontario, but it would also have implications for citizen scientists who work with monarchs, and for classroom activities. If the monarch were federally protected in Canada, these activities could be limited, or require federal permits.
In Nova Scotia, the monarch is listed as endangered at the provincial level, as of 2017. This decision (as well as the Ontario decision) apparently is based on a presumption that the overwintering colony declines in Mexico create declines in the breeding range in Canada. Two recent studies have been conducted examining long-term trends in monarch abundance in Canada, using either butterfly atlas records or citizen science butterfly surveys, and neither shows evidence of a population decline in Canada.
Conservation efforts
See also: Monarch butterfly conservation in California
Although numbers of breeding monarchs in eastern North America have apparently not decreased, reports of declining numbers of overwintering butterflies have inspired efforts to conserve the species.
Federal actions
On June 20, 2014, President Barack Obama issued a presidential memorandum entitled "Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators". The memorandum established a Pollinator Health Task Force, to be co-chaired by the Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and stated:
The number of migrating Monarch butterflies sank to the lowest recorded population level in 2013–14, and there is an imminent risk of failed migration.
In May 2015, the Pollinator Health Task Force issued a "National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators". The strategy laid out federal actions to achieve three goals, two of which were:
Monarch Butterflies: Increase the Eastern population of the monarch butterfly to 225 million butterflies occupying an area of approximately 15 acres (6 hectares) in the overwintering grounds in Mexico, through domestic/international actions and public-private partnerships, by 2020.
Pollinator Habitat Acreage: Restore or enhance 7 million acres of land for pollinators over the next 5 years through Federal actions and public/private partnerships.
Many of the priority projects that the national strategy identified focused on the I-35 corridor, which extends for 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from Texas to Minnesota. The area through which that highway travels provides spring and summer breeding habitats in the United States' key monarch migration corridor.
The Task Force simultaneously issued a "Pollinator Research Action Plan". The Plan outlined five main action areas, covered in ten subject-specific chapters. The action areas were: Setting a Baseline; Assessing Environmental Stressors; Restoring Habitat; Understanding and Supporting Stakeholders; Curating and Sharing Knowledge.
In June 2016, the Task Force issued a "Pollinator Partnership Action Plan". That Plan provided examples of past, ongoing, and possible future collaborations between the federal government and non-federal institutions to support pollinator health under each of the national strategy's goals.
The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) publishes sets of landscape performance requirements in its P100 documents, which mandate standards for the GSA's Public Buildings Service. Beginning in March 2015, those performance requirements and their updates have included four primary aspects for planting designs that are intended to provide adequate on-site foraging opportunities for targeted pollinators. The targeted pollinators include bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed into law the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Pub. L.) The FAST Act placed a new emphasis on efforts to support pollinators. To accomplish this, the FAST Act amended Title 23 (Highways) of the United States Code. The amendment directed the United States Secretary of Transportation, when carrying out programs under that title in conjunction with willing states, to:
encourage integrated vegetation management practices on roadsides and other transportation rights-of-way, including reduced mowing; and
encourage the development of habitat and forage for Monarch butterflies, other native pollinators, and honey bees through plantings of native forbs and grasses, including noninvasive, native milkweed species that can serve as migratory way stations for butterflies and facilitate migrations of other pollinators.
The FAST Act also stated that activities to establish and improve pollinator habitat, forage, and migratory way stations may be eligible for Federal funding if related to transportation projects funded under Title 23.
The United States Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency helps increase U.S. populations of monarch butterfly and other pollinators through its Conservation Reserve Program's State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative. The SAFE Initiative provides an annual rental payment to farmers who agree to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and who plant species that will improve environmental health and quality. Among other things, the initiative encourages landowners to establish wetlands, grasses, and trees to create habitats for species that the FWS has designated to be threatened or endangered.
Other actions
Agriculture companies and other organizations are being asked to set aside areas that remain unsprayed to allow monarchs to breed. In addition, national and local initiatives are underway to help establish and maintain pollinator habitats along corridors containing power lines and roadways. The Federal Highway Administration, state governments, and local jurisdictions are encouraging highway departments and others to limit their use of herbicides, to reduce mowing, to help milkweed to grow and to encourage monarchs to reproduce within their right-of-ways.
National Cooperative Highway Research Program report
In 2020, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCRHP) of the Transportation Research Board issued a 208-page report that described a project that had examined the potential for roadway corridors to provide habitat for monarch butterflies. A part of the project developed tools for roadside managers to optimize potential habitat for monarch butterflies in their road rights-of-way.
Such efforts are controversial because the risk of butterfly mortality near roads is high. Several studies have shown that motor vehicles kill millions of monarchs and other butterflies every year. Also, some evidence indicates that monarch larvae living near roads experience physiological stress conditions, as evidenced by elevations in their heart rate.
The NCRHP report acknowledged that, among other hazards, roads present a danger of traffic collisions for monarchs, stating that these effects appear to be more concentrated in particular funnel areas during migration. Nevertheless, the report concluded:
In summary, threats along roadway corridors exist for monarchs and other pollinators, but in the context of the amount of habitat needed for recovery of sustainable populations, roadsides are of vital importance.
Butterfly gardening
A monarch waystation near the town of Berwyn Heights in Prince George's County, Maryland (June 2017)
The practice of butterfly gardening and creating "monarch waystations" is commonly thought to increase the populations of butterflies. Efforts to restore falling monarch populations by establishing butterfly gardens and monarch waystations require particular attention to the butterfly's food preferences and population cycles, as well to the conditions needed to propagate and maintain milkweed.
For example, in the Washington, DC, area and elsewhere in the northeastern and midwestern United States, common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is among the most important food plants for monarch caterpillars. A U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation planting guide for Maryland recommends that, for optimum wildlife and pollinator habitat in mesic sites (especially for monarchs), a seed mix should contain 6.0% A. syriaca by weight and 2.0% by seed.
However, monarchs prefer to lay eggs on A. syriaca when its foliage is soft and fresh. Because monarch reproduction peaks in those areas during the late summer when milkweed foliage is old and tough, A. syriaca needs to be mowed or cut back in June through August to assure that it will be regrowing rapidly when monarch reproduction reaches its peak. Similar conditions exist for showy milkweed (A. speciosa) in Michigan and for green antelopehorn milkweed (A. viridis), where it grows in the Southern Great Plains and the Western United States. Further, the seeds of A. syriaca and some other milkweeds need periods of cold treatment (cold stratification) before they will germinate.
To protect seeds from washing away during heavy rains and from seed–eating birds, one can cover the seeds with a light fabric or with an 0.5-inch (13 mm) layer of straw mulch. However, mulch acts as an insulator. Thicker layers of mulch can prevent seeds from germinating if they prevent soil temperatures from rising enough when winter ends. Further, few seedlings can push through a thick layer of mulch.
Although monarch caterpillars will feed on butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) in butterfly gardens, it is typically not a heavily used host plant for the species. The plant has rough leaves and a layer of trichomes, which may inhibit oviposition or decrease a female's ability to sense leaf chemicals. The plant's low levels of cardenolides may also deter monarchs from laying eggs on the plant. While A. tuberosa's colorful flowers provide nectar for many adult butterflies, the plant may be less suitable for use in butterfly gardens and monarch waystations than are other milkweed species.
Breeding monarchs prefer to lay eggs on swamp milkweed (A. incarnata). However, A. incarnata is an early successional plant that usually grows at the margins of wetlands and in seasonally flooded areas. The plant is slow to spread via seeds, does not spread by runners and tends to disappear as vegetative densities increase and habitats dry out. Although A. incarnata plants can survive for up to 20 years, most live only two-five years in gardens. The species is not shade-tolerant and is not a good vegetative competitor.