Stamps issued: 1885-PRESENT
A principality on the southern coast of France. Long autonomous under the protection, at various times, of France, Spain and Sardinia, Monaco is independent, except for the right of France to approve the successor to the throne. By the treaty of 1918, Monaco will be annexed by France should the ruling Grimaldi family fail to provide an heir. Monaco has long been a popular tourist resort, and its beautiful postage stamps have given it a prominence among collectors much greater than one might expect from its small (1.95 square miles) size.
