Monaco /ˈmɒnəkoʊ/  ( listen) or Monte Carlo, officially the Principality of Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque: Principatu de Múnegu; Italian: Principato di Monaco; Occitan: Principat de Mónegue), is a small sovereign city-state located in South Western Europe on the northern central coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about 16 km (9.9 mi) from Italy. Its area is 2.02 km2 (0.78 sq mi) with an estimated population of almost 33,000. Monaco is the name of the country and its capital (and only) city. It is famous as a tax haven, and wealthy foreigners make up the majority of the population at approximately 84%. Monaco is a constitutional monarchy and principality, with Prince Albert II as the head of state. The House of Grimaldi has ruled Monaco since 1297, and the state's sovereignty was officially recognized by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861. Despite Monaco being independent, its national defence is the responsibility of France.

Paris ([paʁi]  ( listen) in French, pronounced /ˈpærɪs/ in English), the capital and largest city in France, is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (or Paris Region, French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris, within its administrative limits largely unchanged since 1860, has an estimated population of 2,193,031 (January 2007),[2] but the Paris metropolitan area has a population of 11,836,970 (January 2007),[4] and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.[5]