The city-state of Monaco on the Mediterranean3 coast is having problems finding space for millionaires. Monaco is less than 2 square kilometers in size. It is called the playground of the rich. It is home to Formula 1 Grand Prix4. Over 30 per cent of its 38,000 residents are millionaires.
House prices are already the highest in the world. The average price is around $100,000 per square meter. City planners say about 2,700 more millionaires are hoping to move there in the next 10 years.
Monacos Prince Albert II has decided to build more homes. He has OKd a $2.1 billion project to fill in a large area of the sea with concrete. The area will have a big harbor5 for yachts6, a park and Japanese garden, and 120 luxury7 waterfront homes. There is a big demand for the new homes. People want the luxury lifestyle and no income tax.
Experts are worried the construction will damage sea life and the environment. However, the Prince said he cares about the environment. He said important sea life would be moved to a newly-built reef8.
地中海岸的城邦國(guó)摩納哥正在為百萬富翁的棲居地發(fā)愁。摩納哥面積不足兩平方千米,被稱為“富人的游樂場(chǎng)”。摩納哥是“世界一級(jí)方程式錦標(biāo)賽”的發(fā)源地。38000個(gè)摩納哥居民中,超過30%是百萬富翁。
摩納哥房?jī)r(jià)已居全球之首,均價(jià)大約每平方米10萬美元。城市規(guī)劃師稱,在未來的十年內(nèi),大約有2700多名百萬富翁想移居摩納哥。
摩納哥親王阿爾伯特二世已決定建造更多的房子。他批準(zhǔn)了一項(xiàng)21億美元的工程——用混凝土填滿一大塊海區(qū)。該區(qū)域?qū)碛幸粋€(gè)游艇港口、一個(gè)公園和一個(gè)日式花園,還有120套豪華水景房。新房子的需求很大,人們想要無需交納所得稅的奢華生活。
專家們擔(dān)心工程建設(shè)會(huì)毀壞海洋生物和環(huán)境。但這位親王稱,他關(guān)心環(huán)境。他說,重要的海洋生物將會(huì)被搬到新建的堡礁。
Notes:
1. Monaco n. 摩納哥(歐洲西南部國(guó)家)
2. millionaire n. 百萬富翁;大富豪
3. Mediterranean n. 地中海adj. 地中海的
4. Formula 1 Grand Prix 一級(jí)方程式大獎(jiǎng)賽(賽車)
5. harbor n. 海港
6. yacht n. 游艇,快艇
7. luxury adj. 奢侈的
8. reef n. 暗礁