Affairs
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Model nation
Reimagining Liguria and Monaco as Costazzurra: a Riviera superpower with reengineered ports, banned hypermarkets, Fincantieri shipyards and a World Cup-winning brand strategy.
Europe
Nicolas Sarkozy's French style; the Nordic Davos; and Ukraine's Britart-loving oligarch.
Bids for freedom
There are always countries on the way in or out – breakaway states eager for independence or clamouring for reassimilation. This is the current crop of nations in waiting.
Life lines
Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim launched the UK’s first mobile network before founding telecom giant Celtel in Africa. Now, he faces a bigger challenge: promoting good governance on the continent.
Finn blue line
The Åland archipelago in Scandinavia is a model harmonious ‘nation’ without full independence. Prosperous and Swedish-speaking, these Finnish islanders were happy until the EU arrived, challenging their unique arrangement and way of life.
Observation
The Unravelled Kingdom: We turn our attention to the UK's national brand, a topic close to Monocle HQ, examining its current state as issues of nation building and branding come to the fore.
Running costs
Forefoot striking is the style of most professional runners, yet big brands emphasise the heel. A tiny Colorado trainer company is proving that the big boys need to stay on their toes.
Bloom town
We visit the Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, one of the world’s biggest flower auctions, to meet the companies behind the scenes of this multi-billion-euro industry that handles 20 million cut flowers every day.
