Holy See (Vatican City)

§1. Holy See (Vatican City) Introduction

Background:
  Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula for more
  than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal
  States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the
  pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed.
  Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in
  1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
  Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In
  1984, a concordat between the Vatican and Italy modified certain of the
  earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as
  the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include the
  failing health of Pope John Paul II, interreligious dialogue and
  reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid
  change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the
  Catholic faith.

§2. Holy See (Vatican City) Geography

Location:
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 0.44 kmē
  land: 0.44 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers
  (May to September)

Terrain:
  low hill

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 0%
  forests and woodland: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area)

Irrigated land:
  0 kmē (1993)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air
    Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  urban; landlocked; enclave of Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside
  the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's
  summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

§3. Holy See (Vatican City) People

Population:
  890 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.15% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
  Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy:
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

§4. Holy See (Vatican City) Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
  conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
  local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
  local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
  ecclesiastical

Capital:
  Vatican City

Independence:
  11 February 1929 (from Italy)

National holiday:
  Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)

Constitution:
  Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 2
    December 1990)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last
    held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current
    pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
  none; normally handled by Italy

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:
  CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, Intelsat, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WHO (observer),
  WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriele MONTALVO chancery:
    3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle
    Terme Deciane 26, 00162 Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box F, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
  FAX: [39] (06) 5758346

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys
  of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band

§5. Holy See (Vatican City) Economy

Economy - overview:
  This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by
  contributions (known as Peter's Pence) from Roman Catholics throughout the
  world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission
  to museums, and the sale of publications. The incomes and living standards
  of lay workers are comparable to, or somewhat better than, those of
  counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%; note - dignitaries, priests,
  nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Budget:
  revenues: $209.6 million
  expenditures: $198.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries:
  printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms;
  worldwide banking and financial activities

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA%
  nuclear: NA%
  other: NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency:
  Italian lira (ITL); euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  ITL; EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999);
  Vatican lire per US dollar - 2,099 (2000), 1817.2 (1999), 1,736.2 (1998),
  1,703.1 (1997), 1,542.9 (1996); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the
  Italian lira; the Vatican will start using euros in 2002 in conjunction
  with Italy at a fixed rate of 1,936.17 lire per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Holy See (Vatican City) Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system
  international: uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1996)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .va

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  93 (Holy See and Italy) (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

§7. Holy See (Vatican City) Transportation

Railways:
  total: 862 m; note - a spur of the Italian Railways system, serving Rome's
    Saint Peter's station
  standard gauge: 862 m 1.435-m gauge (1999)

Highways:
  none; all city streets

Waterways:
  none

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none

Heliports:
  1 (2000 est.)

§8. Holy See (Vatican City) Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at
  entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope

§9. Holy See (Vatican City) Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none
