2015 Edition

Background

Popes in their secular role ruled portions 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 Holy See 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 religious freedom, threats against minority Christian communities in Africa and the Middle East, sexual misconduct by clergy, international development, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.2 billion people worldwide profess Catholicism - the world's largest Christian faith.

Area

land

0.44 sq km

total

0.44 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, DC

Climate

temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed elevation 75 m

lowest point

unnamed location 19 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to

Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Geography - note

landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; beyond the territorial boundary of Vatican City, the Lateran Treaty of 1929 grants the Holy See extraterritorial authority over 23 sites in Rome and five outside of Rome, including the Pontifical Palace at Castel Gandolfo (the Pope's summer residence)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2011)

Land boundaries

border countries (1)

Italy 3.4 km

total

3.4 km

Land use

arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0%

agricultural land

0%

forest

0%

other

100% (urban area) (2011 est.)

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

none

Terrain

urban; low hill

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Italians, Swiss, other

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Languages

Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Major urban areas - population

VATICAN CITY (capital) 1,000 (2014)

Nationality

adjective

none

noun

none

Population

842 (July 2014 est.)

Population growth rate

0% (2014 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.03% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 27 E

name

Vatican City

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

previous 1929, 1963; latest adopted 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (Fundamental Law by Pope JOHN PAUL II); note - Pope Francis in October 2013 appointed a group of cardinals to revise the constitution (2013)

Country name

conventional long form

The Holy See (Vatican City State)

conventional short form

Holy See (Vatican City)

local long form

La Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

local short form

Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Kenneth Francis HACKETT (since 21 October 2013)

embassy

Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome

FAX

[39] (06) 575-8346

mailing address

Unit 5660, Box 66, DPO AE 09624-0066

telephone

[39] (06) 4674-3428

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Apostolic Nuncio Carlo Maria VIGANO (since 16 November 2011)

FAX

[1] (202) 337-4036

telephone

[1] (202) 333-7121

Executive branch

cabinet

Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope

chief of state

Pope FRANCIS (since 13 March 2013)

election results

Jorge Mario BERGOGLIO, formerly Archbishop of Buenos Aires, elected Pope FRANCIS

elections/appointments

pope elected for life or until voluntary resignation by the College of Cardinals; election last held on 13 March 2013 (next to be held after the death or resignation of the current pope); Secretary of State appointed by the pope

head of government

Secretary of State Archbishop Pietro PAROLIN (since 15 October 2013); note - previous Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE will remain as Camerlengo (fiscal administrator), a position he has held since 4 April 2007

Flag description

two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the arms of the Holy See, consisting of the crossed keys of Saint Peter surmounted by the three-tiered papal tiara, centered in the white band; the yellow color represents the pope's spiritual power, the white his worldly power

Government type

ecclesiastical

Independence

11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Holy See and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over centuries varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to 754

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), SICA (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (consists of the cardinal prefect, who serves as ex-officio president of the court, and 2 other cardinals of the Prefect Signatura); note - judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio, papal directive, of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946; most Vatican City criminal matters are handled by the Republic of Italy courts

judge selection and term of office

cardinal prefect appointed by the Pope; the other 2 cardinals of the court appointed by the cardinal prefect on a yearly basis

subordinate courts

Appellate Court of Vatican City; Tribunal of Vatican City

Legal system

religious legal system based on canon (religious) law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State or Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Citta del Vaticano (7 seats; members appointed by the pope to serve 5-year terms)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD

name

"Inno e Marcia Pontificale" (Hymn and Pontifical March); often called The Pontifical Hymn

note

adopted 1950

National holiday

Election Day of Pope FRANCIS, 13 March (2013)

National symbol(s)

crossed keys beneath a papal tiara; national colors: yellow, white

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

Suffrage

election of the pope is limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Budget

expenditures

$326.4 million (2011)

revenues

$308 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

NA%

Economy - overview

The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and from direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund, known as Peter's Pence, which is used directly by the Pope for charity, disaster relief, and aid to churches in developing nations. Donations increased between 2010 and 2011. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publication sales. Its revenues increased between 2010 and 2011 because of expanded opening hours and a growing number of visitors. However, the Holy See has not escaped the financial difficulties engulfing other European countries; in 2012 it started a spending review to determine where to cut costs to reverse its 2011 budget deficit of $20 million. The Holy See generated a modest surplus in 2012 before recording a $32 million deficit in 2013, driven primarily by the decreasing value of gold. Most public expenditures go to wages and other personnel costs; the incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. In February 2014, Pope FRANCIS created the Secretariat of the Economy to oversee financial and administrative operations of the Holy See, part of a broader campaign to reform the Holy See’s finances.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

0.7489 (2014 est.)

0.7634 (2013 est.)

0.78 (2012 est.)

0.7185 (2011 est.)

0.755 (2010 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA

Industries

printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; mosaics, staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Labor force

2,885 (December 2011)

Labor force - by occupation

note

essentially services with a small amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line

NA%

Taxes and other revenues

NA%

Broadcast media

the Vatican Television Center (CTV) transmits live broadcasts of the Pope's Sunday and Wednesday audiences, as well as the Pope's public celebrations; CTV also produces documentaries; Vatican Radio is the Holy See's official broadcasting service broadcasting via shortwave, AM and FM frequencies, and via satellite and Internet connections (2008)

Internet country code

.va

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2008)

Telephone system

domestic

connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network

general assessment

automatic digital exchange

international

country code - 39; uses Italian system (2012)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2008)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Military branches

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2013)

Military service age and obligation

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia): 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be Roman Catholic, a Swiss citizen, with a secondary education (2013)

Disputes - international

none