2020 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 the newly established Kingdom of Italy seized many of the Papal States. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between Italy and a series of "prisoner" popes 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 some 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, the plight of refugees and migrants, climate change and the environment, conflict and war, nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, sexual misconduct by clergy, humanitarian issues, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1.3 billion people worldwide profess Catholicism, the world's largest Christian faith.

Area

land

0.44 sq km

total

0 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation

highest point

Vatican Gardens (Vatican Hill) 78 m

lowest point

Saint Peter's Square 19 m

Geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 27 E

Geography - note

landlocked; an enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state

Land boundaries

border countries

Italy 3.4 km

total

3.4 km

Land use

agricultural land

0% (2022 est.)

forest

0% (2022 est.)

other

100% (2022 est.)

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

occasional earthquakes

Natural resources

none

Terrain

urban; low hill

Ethnic groups

Italian, Swiss, Argentinian, and other nationalities from around the world (2017)

Languages

Languages

Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

major-language sample(s)

L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Major urban areas - population

1,000 VATICAN CITY (capital) (2018)

Nationality

adjective

none

noun

none

Population

total

1,000 (2024)

Population growth rate

0% (2014 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the name derives from the hill called Mons Vaticanus, on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin vates (prophet), referring to the fortune tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times

geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 27 E

name

Vatican City

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

no

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

not applicable

Constitution

amendment process

although the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State makes no mention of amendments, Article Four (drafting laws), states that this legislative responsibility resides with the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; draft legislation is submitted through the Secretariat of State and considered by the pope

history

previous 1929, 2000; latest issued by Pope FRANCIS 13 May 2023, effective 7 June 2023 (Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, the main governing document of the Vatican's civil entities); the Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus – the departments and ministries – used by the pontiff in governing the church

Country name

conventional long form

The Holy See (Vatican City State)

conventional short form

Holy See (Vatican City)

etymology

"holy" comes from the Greek word hera, meaning "sacred"; "see" comes from the Latin word sedes, meaning "seat," and refers to the episcopal chair; the name Vatican derives from the hill Mons Vaticanus on which the Vatican is located and which comes from the Latin vates (prophet), referring to the fortune tellers and soothsayers who frequented the area in Roman times

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 Brian Francis BURCH II (since 13 September 2025)

email address and website

https://va.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Via Sallustiana, 49, 00187 Rome

FAX

[39] (06) 4674-3411

mailing address

5660 Holy See Place, Washington DC 20521-5660

telephone

[39] (06) 4674-1

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Apostolic Nuncio Cardinal Christophe PIERRE (since 27 June 2016)

email address and website

nuntiususa@nuntiususa.org http://www.nuntiususa.org/

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 LEO XIV (since 8 May 2025)

election results

2025: Robert PREVOST elected Pope LEO XIV

election/appointment process

pope elected by the College of Cardinals, usually for life or until voluntary resignation; Secretary of State appointed by the pope

head of government

President of the Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City and President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State Fernando VERGEZ ALZAGA (since 1 October 2021)

Flag

description: two vertical bands of yellow (left side) and white, with the arms of the Holy See centered in the white band; the arms show the crossed keys of Saint Peter under the three-tiered papal tiara  meaning: yellow stands for the pope's spiritual power, and white for his worldly power

Government type

ecclesiastical elective monarchy; self-described as an "absolute monarchy"

Independence

11 February 1929

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), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, 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)

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 system based on canon (religious) law

Legislative branch

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City (Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Citta del Vaticano)

most recent election date

22 September 2018

number of seats

7

percentage of women in chamber

0%

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1949

lyrics/music

Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD

title

“Hymnus Pontificius" (Pontifical Anthem)

National color(s)

yellow, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic Center of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura; Vatican City

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both cultural)

National symbol(s)

crossed keys under a papal tiara

Political parties

none

Suffrage

election of the pope is limited to cardinals under 80 years old

Economic overview

limited, tourism-based economy; euro user with own minted coins; produces commemorative stamps, coins, and publications to support museums and religious needs; residents pay no direct taxes; “zero deficit” plan to address budget shortfall

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Broadcast media

the Vatican Television Center (CTV) transmits live broadcasts of the Pope's weekly audiences, as well as his public celebrations; CTV also produces documentaries; Vatican Radio is the official broadcasting service via shortwave, AM, and FM frequencies, as well as satellite and web; Vatican News website partners with Vatican Radio and provides Catholic news from the Vatican (2021)

Internet country code

.va

Internet users

percent of population

87% (2023 est.)

Heliports

1 (2025)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Italy

Military and security forces

the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) serves as the de facto military force of Vatican City; the Gendarmerie Corps of Vatican City (Corpo della Gendarmeriais) is a police force that helps augment the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps during the Pope’s appearances, as well as providing general security, traffic direction, and investigative duties for the Vatican City State (2025)

Military service age and obligation

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps: 19-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; must be a single Roman Catholic male with Swiss citizenship who has completed basic training with the Swiss military and can obtain a certificate of good conduct; qualified candidates must apply to serve; the service contract is between 2 and 25 years (2025)

Environmental issues

some air pollution from the surrounding city of Rome

International environmental agreements

party to

Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

Air Pollution, Environmental Modification