Holy See (Vatican City)

 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Area

Total area: 0.44 sq km
Land area: 0.44 sq km
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

Total 3.2 km, Italy 3.2 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime Claims

None; landlocked

International Disputes

None

Climate

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

Terrain

Low hill lowest point: 19 m
highest point: 75 m

Natural Resources

None

Land Use

Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 100%

Irrigated Land

0 sq km

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

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

PEOPLE

Population

840 (July 1996 est.)
830 (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.15% (1996 est.)
1.15% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

Death Rate

Net Migration Rate

Infant Mortality Rate

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

Nationality

Noun: none
Adjective: none

Ethnic Divisions

Italians, Swiss

Religions

Roman Catholic

Languages

Italian, Latin, various other languages

Labor Force

By occupation:

Dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

GOVERNMENT

Names

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)

Digraph

Type

Monarchical-sacerdotal state

Capital

Vatican City

Independence

11 February 1929 (from Italy)

National Holiday

Installation Day of the Pope, 22 October (1978) (John Paul II)

Note: Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

Constitution

Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal System

Suffrage

Limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978); election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); results - Karol WOJTYLA was elected for life by the College of Cardinals
Head of government: Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo Cardinal SODANO (since NA 1991)
Cabinet: Pontifical Commission; appointed by Pope

Legislative Branch

Unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial Branch

None; normally handled by Italy

Political Parties and Leaders

None

Other Political or Pressure Groups

None (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

Member of

IAEA, ICFTU, INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer)

Flag

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

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.

Budget

Revenues: $175.5 million (1994), $169 million (1993)
Expenditures: $175 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1994), $167.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1993)

Electricity

Capacity: 5,000 kW standby
Production: power supplied by Italy
Consumption per capita: NA kWh (1992)

Industries

Printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms
Worldwide banking and financial activities

Currency

1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi

Exchange Rates

Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1,583.8 (January 1996), 1,629.6 (1995), 1,612.4 (1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Total: 862 meters; note - connects to Italy's network at Rome's Saint Peter's station
Narrow gauge: 862 meters 1.435-m gauge

Highways

None; all city streets

Ports

None

Airports

None

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

2,000 telephones; automatic exchange

Local: NA
Intercity: tied into Italian system
International: uses Italian system

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: NA

Television

Broadcast stations: 0
Televisions: NA

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City

History
World Atlas

Last updated: 18 november 1997

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