from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Holy See
Introduction (Vatican City)
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, international development, the
Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and
reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine
in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1
billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Geography (Vatican City)
Location: Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Geographic 41 54 N, 12 27 E
coordinates:
Map Europe
references:
Area: total: 0.44 sq km
land: 0.44 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
comparative:
Land total: 3.2 km
boundaries: border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime none (landlocked)
claims:
Climate: temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to May) with
hot, dry summers (May to September)
Terrain: urban; low hill
Elevation lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location 75 m
Natural none
resources:
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (urban area) (2005)
Irrigated 0 sq km
land:
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - NA
current
issues:
Environment - party to: none of the selected agreements
international signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental
agreements: Modification
Geography - landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest
note: 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)
People (Vatican City)
Population: 932 (July 2006 est.)
Population 0.01% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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: 100%
female: 100%
Government (Vatican City)
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 ecclesiastical
type:
Capital: name: Vatican City
geographic coordinates: 41 54 N, 12 27 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in
March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative none
divisions:
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 Vatican and established its territorial extent;
however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the
years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced
back to the 8th century
National Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)
holiday:
Constitution: new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on
26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces
the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
Legal system: based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Executive chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)
branch: head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal
Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006)
cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
elections: pope elected for life by the College of
Cardinals; election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be
held after the death of the current pope); secretary of
state appointed by the pope
election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope
BENEDICT XVI
Legislative unicameral Pontifical Commission
branch:
Judicial there are three tribunals responsible for civil and
branch: criminal matters within Vatican City; three other
tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
note: judicial duties were established by the Motu
Proprio of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946
Political none
parties and
leaders:
Political none (exclusive of influence exercised by church
pressure officers)
groups and
leaders:
International CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM
organization (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer),
participation: UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO
(observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro
representation SAMBI
in the US: chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Francis ROONEY
representation embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26,
from the US: 00153 Rome
mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Flag two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white
description: 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
Economy (Vatican City)
Economy - This unique, noncommercial economy is supported
overview: financially by an annual contribution from Roman
Catholic dioceses throughout the world (known as
Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps, coins,
medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to
museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments
and real estate income also account for a sizable
portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of
lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who
work in the city of Rome.
GDP $NA
(purchasing
power parity):
Labor force: NA
Labor force - note: essentially services with a small amount of
by occupation: industry; dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000
lay workers live outside the Vatican
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Budget: revenues: $245.2 million
expenditures: $260.4 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2002)
Industries: printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps;
a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide
banking and financial activities
Electricity - NA kWh
production:
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh
exports:
Electricity - NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
imports:
Economic aid - $0
recipient:
Currency euro (EUR)
(code):
Currency code: EUR
Exchange euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
rates: 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications (Vatican City)
Telephones - 5,120 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - NA
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: automatic digital exchange
system: domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom
Italia network
international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Radio AM 4, FM 3, shortwave 2 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: NA
Television 1 (2005)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .va
country code:
Internet 45 (2006)
hosts:
Internet NA
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 93 (2000)
users:
Military (Vatican City)
Military Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera
branches: Pontificia)
Military - defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and
note: limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss
Guard
Transnational (Vatican City)
Issues
Disputes - none
international: