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- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- Geography
-
-
- Location:
- Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
- Map references:
- Europe
- 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
- 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 830 (July 1995 est.)
- Population growth rate:
- 1.15% (1995 est.)
- Birth rate:
- NA
- Death rate:
- NA
- Net migration rate:
- NA
- Infant mortality rate:
- NA
- Life expectancy at birth:
- NA
- Total fertility rate:
- NA
- Nationality:
- noun:
- none
- adjective:
- none
- Ethnic divisions:
- Italians, Swiss
- Religions:
- Roman Catholic
- Languages:
- Italian, Latin, various other languages
- Labor force:
- NA
- by occupation:
- dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside
- the Vatican
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- 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:
- VT
- 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:
- NA
- 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, WTO (observer)
- Diplomatic representation in US:
- chief of mission:
- Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN
- chancery:
- 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 333-7121
- US diplomatic representation:
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Raymond L. FLYNN
- embassy:
- Via Delle Terme Deciane 26, Rome 00153
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- Government
- mailing address:
- PSC 59, APO AE 09624
- telephone:
- [39] (6) 46741
- FAX:
- [39] (6) 6380159
- 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- 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:
- $169 million
- expenditures:
- $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 - 1,609.5 (January 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- 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
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Holy See (Vatican City)
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Note:
- defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at
- entrances to the Vatican City
-