Map of Holy See | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Popes in their secular role ruled much of the Italian peninsula, including Rome, for about a thousand years, until 1870. A dispute between a series of popes and Italy was settled in 1929 by treaties that recognized the Vatican City as an independent sovereignty and gave Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. The US established formal diplomatic relationships with the Vatican in 1984. Present issues in the Vatican concern the ill health of Pope John Paul II, who turned 71 on 20 May 1991, inter-religious dialogue and reconciliation, and the adjustment of church doctrine in an era of rapid change. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Roman Catholic faith.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: 3.2 km with Italy

Coastline: none--landlocked

Maritime claims: none--landlocked

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

Terrain: low hill

Elevation

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0%; permanent crops: 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

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


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Population: 778 (July 1991), growth rate NEGL% (1991)

Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms

Ethnic groups: primarily Italians but also Swiss and other nationalities

Languages: Italian, Latin, and various other languages

Religions: Roman Catholic

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: urban

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 100% (male NA%, female NA%)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: State of the Vatican City; note--the Vatican City is the physical seat of the Holy See, which is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church

Government type: monarchical-sacerdotal state

Capital: Vatican City

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)

National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978; note--Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978

Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Legal system

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch: Chief of State--Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYLA; since 16 October 1978; Head of Government--Secretary of State Archbishop Angelo SODANO

Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CSCE, IAEA, ICFTU, IMF (observer), INTELSAT, IOM (observer), ITU, OAS (observer), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN; 3,339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 333-7,121; US--Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO New York 9,794; telephone [396] 639-0558

Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band Vatican City Vatican CityVatican City

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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, 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products

Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force: high dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $76.6 million; expenditures $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year Vatican City Vatican City Vatican City

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports

Imports

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1--1,134.4 (January 1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989), 1,301.6 (1988), 1,296.1 (1987), 1,490.8 (1986), 1,909.4 (1985; note--the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely


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Electricity
Capacity: 5,000 kW standby capacity (1990; power supplied by Italy

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs