Map of Holy See | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 0 km²
Land: 0.44 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 0.7 times the size of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 3.4 km
Border countries (1): (1) Italy 3.4 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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

Terrain: urban; low hill

Elevation
Highest point: Vatican Gardens (Vatican Hill) 78 m
Lowest point: Saint Peter's Square 19 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 0% (2022 est.)
Other: 100% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional earthquakes

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


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Population
Total: 1,000 (2024)
Growth rate: 0% (2014 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

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.

Religions: Roman Catholic

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0% (2014 est.)

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1,000 VATICAN CITY (capital) (2018)

Environment

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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government 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
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

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: religious system based on canon (religious) law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: Pope LEO XIV (since 8 May 2025)
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)
Cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope
Election/appointment process: pope elected by the College of Cardinals, usually for life or until voluntary resignation; Secretary of State appointed by the pope
2025: Robert PREVOST elected Pope LEO XIV

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City (Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 7
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 22 September 2018
Percentage of women in chamber: 0%

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

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

National symbols

National anthem
Title: “Hymnus Pontificius' (Pontifical Anthem)
Lyrics/music: Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD
History: adopted 1949

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

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

Industrial production growth rate

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

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


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Electricity
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

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
Users percent of population: 87% (2023 est.)

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: 1 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs