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 environment the Middle East China the decline of religion in Europe terrorism interreligious dialogue and reconciliation and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About one billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Geographic coordinates: 41 54 N 12 27 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 0.44 km²
Rank: 250
Land: 0.44 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: about 0.7 times the size of The National Mall in Washington DC

Land boundaries
Total: 3.2 km
Border countries: (1) Italy 3.2 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
Extremes lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed elevation 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Irrigated land: 0 km²

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; enclave in Rome Italy; world's smallest 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)

Population: 829 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 236
Growth rate: 0.004% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 195
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: none
Adjective: none

Ethnic groups: Italians Swiss other

Languages: Italian Latin French various other languages

Religions: Roman Catholic

Population growth rate: 0.004% (2010 est.)
Rank: 195

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution Environmental Modification

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: NA
Total population: 100%
Male: 100%
Female: 100%

Country name
Conventional long form: The Holy See
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 type: ecclesiastical

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 divisions: none

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 holiday: Election Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI 19 April (2005)

Constitution: Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000 effective 22 February 2001 (replaced the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Legal system: based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch
Chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI
Head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio BERTONE (since 15 September 2006)
Cabinet: Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City appointed by the pope
Elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held on 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 branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Judicial branch: there are three tribunals responsible for civil and 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 papal directive of Pope PIUS XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders: none

International organization participation: IAEA Interpol IOM (observer) ITSO ITU ITUC OAS (observer) OPCW OSCE Schengen Convention (de facto member) UN (observer) UNCTAD UNHCR Union Latina (observer) UNWTO (observer) UPU WIPO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro SAMBI
In the us chancery: 3,339 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 333-7,121
In the us fax: [1] (202) 337-4,036
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Miguel Humberto DIAZ
From the us embassy: Villa Domiziana Via delle Terme Deciane 26 00153 Rome
From the us mailing address: PSC 833 Box 66 APO AE 9,624
From the us telephone: [39] (06) 4,674-3,428
From the us fax: [39] (06) 575-3,411

Flag description: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white 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; the yellow color represents the pope's spiritual power the white his worldly power

National anthem
Name: 'Inno e Marcia Pontificale'
Lyricsmusic: Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD
Note: adopted 1950; although used as such 'Inno e Marcia Pontificale' is not officially a national anthem but rather a hymn meant to appeal to Roman Catholics throughout the world

Economy overview: The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources including investments real estate income and donations from Catholic individuals dioceses and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy) diplomatic missions and media outlets. The separate Vatican City State budget includes the Vatican museums and post office and is supported financially by the sale of stamps coins medals and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by publications sales. Moreover an annual collection taken up in dioceses and direct donations go to a non-budgetary fund known as Peter's Pence which is used directly by the Pope for charity disaster relief and aid to churches in developing nations. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $NA

Industries: printing; production of coins medals postage stamps; mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Labor force: NA
By occupation note: essentially services with a small amount of industry; nearly all dignitaries priests nuns guards and the approximately 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line: NA%

Exchange rates: euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7715 (2010) 0.7179 (2009) 0.6827 (2008) 0.7345 (2007) 0.7964 (2006)

Electricity
Production: NA kWh
Consumption: NA kWh
Imports: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy; a small portion of electricity is self-produced from solar panels

Telephones
Main lines in use: 5,120 (2005)
Main lines in use rank: 211

Telephone system
General assessment: automatic digital exchange
Domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network
International: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Broadcast media: the Vatican Television Center (CTV) transmits live broadcasts of the Pope's Sunday and Wednesday audiences as well as the Pope's public celebrations; CTV also produces documentaries; Vatican Radio is the Holy See's official broadcasting service broadcasting via shortwave AM and FM frequencies and via satellite and Internet connections (2008)

Internet
Country code: .va
Hosts: 68 (2010)
Hosts rank: 208

Disputes international: none