Holy See (Vatican City)

Highways

none; all city streets

Railroads

850 m, 750-mm gauge (links with Italian network near the Rome station of Saint Peter's)

Telecommunications

broadcast stations - 3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic telephone exchange; no communications satellite systems

Note

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

Budget

revenues: $86 million expenditures: $178 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Currency

1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi

Electricity

capacity: 5,000 kW standby production: power supplied by Italy consumption per capita: NA (1992)

Exchange rates

Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1 - 1,700.2 (January 1994), 1,573.7 (1993), 1,232.4 (1992), 1,240.6 (1991), 1,198.1 (1990), 1,372.1 (1989); note - the Vatican lira is at par with the Italian lira which circulates freely

Fiscal year

calendar year

Industries

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

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.

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

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Environment

current issues: NA natural hazards: NA international agreements: signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

total 3.2 km, Italy 3.2 km

Land use

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

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome - central Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none; landlocked

Natural resources

none

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

Terrain

low hill

Capital

Vatican City

Constitution

Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)

Digraph

VT

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Agostino CACCIAVILLAN chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 333-7121

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

FAX

[396] 638-0159

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

Independence

11 February 1929 (from Italy)

Judicial branch

none; normally handled by Italy

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Pontifical Commission

Member of

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

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)

National holiday

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

Other political or pressure groups

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Type

monarchical-sacerdotal state

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond L. FLYNN embassy: Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, APO AE 09624 telephone: [396] 46741

Birth rate

NA

Death rate

NA

Ethnic divisions

Italians, Swiss

Infant mortality rate

NA

Labor force

NA by occupation: dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers who live outside the Vatican

Languages

Italian, Latin, various other languages

Life expectancy at birth

NA

Literacy

total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality

noun: none adjective: none

Net migration rate

NA

Population

821 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.15% (1994 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

NA