Vatican City
_Vatican_City.jpg)
See regional map V
Geography
Total area: 0.438 km²; land area: 0.438
km²
Comparative area: about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundary: 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
Natural resources: none
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
Environment: urban
Note: 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
People
Population: 774 (July 1990), growth rate
0.5% (1990)
Nationality: no noun or adjectival forms
Ethnic divisions: primarily Italians but also many other nationalities
Religion: Roman Catholic
Language: Italian, Latin, and various other languages
Literacy: 100%
Labor force: about 1,500; Vatican City employees divided into three categories—executives, office workers, and salaried employees
Organized labor: Association of Vatican Lay Workers, 1,800 members (1987)
Government
Long-form name: 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
Type: monarchical-sacerdotal state
Capital: Vatican City
Independence: 11 February 1929 (from Italy)
Constitution: Apostolic Constitution of 1967 (effective 1 March 1968)
National holiday: Installation Day of the Pope (John Paul II), 22 October (1978); note Pope John Paul II was elected on 16 October 1978
Executive branch: pope
Legislative branch: unicameral Pontifical Commission
Judicial branch: none; normally handled by Italy
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—Pope JOHN PAUL II (Karol WOJTYŁA; since 16 October 1978)
Political parties and leaders: none
Suffrage: limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
Elections: Pope—last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); results—Karol Wojtyła was elected for life by the College of Cardinals
Communists: NA
Other political or pressure groups: none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
Member: IAEA, INTELSAT, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, UPU, WIPO, WTO; permanent observer status at FAO, OAS, UN, and UNESCO
Diplomatic representation: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio Archbishop Pio LAGHI; 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 333-7121; US—Ambassador Thomas P. MELADY; Embassy at Villino Pacelli, Via Aurelia 294, 00165 Rome (mailing address is APO New York 09794); telephone [396] 639-0558
Flag: two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of St. Peter and the papal tiara centered in the white band
Economy
Overview: The 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.
Budget: revenues $57 million; expenditures $113.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1986)
Electricity: 5,000 kW standby capacity (1989); power supplied by Italy
Industries: printing and production of a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Currency: Vatican lira (plural—lire); 1 Vatican lira (VLit) = 100 centesimi
Exchange rates: Vatican lire (VLit) per US$1—1,262.5 (January 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
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Railroads: 850 m, 750 mm gauge (links
with Italian network near the Rome
station of St. Peter's)
Highways: none; all city streets
Telecommunications: stations—3 AM, 4 FM, no TV; 2,000-line automatic telephone exchange; no communications satellite systems
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of Italy;
Swiss Papal Guards are posted at
entrances to the Vatican City