Holy See (Vatican City)

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

Internet hosts

107 (2012) country comparison to the world: 208

Telephone system

general assessment: automatic digital exchange domestic: connected via fiber optic cable to Telecom Italia network international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Budget

revenues: $308 million expenditures: $326.4 million (2011)

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. Moreover, an annual collection taken up in dioceses and from 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. Donations increased between 2010 and 2011. 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. Its revenues increased between 2010 and 2011 because of expanded opening hours and a growing number of visitors. However, the Holy See has not escaped the financial difficulties engulfing other European countries; in 2012 it started a spending review to determine where to cut costs to reverse its 2011 budget deficit of 15 million euros. Most public expenditures go to wages and other personnel costs; the incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Exchange rates

euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.7838 (2012 est.) 0.7185 (2011 est.) 755 (2010 est.) 0.7198 (2009 est.) 0.6827 (2008 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$NA

Labor force

2,832 (December 2011) (December 2011) country comparison to the world: 226

Labor force - 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%

Area

total: 0.44 sq km country comparison to the world: 252 land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of The National Mall in Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed elevation 75 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates

41 54 N, 12 27 E

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)

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2005)

Location

Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

none

Terrain

urban; low hill

Administrative divisions

none

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

Constitution

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

Country name

conventional long form: The Holy See (Vatican City State) 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)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mario MESQUITA embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 833, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-3411

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Carlo Maria VIGANO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Executive branch

chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005) 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 (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) 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

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

Government type

ecclesiastical

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 Holy See and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over centuries varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to 754

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

CE (observer), IAEA, Interpol, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, Schengen Convention (de facto member), UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, Union Latina (observer), UNWTO (observer), UPU, WIPO, WTO (observer)

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

Legal system

religious legal system based on canon (religious) law

Legislative branch

unicameral Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

National anthem

name: "Inno e Marcia Pontificale" (Hymn and Pontifical March); often called The Pontifical Hymn lyrics/music: Raffaello LAVAGNA/Charles-Francois GOUNOD note: adopted 1950

National holiday

Election Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 19 April (2005)

National symbol(s)

crossed keys

Political parties and leaders

none

Political pressure groups and leaders

none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

Suffrage

limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

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 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Military branches

Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2010)

Ethnic groups

Italians, Swiss, other

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Languages

Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Nationality

noun: none adjective: none

Population

836 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 237

Population growth rate

0.004% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Religions

Roman Catholic

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none