Facts & Figures About the Holy See
Political Facts
| Country name: |
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) |
| Independence: | 11th February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11th 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: | Coronation Day of Pope Benedict XVI, 24th April (2005) |
| Constitution: | New Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26th November 2000, effective 22nd February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929) |
| Legal system: | Based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it. |
| Suffrage: | Limited to cardinals less than 80 years old. |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
Pope Benedict XVI (since 19th
April 2005) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano (since 1st December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 19th 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 |
| 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 of Pius XII on 1st May 1946 |
| Political parties and leaders: | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers) |
| International organisation participation: | CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO (observer) |
| Economy - overview: | This unique, non-commercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome. |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$245.2 million (£137,970,362.00) expenditures: $260.4 million(£146,523,174.00), including capital expenditures of NA (2002) |
| Industries: | Printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities |
Geographical Facts
| Location: | Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy) |
| Geographic coordinates: | 41 54 N, 12 27 E |
| Map references: | Europe |
| Area: |
total:
0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | About 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
| Land boundaries: |
total:
3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km |
| Coastline: | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Maritime claims: | None (landlocked) |
| Climate: | Temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September) |
| Terrain: | Low hill |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m |
| Natural resources: | none |
| Land use: |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | N. A. |
| Environment - international agreements: |
party to:
none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification |
|
Geography - note:
|
Urban; landlocked; enclave in 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 |
The above facts are a selection from the CIA online Fact book, which can be visited by clicking here
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